John Amos, who starred as the household patriarch on the hit 1970s comedy “Good Times” and made an Emmy election for his function in the critical 1977 miniseries “Roots,” has actually passed away. He was 84.
Amos’ press agent, Belinda Foster, verified the news of his death Tuesday. No other information were right away readily available.
He played James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” which included among tv’s very first Black two-parent households. Produced by Norman Lear and co-created by star Mike Evans, who co-starred on “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons,” it ranged from 1974-79 on CBS.
“That program was the closest representation in truth to life as an African American household living in those scenarios as it might be,” Amos informed Time publication in 2021.
His character, in addition to other half Florida, played by Esther Rolle, stemmed on another Lear program, “Maude.” James Evans frequently worked 2 manual work tasks to support his household that consisted of 3 kids, with Jimmie Walker ending up being a breakout star as earliest kid J.J.
Such was the program’s effect that Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, the Wu-Tang Clan are amongst the artists who name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.
Amos and Rolle aspired to represent a favorable picture of a Black household, resisting the chances in a public real estate task in Chicago. They grew annoyed at seeing Walker’s character being made absurd and his function broadened.
“The truth is that Esther’s criticism, and likewise that of John and others– a few of it extremely pointed and individual– seriously broken my appeal in the Black neighborhood,” Walker composed in his 2012 narrative “Dyn-O-Mite! Prosperity, Bad Times, Our Times.”
After 3 seasons of crucial honor and high rankings, Amos was fired. He had actually ended up being important of the program’s white composing personnel developing stories that he felt were inauthentic to the Black characters.
“There were a number of examples where I stated, ‘No, you do not do these things. It’s anathema to Black society. I’ll be the professional on that, if you do not mind,'” he informed Time publication. “And it got confrontational and heated enough that eventually my being exterminated the program was the very best service for everyone worried, myself consisted of.”
Amos’ character was eliminated in an automobile mishap. Walker regreted the scenario. “If the choice had actually depended on me, I would have chosen that John remain and the program stay more of an ensemble,” he composed in his narrative. “Nobody desired me in advance all the time, including me.”
Amos and Lear later on fixed up and they shared a hug at a “Good Times” live television reunion unique in 2019.
Amos rapidly recovered, landing the function of an adult Kunta Kinte, the focal point of “Roots,” based upon Alex Haley’s unique set throughout and after the period of slavery in the U.S. The miniseries was a crucial and rankings hit, and Amos made among its 37 Emmy elections.