how old is john amos from good times
eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Each and every working experience that I had as a young man and then later in my life served me in good stead as an actor, because they all gave me hands-on experience.. shot that showed him relaxing at the beach during one of his trips to Jamaica. I knew what it was to be a bottom-of-the-rung laborer; a garbage man on an open-backed truck, Amos says. From 1974 to 1976, John Amos touched millions of lives as the iconic patriarch James Evans, Sr., on Good Timesuntil he was unceremoniously dumped from the cast midway through its run. Two marriages and two children later, Amos has been a resident of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. The actor, who is best known for his role as James Evans Sr in CBS' 'Good Times', is a father of six children, who love and respect him immensely. John also appeared in two other Bud Yorkin/Norman Lear TV projects: As Ernie Cumberbatch in the short-lived CBS-TV All In The Family spin-off series 704 Hauser and he also played the part of TV weatherman Gordy Howard from 1970 until 1973 on the CBS-TV sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He also guest starred on an episode of Psych as West Wing co-star Dul Hill's uncle. }); Amos is a veteran of the 50th Armored Division of the New Jersey National Guard and Honorary Master Chief of the United States Coast Guard.[2][3]. We are one of the worlds fastest growing ga('ads.send', { He has two children from that marriage. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); 'Downton Abbey' Cast: Where Are They Now? Amos has been married three times. hitType: 'event', As part of ABCs second installment of Live in Front of a Studio Audience, produced by Jimmy Kimmel among others, a cast of current A-listers took on roles from the 1970s Norman Lear sitcom, as well as All In the Family. What do you want to hear first? Amos recalls Lear asking him. On Tuesday night, he was reunited with legendary television producer Norman Lear . eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Amos appeared roughly a dozen times over the course of the show's first three seasons, and even though he left to take a regular gig on Good Times in 1974, his character was vital enough. Got us all blurry eyed. This song always brings me to tears! took the time to honor his father on Father's Day and described John as his hero. Although Amos first said he was leaving the show to focus on his career in film, he later opened up about what really happened behind the scenes. John felt the show would have gotten a great deal of mileage out of Thelma and Michael's aspirations to become a Supreme Court justice and surgeon. Amos had also served in the 50th Armored Division of the New Jersey National Guard. We are one of the worlds fastest growing Amos had harbored football dreams out of college as a path to economic freedom and signed a contract with the Denver Broncos before getting injured; he drifted around various minor and professional football leagues before flaming out. For them, it was love at first sight. I only saw them as my parents the two people who loved me. eventAction: 'view' },false) I like playing bad guys. }) For many, Good Timeswas the first and only glimpse into the dynamic of the African-American household. The differences I had with the producers of the show, I felt that there was too much emphasis being put on J.J. and his chicken hat saying Dynomite! every third page, when just as much emphasis and mileage could have been gotten out of my other two children and the concomitant jokes and humor that could have come out of that., In aninterviewwithVladTV, Amos alsospoke in depth about the lack of diversity onGood Times writing team and how he believed the construction of those scripts lead to an inaccurate portrayal of African-Americans. (Detroit rapper Royce da 59 even confessed to being raised by Gregory [his brother] and James Evans on I Play Forever). She was born Dec. 3, 1926, in Newport to Raymond and Eva Himes. John Amos may be his real name, but even though its been more than 30 years since the last new episode of Good Times aired, he's still James Evans to most of us. John Amos is a footballer turned actor who is well known for his role as James Evans Sr. on the CBS television show Good Times. Marla Gibbs Remembers Giving Regina King Tough Love on '227' Set: 'We Can Argue If You Want To', Hilary Duff Says the 'Goal' Is to Have All 'HIMYM' Alums Guest on 'HIMYF' After Neil Patrick Harris, Charles Kimbrough, Best Known for 'Murphy Brown', Dead at 86, Jason Segel Says He's Open to a 'How I Met Your Father' Cameo: 'Those People Changed My Life'. I said, sure, why not?. Good Times Season 3 Episode 24 The Rent PartyMarch 2, 1976The Evans organize a fund-raising party for the project's favorite senior citizen, who has fallen b. }); On May 25, John also shared a TikTok video K.C. Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images, See '70s Teen Idol Robby Benson Now at 66. Good Times star John Amos turns 83 as he celebrates his long life with his six loving children. