Actor John Amos, dies at 84, starred in seminal shows about Black history and culture

October 2, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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LOS ANGELES — JOHN AMOS, WHO STARRED AS JAMES EVANS SR. ON THE 1970s SITCOM “GOOD TIMES” AND EARNED AN EMMY NOMINATION FOR HIS ROLE IN “ROOTS,” DIED of natural causes at age 84, according to the New York Amsterdam News and other sources. Amos’ publicist belatedly confirmed the news on Tuesday, Oct. 1, of Amos’ Aug. 21 death, but provided no additional details.

Amos, a notable figure in Black television history, portrayed the head of one of the first Black two-parent families on American television and became an icon for his role in “Roots.” He played James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” which ran on CBS for five years between 1974-79, and was produced by Norman Lear.

Throughout his career, Amos advocated for more authentic portrayals of Black families, leaving a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry. Referring to “Good Times,” Amos told Time magazine in 2021, “That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be.”

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