Here is John Amos' biography:
John Amos was born on December 27, 1939, in New Jersey, to a mechanic father. He began his career as an advertising copywriter, social worker, and semi-professional football player before discovering his passion for acting. Amos started his acting career as a stand-up comic in the Greenwich Village circuit and eventually landed a staff writer role on Leslie Uggams' musical variety show in 1969.
Amos made his stage debut in 1971 with a production of "Norman, Is That You?" and went on to earn a Los Angeles Drama Critics nomination for "Best Actor." He formed his own theater company and produced "Norman, Is That You?" on tour. In 1972, he made his Broadway debut in "Tough To Get Help" and secured a recurring role on the classic TV show "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Gordy the weatherman.
Amos gained popularity with his role as James "Jim" Evans, the husband of Florida Evans, on the popular TV series "Maude" and its spin-off "Good Times." However, he grew disillusioned with the show's direction and script quality, leading to his departure in 1976. Amos rebounded with his Emmy-nominated role as Kunte Kinte in the epic mini-series "Roots" in 1977.
Throughout his career, Amos struggled to find quality roles for African-American actors, often being typecast as dim-headed lugs or crime-motivated characters. He continued to work in film and TV, appearing in projects such as "The Beastmaster," "Coming to America," and "The Love Boat." Amos found success on the stage, earning the NAACP Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Split Second" in 1985.
Amos continued to work in theater, appearing in productions such as "The Boys Next Door," "The Emperor Jones," and "Master Harold...and The Boys." He also directed two well-received productions and took on Shakespeare as Sir Toby Belch in "Twelfth Night." Amos capped his theatrical career with his one-man show "Halley's Comet," which he wrote and directed.
In recent years, Amos has appeared in recurring roles on "The West Wing" and "The District" and has been part of the offbeat series "Men in Trees." He has two children and a grandchild.
