John Amos, who starred because the household patriarch on the hit Seventies sitcom Good Instances and earned an Emmy nomination for his function within the seminal 1977 miniseries Roots, has died. He was 84.
Amos’ publicist, Belinda Foster, confirmed the information of his demise on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
The actor’s son, Kelly Christopher Amos, additionally shared a press release on his father’s passing, which was again in August and of pure causes.
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“It’s with heartfelt disappointment that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” Kelly stated within the assertion.
“He was a person with the kindest coronary heart and a coronary heart of gold… and he was cherished the world over. Many followers take into account him their TV father.
“He lived a superb life. His legacy will stay on in his excellent works in tv and movie as an actor. My father cherished working as an actor all through his complete life…. most just lately in Fits LA enjoying himself and our documentary about his life journey as an actor, America’s Dad.
“He was my dad, my finest good friend, and my hero. Thanks to your prayers and assist right now.”
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Amos performed weatherman Gordy Howard on The Mary Tyler Moore Present in 1970, together with his comedic timing main him to the function of James Evans Sr. on Good Instances, which featured considered one of tv’s first Black two-parent households.
Produced by Norman Lear and co-created by actor Mike Evans, who co-starred on All within the Household and The Jeffersons, the present ran from 1974-79 on CBS.
“That present was the closest depiction in actuality to life as an African American household dwelling in these circumstances because it could possibly be,” Amos advised Time journal in 2021.
His character, together with spouse Florida, performed by Esther Rolle, originated on one other Lear present, Maude.
James Evans typically labored two handbook labour jobs to assist his household that included three kids, with Jimmie Walker changing into a breakout star as oldest son JJ.
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Such was the present’s impression that Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, the Wu-Tang Clan are among the many musicians who name-checked Amos or his character of their lyrics.
Amos and Rolle have been desperate to painting a constructive picture of a Black household, struggling in opposition to the chances in a public housing challenge in Chicago. However they grew pissed off at seeing Walker’s character being made silly and his function expanded.
“The actual fact is that Esther’s criticism, and likewise that of John and others — a few of it very pointed and private — severely broken my attraction within the Black group,” Walker wrote in his 2012 memoir Dyn-O-Mite! Good Instances, Dangerous Instances, Our Instances.
After three seasons of crucial acclaim and excessive rankings, Amos was fired. He had turn out to be crucial of the present’s white writing employees creating storylines that he felt have been inauthentic to the Black characters.
“There have been a number of examples the place I stated, ‘No, you do not do this stuff. It is anathema to Black society. I will be the professional on that, when you do not thoughts,'” he advised Time journal.
“And it received confrontational and heated sufficient that in the end my being killed off the present was the perfect resolution for everyone involved, myself included.”
Amos’ character was killed in a automotive accident. Walker lamented the scenario. “If the choice had been as much as me, I’d have most popular that John keep and the present stay extra of an ensemble,” he wrote in his memoir.
“No one needed me up entrance on a regular basis, together with me.”
Amos and Lear later reconciled they usually shared a hug at a Good Instances stay TV reunion particular in 2019.
Amos rapidly bounced again, touchdown the function of an grownup Kunta Kinte, the centerpiece of Roots, based mostly on Alex Haley’s novel set throughout and after the period of slavery within the US.
The miniseries was a crucial and rankings blockbuster, and Amos earned considered one of its 37 Emmy nominations.
“I knew that it was a life-changing function for me, as an actor and simply from a humanistic standpoint,” he advised Time journal.
“It was the fruits of the entire misconceptions and stereotypical roles that I had lived and seen being provided to me. It was like a reward for having suffered these indignities.”
Born John Allen Amos Jr. on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, he was the son of an auto mechanic.
He graduated from Colorado State College with a sociology diploma and performed on the varsity’s soccer workforce.
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