With the 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times' special heading our way, it only makes sense to wonder where the main cast of the original that we so loved and adored is these days. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online. ga('ads.send', { Coming to America. A few months ago, she posted a photo of a priceless moment she shared with her father on her Instagram page. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Capping his theatrical career was the 1990 inaugural of his one-man show "Halley's Comet", an amusing and humanistic American journey into the life of an 87-year-old who recalls, among other things, World War II, the golden age of radio, the early civil rights movement, and the sighting of the Comet when he was 11. hitType: 'event', Amos has been married three times. The State of Virginia, became a landmark civil rights case. (Detroit rapper Royce da 59 even confessed to being raised by Gregory [his brother] and James Evans on I Play Forever). Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images, See '70s Teen Idol Robby Benson Now at 66. 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. Amos affable and talented weatherman Gordy was often the straight man in his scenes, genially absorbing a maelstrom of antics. Shannon spoke about it on her Instagram page while sharing a throwback photo of the couple. It was brought to the fore on November 30, 2020, when Shannon shared several images of herself and her daughter as she celebrated the latter's 29th birthday. This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Over the years, he's also been deemed the ideal Black father, with his take-no-mess persona. gads_event = event; 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.. "You don't retire in my position," he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2017. John was 34 when "Good Times" began production in 1973. The sitcom star was unceremoniously fired after pushing back on the direction of the show. },false) Can you think of a better job than one where you know youre going to be laughing all day, and theyre serving you food, and then you go back to laughing some more?, he recalls about the original film. DuBois also co-wrote and sang 'The Jeffersons' theme song, before co-starring in movies like 'I'm Gonna Git You Sucka' (1988) and 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' (2003.) As we pulled into a gas station in Arizona, a white man came out of the service station w/ a loaded shot gun. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), John Amos at the 2nd Annual Giant Night of Comedy on September 26, 2016 in New York. 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. His second marriage was to actress Lillian Lehman. Amos' first marriage to late equestrian and artist Noel J. Mickelson produced two children: daughter Shannon Amos, a writer and producer turned mindfulness instructor and shaman, and son, director and actor Kelly Christopher "K.C." 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. ", The post continued, On Feb 21st, 1965, just 2 months after their marriage, Malcom Ex would be assassinated. John, who is an Emmy-nominated actor who played Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on the first five seasons of The West Wing. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); John Amos during the 2014 Doe Fund Benefit & Gala Celebration at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on October 30, 2014. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), },false) I left because I was told that my services were no longer needed because I had become a disruptive element,'" the actor says. Instead of reprising his iconic role as patriarch James Evans, the 79-year-old actor played Alderman Fred Davis, a man running for local office. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. With each woman, he had two children. In a lengthy post, she wrote, IT WAS ILLEGAL IN 16 STATES FOR WHITES TO MARRY BLACKS WHEN MY PARENTS GOT MARRIED IN 1965. 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! John Amos at the SiriusXM Studios on October 10, 2017 in New York City. In the post's caption, he urged fans to watch the show and said he enjoyed working with the cast. Its anathema to Black society. His second marriage was to actress Lillian Lehman . document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), I said, sure, why not?. 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. gads_event = event; But if theres a buck to be made selling the McDowells product, then rest assured, I will be there in the form of Cleo McDowell. Theres life left in the old boy yet., The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. John Amos was only 34-year-old when he earned the role as the middle-aged father of family, James Evans, on the first African American sitcom with two parents and a functioning family. As of March 2023, John Amos has an estimated net worth of $4 million. Nevertheless, both men established a great working relationship. }); NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: December 27 is dedicated to John Amos, who turned 83 during the holiday season. The original cast of 'Good Times' featuring (L-R) Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja'Net DuBois, John Amos (front), Esther Rolle and Jimmie Walker. 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. However, it was not because of a third party, and they did not have any children together. One of his is Shannon, who is an entrepreneur. He once revealed what drove the series creator to kill his character without remorse. 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 . }) ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. The U.S. Supreme court struck down laws banning interracial marriage. shot that showed him relaxing at the beach during one of his trips to Jamaica. After decades of inoffensive family sitcoms, some producers, such as Norman Lear, began pushing the envelope. Calling my daddy now! another read, while yet another person commented, So moved by this, dear Shannon. At the time of their divorce, neither of them commented on the reason for their split. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Images, Amos also admitted that he wasnt the most diplomatic guy at the time, and the writers were getting tired of having their lives threatened over jokes.. As such, he formed his own theater company and produced "Norman, Is That You?" }); As a student, he had been part of the inaugural desegregating classes of two schools in New Jersey. Eventually, he played on the Colorado State Rams football team. | Photo: Getty Images. The State of Virginia" ruling. But Amos also remembers growing frustrated by the incongruity of the shows white writers like Lear penning Black storylines he felt were inauthentic. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The experience made him excited to be involved in the franchise in any capacity going forward. The Lovings appealed their conviction to the Supreme Court of Virginia, which upheld it. }); eventAction: 'load' Me, the experience of working and living at the time as an African American. He is extremely versatile in the roles that he has played both on television as well as on the big screen. 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. 'Downton Abbey' Cast: Where Are They Now? 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. That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African-American family living in those circumstances as it could be, Amos says. 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. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our 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. 