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John Allen Amos Jr. is an American actor known for his role as James Evans, Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times and for the 1977 miniseries Roots, for which he received an Emmy nomination. Amos's other television work includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a recurring role as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing, and the role of Washington, D.C. Mayor Ethan Baker in the series The District. In the 1988 Eddie Murphy film Coming to America, Amos played Cleo McDowell, the father of Shari Headley's character, Lisa McDowell. Amos has appeared on Broadway and in numerous films in his four-decade career. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and an NAACP Image Award.
Birth Name
John A. Amos
Born
Wednesday, 27 December 1939
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Last Rifleman | Lincoln Jefferson Adams | 2023 |
See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
Uncle Tom II: An American Odyssey | Self | 2022 |
Me Time | Gil | 2022 |
Block Party | Dennis | 2022 |
Christmas in Miami | Chief Host | 2021 |
History of the Sitcom | James Evans Sr. | 2021 |
Because of Charley | Grandpa | 2021 |
Coming 2 America | Cleo McDowell | 2021 |
The Truth About Santa Claus | 2020 |
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
The Last Rifleman | Lincoln Jefferson Adams | 2023 |
See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
Uncle Tom II: An American Odyssey | Self | 2022 |
Me Time | Gil | 2022 |
Block Party | Dennis | 2022 |
Christmas in Miami | Chief Host | 2021 |
History of the Sitcom | James Evans Sr. | 2021 |
Because of Charley | Grandpa | 2021 |
Coming 2 America | Cleo McDowell | 2021 |
The Truth About Santa Claus | 2020 | |
Uncut Gems | Neighbor 33F | 2019 |
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times' | Fred Davis | 2019 |
Christmas Belles | Pop Pop | 2019 |
The Righteous Gemstones | Roddey Lissons | 2019 |
The Last O.G. | Uncle D | 2018 |
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You | Self | 2016 |
The Ranch | Ed | 2016 |
Nubbin & Friends | Mr. Johnson | 2015 |
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration | Himself / Gordy Howard / Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage) | 2015 |
Tamales and Gumbo | The Patron | 2015 |
Ballers | Deacon Eller | 2015 |
The Seventies | Self - Actor, 'Good Times' | 2015 |
Mercy for Angels | God | 2015 |
Bad Asses on the Bayou | Earl | 2015 |
The Nicole Barrett Show | Self | 2014 |
Act of Faith | Brady / Mr. Brady | 2014 |
Perfect Sunday | Slick | 2013 |
Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell | War | 2013 |
Oprah: Where Are They Now? | Self | 2012 |
Madea's Witness Protection | Pastor Nelson | 2012 |
NYC 22 | Pappy Science | 2012 |
Zombie Hamlet | Edgar Mortimer | 2012 |
For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots | (voice) | 2010 |
Indie Cinema Showcase | Self | 2009 |
Life After | Self | 2009 |
Royal Pains | Harrison Phillips | 2009 |
Lie to Me | Jim Weaver | 2009 |
The Wendy Williams Show | Self | 2008 |
Pioneers of Television | Self | 2008 |
All Over Again | Coach / Coach Zeller | 2007 |
Ascension Day | Henry | 2007 |
30 Rock | John Amos | 2006 |
Men in Trees | Buzz Washington / Buzz | 2006 |
Psych | Uncle Burton Guster | 2006 |
Voodoo Moon | Dutch | 2006 |
Dr. Dolittle 3 | Jud Jones / Jud | 2006 |
My Name Is Earl | Joe | 2005 |
TV Land Confidential | Self / Self - Interviewee | 2005 |
Boy s tenyu | Hill / Хилл | 2005 |
Countdown | Admiral Melory | 2004 |
TV Land Moguls | Self | 2004 |
My Baby's Daddy | Uncle Virgil | 2004 |
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years | (archive footage) | 2004 |
