Actor John Amos, age 84, has died of natural causes. His death was shared in a statement by his son which reads:
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” said his son, Kelly Christopher Amos, in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter).
“He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”
About John Amos
John Amos was born on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Anabelle and John Amos, Sr. Amos attended East Orange High School in East Orange, New Jersey, and graduated in 1958. He later attended Long Beach City College and ended his upper levels of education by getting a degree in sociology from Colorado State University.
While a student, the athletic young man began a short-lived career in professional sports as a football player for the Colorado State Rams. Amos continued his football career with the Denver Broncos in 1964, but suffered a minor injury and was cut from the team. He was also once signed to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Career in Hollywood
Before beginning his career in the entertainment industry, Amos worked as a social worker at New York’s Vera Institute of Justice. He broke into Hollywood in 1969, working as a writer on “The Leslie Uggams Show.”
John Amos also made his mark as a stage actor. In 1971, he debuted in the comedy “Norman, Is That You?” This production would earn him a Best Actor nomination from The Los Angeles Drama Critics Association. He then headed back to New York City to appear in the play “Tough To Get Help” the following year.
Amos tried his hand at performing for television while living in Los Angeles, eventually securing a role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as Gordy the weatherman, which proved to be a huge break for him. Due to his exposure in that wildly popular series, he won the recurring role as James, the husband of Florida Evans, the spunky maid of Maude in the television show of the same name in 1973. The characters of James and Florida Evans would eventually be spun off into a show about their own family life, a Norman Lear production titled “Good Times” in 1974…