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Eventually, he played on the Colorado State Rams football team. eventAction: 'render' He began his career playing Gordy Howard, the weatherman in The Mary Tyler Moore Show(1970-73). MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing The 1977 show, which followed the story of the enslaved Kunta Kinte and his descendants, was an immediate cultural phenomenon, drawing an estimated 130 million viewers and prompting many frank discussions about the brutality of slavery and its continuing impact. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital In a surprise nod to the original series which ran between 1974 and 1979 original cast member John Amos made an appearance on the live broadcast. John Amos Reveals He Was Fired From Good Times For Trying To Make It More Authentic (Video) At a crucial point in American television, Good Times presented one of the first beloved Black TV . document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ I mean, the writers got tired of having their lives threatened over jokes.. As a child I didnt know my parents were different colors. Mary was quite a skilled comedienne, but her forte was really underplaying. Therapists say it can damage your connection. Rolle and John desired to give the Black-American family they represented a positive image with their casting. If there is to be a Coming to America 3, and I hope there will be, they can wheel me to Zamunda in a wheelchair, and maybe Ill be selling zebra burgers or hippo lips, he says, laughing. Weeks after Season 4 of Good Times began airing without him, Amos appeared as the older Kunta Kinte in the record-setting ABC miniseries, Roots. In the midst of it all, their love would produce a child (me). The experience made him excited to be involved in the franchise in any capacity going forward. Now in his eighties, Amos continues to act, and recently reprised his role as fast food chain owner and father-in-law to Eddie Murphy's Prince Akeem in 2019's Coming 2 America. It was tooth and nail over what we felt was right. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Do yourself a favor and skip these at your next parent-teacher conference. Find out more about the iconic actor and happenings in his life since then. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), He wrote and has frequently directed the show, which continues to play into the 2007-2008 season.In recent years, John has enjoyed recurring parts on "The West Wing" and "The District", and is more recently appearing in the offbeat series Men in Trees (2006) starring Anne Heche. Although cast as a hard-working middle-aged father of three, Amos was 34 when the show began production in 1973, only eight years older than the actor who played his oldest son ( Jimmie Walker) and 19 years younger than his screen wife ( Esther Rolle ). The two were seen shaking a leg at the Spread The Cheeer USA gala in Denver in 2021. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); On the bright side, he won the recurring role of the sporadically-unemployed husband of maid Florida Evans (played by Esther Rolle) on Norman Lear's Maude (1972) starring Bea Arthur. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); He tried his best to avoid the dim-headed lugs and crime-motivated characters that came his way. The source of his revenue is his appearance on hit Television shows like Good Times. His first marriage was to equestrian Noel Mickelson. On-screen, he was married to Florida Evansplayed by Esther Rolleand they had three grown children: J.J.; Thelma; and Michael. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Here are ten of his best episodes to look for on getTV: 1. He makes the transition seamlessly, and he is an award-winning actor as well. Fired from Good times is one of the best things that could ever happen to John Amos.. After three seasons of struggling with executive producer Norman Lear and the white writers of the CBS sitcom about stereotypical Black Man portraits and dialogue the show has dragged on, especially when it comes to Starring Jimmie Walker, Amos' contract to play patriarch James Evans was not renewed at the . I was a sign of the times that we just werent going to take any more, but hadnt developed the social graces to express our disfavor. He and Lear later reconciledand the pair shared a hug at a Good Times TV reunion special on ABC in 2019. I found early on in my acting career that I couldnt resort to the same release of pressure valves: to haul off and hit a writer, who had given me some bad material, with a forearm smash., After three seasons of critical acclaim and high ratings, Amos was unceremoniously fired from the show. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. John's second marriage was to actress and producer Lillian Lehman, who is known for "Body of Evidence," "Defending Your Life," and "Spectres.". Jean Elizabeth Himes, 96, of Newport passed away Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. ga('ads.send', { John has a great relationship with his kids. His character remained on the periphery, however, and he left the show after three discouraging seasons. The show had six seasons on CBS from February 8 . Being born in Newark, raised in East Orange, I had a way of voicing my differences against the script that werent acceptable to the creative staff. In 1979, Rolle also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Special for 'Summer of My German Soldier'. } Amos stayed silent on the phone, and when Lear asked if he had anything to said, he hung up. } He portrayed the character of Percy Fitzwallace in the critically acclaimed show The West Wing. Offers may be subject to change without notice. However, that desire was often slighted by lower comedy, for which John expressed his dissatisfaction. She also had two children: Rani DuBois, and Raj Kristo Gupta, who died of cancer in 1987 at 36. On May 11, John shared a throwback picture of himself and his mom, Annabelle Amos. READ THIS NEXT:See '70s Teen Idol Robby Benson Now at 66. The iconic actor has held many recent roles and reprised his role as Cleo McDowell in the "Coming to America" sequel, "Coming 2 America," released in March 2021. Uncut Gems. 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, Michael Schneider: Psychic detective gives '100%' verdict on whether Julia Wandelt is Madeleine McCann, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims. 's TikTok serves up a particularly generous helping of father-son bonding alongside Amos' responses to fan questions, including what it was like to work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and his advice to current and future generationsall appropriately hashtagged #kickinitwithpops. While Amos had initially gone out for smaller roles in the show, he was astonished to land the part of the middle-aged version of Kinte, the shows hero. 'In Living Color' Cast: Where Are They Now? }); In an article, K.C. At a fundraiser for a good cause in Denver, Colorado, in July 2021, John was captured on film by his son KC, who then posted it on Instagram. John has also appeared in many movies including Lets Do It Again (1975), Vanishing Point (1971), Touched by Love (1980), American Flyers (1985), Die Hard 2 (1990), The Players Club (1998), Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006) among many others. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Man from Enterprise: The Biography of John Amos by Shubin, Seymour at the best online prices at eBay! if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { John began frequently clashing with the higher-ups and, by 1976, was released from the series, with his character being killed in an off-camera car accident while finding employment out of state.Amos rebounded quickly when he won the Emmy-nominated role of the adult Kunte Kinte in the ground-breaking epic mini-series Roots (1977), one of the most powerful and reverential TV features ever to hit television. A Complete List of Christmas Movies Coming to Hallmark, Lifetime & More in 2019, The Black Shows That Revolutionized TV, from 'Julia' and 'The Jeffersons' to 'Empire', Janet Jackson Was 'Like a Little Sister' to 'Good Times' Costar BernNadette Stanis: 'Sweet as Pie'. Working with Eddie Murphy: I cant describe it to you. Too Old Blues (Season 1, Episode 1 Feb 8, 1974) This episode was filmed after the pilot but aired as the series premiere. A stand-up comic on the Greenwich Village circuit, the work eventually took him West and, ultimately, led to his hiring as a staff writer on Leslie Uggams' musical variety show in 1969. reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. is a director, writer, and producer, the same occupations his sister holds. lip-syncing to a song while having a nice time together. He has also been nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards and the NAACP Image Award. Despite what happened on Good Times, Amos and one of the show's executive producers, the legendaryNorman Lear, would go on to resolve their differences and work together again creatively, something Amos attributes to "maturing" in how he expressed his beliefs. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including In 1971, Amos was asked to take part in a singing-and-dancing commercial for the growing burger chain McDonalds, which had only started selling the Big Mac nationally three years prior. "You just fail to show up to work one day. In May of 2015, in histhree-and-a-half-hour interviewwith the Archive of American Television, Amos shed light on exactly why he leftGood Times. Look no further, because we have you sorted right here with what the faces of the Evans family are up to now. Amos appeared in pilots for some of Lear's later shows, including 1994's 704 Hauser Street, again playing a hardworking patriarch who moves into the house previously inhabited by All in the Family's Archie Bunker. Consequently, when you talk about real things, people are very interested in them., 9 Classic TV Shows That Could Come Back (and How We Imagine Them Happening), Tis the Season! Good Times Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. In addition, John directed two well-received