Two and a Half Men | Ed | 2003 |
All About the Andersons | Joe Anderson | 2003 |
I Love the '70s | Self | 2003 |
The Watermelon Heist | Old Man Amos | 2003 |
Block Party | Dennis | 2002 |
Disappearing Acts | Mr. Swift | 2000 |
The District | Mayor Ethan Baker | 2000 |
Something to Sing About | Rev. Washington | 2000 |
The West Wing | Percy Fitzwallace | 1999 |
The Players Club | Freeman | 1998 |
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda | Booker Hutch | 1997 |
The Chris Rock Show | Self | 1997 |
King of the Hill | Glen Johnson | 1997 |
E! True Hollywood Story | Himself (archive footage) | 1996 |
Hologram Man | Wes Strickland | 1995 |
In the House | Coach Sam Wilson | 1995 |
The Outer Limits | Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski | 1995 |
For Better or Worse | Gray | 1995 |
Murder Was the Case: The Movie | Detective (segment "Natural Born Killaz") | 1995 |
Touched by an Angel | Sheriff James Mackey | 1994 |
Extra | Self / Self - Good Times | 1994 |
704 Hauser | Ernie Cumberbatch | 1994 |
Walker, Texas Ranger | Pastor Roscoe Jones | 1993 |
Night Trap | Capt. Hodges | 1993 |
Mac | Nat | 1992 |
Martin | Sgt. Strawn | 1992 |
Ricochet | Reverend Styles | 1991 |
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Fred Wilkes | 1990 |
The Howard Stern Show | Self | 1990 |
Die Hard 2 | Grant / Major Grant | 1990 |
Two Evil Eyes | Det. Legrand (segment "The Black Cat") / Det. Legrand | 1990 |
Lock Up | Meissner / Captain Meissner | 1989 |
Gideon Oliver | Carl Manning | 1989 |
Coming to America | Cleo McDowell | 1988 |
Bonanza: The Next Generation | Mr. Mack | 1988 |
Beauty and the Beast | Farrell | 1987 |
American Masters | Self / Dr. Bledsoe | 1986 |
American Flyers | Dr. Conrad | 1985 |
Stingray | Roy Jeffries | 1986 |
Murder, She Wrote | Doc Penrose | 1984 |
The Cosby Show | Dr. Herbert | 1984 |
Hunter | Captain Dolan | 1984 |
You Are the Jury | Sergeant Harold Borman | 1984 |
Hardcastle and McCormick | Albie Meadows | 1983 |
Dance of the Dwarfs | Esteban | 1983 |
The A-Team | Rev. Taylor | 1983 |
The Beastmaster | Seth | 1982 |
Touched by Love | Tony | 1980 |
Here's Boomer | Charlie Foster | 1980 |
Trapper John, M.D. | Ins. Roland Hackett | 1979 |
20/20 | Self | 1978 |
The Love Boat | Duke Taylor | 1977 |
Roots | Older Kunta Kinte / Toby | 1977 |
Future Cop | Officer Bill Bundy / Bundy / Off. Bill Bundy | 1976 |
Let's Do It Again | Kansas City Mack | 1975 |
Dinah! | Self | 1974 |
Bicentennial Minutes | Self - Narrator | 1974 |
Tony Orlando and Dawn | Self | 1974 |
Good Times | James Evans, Sr. / James Evans Sr. | 1974 |
The President's Plane Is Missing | Marine Corporal | 1973 |
Police Story | Walt Kyles | 1973 |
The World's Greatest Athlete | Coach Sam Archer | 1973 |
Maude | Henry Evans | 1972 |
Sanford and Son | Luther | 1972 |
The New Dick Van Dyke Show | Mark Cooper | 1971 |
The Funny Side | Minority Husband | 1971 |
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song | Biker | 1971 |
Vanishing Point | Super Soul's Engineer | 1971 |
The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Gordy Howard / Weatherman Gordy | 1970 |
The Tim Conway Comedy Hour | Various | 1970 |
Love, American Style | (segment "Love and the Split-Up") / Bell Captain (segment "Love and the Hiccups") | 1969 |
The Bill Cosby Show | 1st Salesman | 1969 |
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself - Guest | 1962 |
The Mike Douglas Show | Himself - Actor | 1961 |
The Magical World of Disney | Coach Sam Archer | 1954 |
Producer Filmography
Title | Year |
---|
Nubbin & Friends | 2015 |
Althea | 2014 |
Zombie Hamlet | 2012 |
American Masters | 1986 |
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1977 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series | Nominated |