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In Memoriam: Fallen Stars of 2024
The tiny surface has mislaid a prolific presence.
John Amos, an histrion whose enactment became a cornerstone of TV successful the 1970s and beyond, died connected Aug. 21 from earthy causes, his lad Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos confirmed successful an Oct. 1 statement. He was 84.
“He was a antheral with the kindest bosom and a bosom of gold… and helium was loved the satellite over,” his lad shared with Deadline. “Many fans see him their TV father. He lived a bully life. His bequest volition unrecorded connected successful his outstanding works successful tv and movie arsenic an actor.”
Thanking fans for support, helium continued, “My begetter loved moving arsenic an histrion passim his full life…. astir precocious successful Suits LA playing himself and our documentary astir his beingness travel arsenic an actor, America’s Dad. He was my dad, my champion friend, and my hero.”
He is besides survived by his girl Shannon Amos, whom helium shared with ex-wife Noel Mickelson.
While Amos archetypal roseate to TV prominence successful his relation arsenic the weatherman connected The Mary Tyler Moore Show, it was his roles connected the sitcom Good Times and the 1977 miniseries Roots that person been the astir enduring.
On the former, Amos played James Evans, dada to 3 children successful Chicago, alongside his TV woman Florida (Esther Rolle). After debuting successful 1974, the bid lasted six seasons and marked the archetypal tv sitcom to diagnostic a two-parent, Black family.
Rob Kim/Getty Images
Roots: The Saga of an American Family was likewise a historical series, depicting the beingness of Kunta Kinte aft helium is abducted from his location successful The Gambia and sold into slavery. Amos played the big mentation of Kunta, portion Levar Burton played the teen version.
His enactment connected the bid earned him an Emmy nomination, and earned TV Land Awards for Roots, Good Times and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In 1996 helium besides earned an NAACP Image Award information for In The House.
The New Jersey autochthonal besides portrayed Admiral Percy Fitzwallace connected The West Wing, worked connected The District and appeared successful movies specified arsenic The Beastmaster, 1988’s Coming to America (plus its 2021 sequel), Lock Up and Die Hard 2.
On Good Times, Amos antecedently told PBS connected its Pioneers of Television series successful 2013, “It was a an intelligent amusement astatine times, different times, of course, we didn't spell for a dense connection and it was conscionable sheer entertainment. But adjacent nether the umbrella of entertaining radical we got messages across.”
Yet it was Roots that was a peculiarly peculiar acquisition for the actor.
CBS via Getty Images
“I didn't attraction aft I did Roots,” helium explained to PBS, “if I ever worked again successful the manufacture due to the fact that I felt similar this is it this is arsenic bully arsenic it's going to get.”
But proceed to enactment helium did, leaving down a bequest that won’t beryllium easy forgotten.
“We are truthful arrogant to person represented John,” President of Buchwald endowment bureau Julia Buchwald told Deadline. “He was not lone a singular endowment but besides a profoundly benignant and generous soul. His interaction connected the manufacture and those who knew him volition ne'er beryllium forgotten.”
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