After getting a taste of sports, writing, and acting, John Amos made the right choice by staying with the movie world. He played American football in the 1960s, switched to boxing, and later shifted his passion to another place after coach Hank Stram said his fate did not lie on the football field.
Fast forward to the 1970s, Amos began to make waves as an actor in various genres. The American actor is best known for his roles in the mini-series Roots (1977) and for his portrayal of James Evans Sr. in the CBS television series Good Times. The former earned him a nomination at the Emmys. He has also contributed to other television shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The West Wing. He is remembered in films for his role as Cleo McDowell in Coming to America, in which he appears as the father of Eddy Murphy’s love interest, played by Shari Headley. He has also made many Broadway films, and over the course of his successful career, which spans four decades, he has been nominated for several prestigious awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and an NAACP Image Award.
John Amos Biography (Age)
The footballer who became an actor was born on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey. His parents – Annabelle P. and John A. Amos, Sr. – named him John A. Amos, Jr. at birth. He grew up with his parents in East Orange, New Jersey, where he attended East Orange High School and graduated in 1958. He continued his education at Long Beach City College and later graduated with a degree in sociology from Colorado State University. While at Colorado State University, he played with the institution’s football team, the Rams, and after college, he became boxing champion in the Golden Gloves. After playing college football, he continued to play with professional teams such as the Denver Broncos, Canton Bulldogs, Jersey City Jets, Waterbury Orbits, and many others before moving his passion to Hollywood.
As an actor, he played his first major television role as the Weatherman on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, known as Gordy Howard. He gained more fame through his role in Good Times, which lasted most of the 1970s. In 1977 the actor received an Emmy nomination for his role in the successful mini-series Roots. From the 1980s into the 2000s John Amos continued to play in television shows and stage performances. Series and shows such as “West Wing”, “Men in Tree”, “Touched by an Angel”, “The Cosby Show”, “Police Story”, “Two and a Half Men”, “The Ranch” and many others are just some of his successes.
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He also has many film roles. From his industry debut to the present day, he has starred in – The World’s Greatest Sportsman (1973), Let’s Do It Again (1975), Vanishing Point (1971), The President’s Plane Is Missing (1973), Touched by Love (1980), The Beastmaster (1982), Dance of the Dwarfs (1983), Coming to America (1988), Two Evil Eyes (1989), Die Hard 2 (1990), Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006) and others too numerous to mention.
In 2009 he shared his musical skills with his fans by releasing his album, which consists of original country songs.
What Is His Net Worth?
Although he was active in sports in the past, John Amos owes his current fortune to his acting career. The actor and former American footballer have an estimated net worth of $3 million thanks to his appearances in high-profile movies and TV shows.
His Family, Wife
The actor’s parents are Annabelle P. (mother) and John A. Amos, Sr. (father), who worked as a car mechanic.
Apparently, his love life wasn’t as successful as his career because he was married three times. His first marriage was to the artist and horseman Noel Mickelson, and although the union only lasted from 1965 and 1975, they had two children, Shannon and K.C. Amos, who is doing well in the film industry. After his first marriage broke up John Amos got married to the actress Lillian Lehman but the marriage only lasted from 1978 to 1979.
Despite his two failed marriages, the actor seems to have found his missing rib in Elisabete De Sousa, to whom he has been married since 1982.
Is John Amos Dead?
On December 28, 2016, Headline NewsNetwork spread the news of John Amos’ death from a heart attack, which was later confirmed as a hoax. Although some of the characters he portrayed have died, the actor is still very much alive. He may be old, but he is still alive and well and has not left the spotlight.
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Height
The actor, who was born in New Jersey, is 1.81 m tall. His weight and other body measurements are currently not available, but the veteran actor seems to be in good shape despite his age.