productions, "Miss Reardon Drinks a Little" and "Twelve Angry Men", in the Bahamas. He said Lear explained that the rest of the cast and the production company described him in those terms. John Amos, who starred in the original 1970s sitcom, made a cameo in ABC's updated restaging of a classic Good Times episode By Benjamin VanHoose Published on December 19, 2019 09:20 AM When asked if those feelings led to his being kicked out of the show, John said Lear categorized him as a "disruptive element" when he called him to inform him about his sacking. Instead, the writers focused more on the obvious and comedic Jimmie Walker, which John was not proud of. He has guest-starred in numerous shows, including the likes of Psych, The A-Team, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Lie to Me, Murder, he Wrote, among others. As we pulled into a gas station in Arizona, a white man came out of the service station w/ a loaded shot gun. John has narrated his sacking from the show in several interviews. My Dad met & fell in love w/ my Mom while attending college at Colorado State University. Get inside the legendary actor's life and know details about the major events surrounding him. Over the years, he's also been deemed the ideal Black father, with his take-no-mess persona. The Cast of 'Family Matters:' Where Are They Now? Being born on 27 December 1939, John Amos is 83 years old as of todays date 5th March 2023. ga('ads.send', { A native of New Jersey and son of a mechanic, African-American John Amos has relied on his imposing build, eruptive nature and strong, forceful looks to obtain acting jobs, and a serious desire for better roles to earn a satisfying place in the annals of film and TV. He also said John taught him to discover his passion, develop it, and give it back in a way that will be meaningful to others. I thought that somewhere, God is proving that he has a sense of humor, he says. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), His first marriage, from 1965 to 1975, was to artist and equestrian Noel Mickelson, with whom he has two children: Shannon Amos, a writer/producer and founder of Afterglow Multimedia, LLC, and Grammy-nominated director K.C. At the beginning of the third season, Amos delayed taping for a week as part of a contract dispute a source described to the magazine as being about "more than money," but also about his objections to the show reinforcing "how Black men have been treated in this country all along." Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, John Amos Looks Back on 50 Years in Hollywood. Along with a few parts (the mini-movie Willa (1979) and the films The Beastmaster (1982) and Coming to America (1988)), he had to endure the mediocre (guest spots on The Love Boat (1977), "The A-Team", "Murder, She Wrote" "One Life to Live"). John was 34 when "Good Times" began production in 1973. Their perception or their idea of what a Black family would be and what a Black father would be was totally different from mine, and mine was steeped in reality., Stating creative differences withthe shows writers and producers, Amos said of his 1976 departure: I left because I was told that my services were no longer needed because I had become a disruptive element. In other words, I didnt have the diplomacy that I think Ive cultivated over the last 10 or 15 years. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our The show had six seasons on CBS from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. John Amos and Esther Rolle, 1974. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! }); ga('ads.send', { It was the culmination of all of the misconceptions and stereotypical roles that I had lived and seen being offered to me. From 1974 to 1976, John Amos touched millions of lives as the iconic patriarch James Evans, Sr., on Good Times until he was unceremoniously dumped from the cast midway . My early departure from the show, I felt that with two younger childrenone of whom aspired to become a Supreme Court Justicethat would be Ralph Carter (Michael Evans) and the other, Bern Nadette Stanis (Thelma Evans) who aspired to become a surgeon, Amos stated. He once revealed what drove the series creator to kill his character without remorse. He has found it a constant uphill battle to further himself in an industry that tends to diminish an actor's talents with severe and/or demeaning stereotypes and easy pigeonholing. One of the pictures Shannon shared showed John posing with her daughter and his granddaughter, Quiera Williams. In his 2017 Sway in the Morning interview, he described his motivation for writing the empathy-themed book: He is that character and he exudes that, and you in turn are obligated to give it back to him the same way., Amos isnt in Coming 2 America for long, but he commands a pivotal scene in which he advises Prince Akeem (Murphy) on his future. | Photo: Getty Images. ), In a 2017 interview with Sway in the Morning, Amos minced no words as he recounted leaving the series stating, "I left because I was told that my services were no longer needed because I had become a 'disruptive element.'".