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. Hence, he was not going to portray something less than redeeming. The check didnt bounce. It was very, very sobering., Amos says the job gave him a greater appreciation for the whole judicial system and the inequities in it. Every time I played a correction officer or a law enforcement officer, whether it be military or civilian, I had those experiences to draw on. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=e7986e3b-8b16-40c6-a0f0-b8bdee3adc57&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=4989053684412828883'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ 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 through its run. Some of his most iconic film and television roles include portraying the adult Kunta Kinte in the iconic miniseries "Roots," "Coming to America" (1988), and the famous and award-winning "The Mary Tyler Moore Show.". He explained he was not jealous of Jimmie Walker but felt it was a disservice to Thelma and Michael and young people's image to say they did not matter. Didnt care. Here are excerpts from the conversation. He portrayed James Evans, a hard-working middle-aged dad of three children. 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. hitType: 'event', After reading an then becoming impressed with a poem which he had written about a mythical figure which crossed the door of all of the players who were cut; Stram would have him read the poem aloud to the rest of the players during one training camp practice session, to loud applause and a standing ovation. interview with the American Archive of Television. 2 years later, on April 4th 1968, Martin Luther King would be gunned down. 2022 Galvanized Media. } xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); John was 34 when "Good Times" began production in 1973. They said, What are you doing right now? pg.acq.push(function() { hitType: 'event', MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of John Amos may be days away from celebrating his 80th birthday, but so many of his wishes have already come true. On June 12, 1967, the court issued a unanimous decision in the Lovings favor and overturned their convictions. Hence, they had to kill him off. By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our. } John Amos has two children by his former wife Noel Amos and two children. 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. The source of his revenue is his appearance on hit Television shows like Good Times. The West Wing. In the special, starring Viola Davis, Andre Braugher, Tiffany Haddish, and Jay Pharoah, had a surprise appearance from John Amos, the actor who originated the role of James Evans Sr. As per reports, Amos shares his children with three different women. I wanted to right every wrong with every line.". K.C. I mean, the writers got tired of having their lives threatened over jokes.. In November of 2022, John uploaded a video on the internet showing him and K.C. eventAction: 'render' Amos, who is also known for his work in Die Hard 2 and The West Wing, is set to reprise his role alongside Eddie Murphy in next years long-awaited comedy sequel to 1988s Coming to America. It was tooth and nail over what we felt was right. He is an illustrious actor who has been nominated for Primetime Emmy Award and the NAACP Image Award. He rose to fame with his role as James Evans Sr. in Good Times. }); }) On May 11, John shared a throwback picture of himself and his mom, Annabelle Amos. 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. I only saw them as my parents the two people who loved me. '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 reflecting on his long and amazing career and the impact his roles had on his life, he said every working experience he had as a young man and later in his life served him in good stead as an actor because they all gave him hands-on experience. }); He portrayed James Evans, a hard-working middle-aged dad of three children. John Amos carries eight decades of American history in his sturdy 6-foot frame. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. He also guest starred on an episode of Psych as West Wing co-star Dul Hill's uncle. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), On February 8, 1974, CBS premieredGood Times the weekly sitcom that served as the first-ever TV show to highlight the full scope of a Black family. The show had six seasons on CBS from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. The Evans' oldest child, JJ, with his goofball ladies man persona and a flair for art was made iconic by Walker and then, of course, there is the catchphrase: 'Dy-no-mite!' The star was not brought back for the fourth season, and the character of James Evans, Sr. was sent off to a new job in Mississippi before being killed off in a car accident. On Father's Day, she shared several pictures of him and wished him a Happy Father's Day. Shannon is also fond of her father. The episode finds the Evans family in political disagreement as they lean individually toward voting for Davis or his opponent, played by recent Emmy winner for When They See Us, Jharrel Jerome. John has a great relationship with his kids. It affected me in terms of not just retentive abilities, but the tendency to be prone to violence, as a result of football primarily, Amos says. 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. "Once I'd matured, I'd realized the mistakes I'd made in addressing my grievances about scripts. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing He portrayed the character of Percy Fitzwallace in the critically acclaimed show The West Wing. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Images. Making his legit stage debut in a 1971 L.A. production of the comedy "Norman, Is That You? In an article, K.C. Instead, the writers focused more on the obvious and comedic Jimmie Walker, which John was not proud of. I wasnt even interested in being an actor and I was fascinated by everything that was involved in what it took to make these shows., He added: And the stories, I think, they continue to resonate. I took the exam to be a New York police officer long before I got any roles as a police officer in the entertainment industry. scientific studies and medical journals. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. let gads_event; Joel Cunningham is a writer and editor who lives in Brooklyn. John tied the knot with Lehman in 1978, but their marriage ended in divorce 19 months later. He is most famous for portraying James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series "Good Times.". But the film was no ordinary Sandler flick: it was Uncut Gems, the Safdie Brothers chaotic and abrasive thriller which has already taken on the status of cult classic in some circles. ga('ads.send', { Amos stayed silent on the phone, and when Lear asked if he had anything to said, he hung up. Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Other series which John has either appeared in supporting or guest roles include CBS's The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The District, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, and Maude. 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 through its run. on tour.The following year he returned to New York to take his first Broadway bow in "Tough To Get Help". took the time to honor his father on Father's Day and described John as his hero. A 44-year-old script of "Good Times" provided surprising prescience Wednesday. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Also a former athlete who played varsity football at East Orange High School in his hometown of East Orange, NJ, and then at Long Beach (CA) City College, and at Colorado State, John found his way bouncing around for several years in tryouts with several semi pro and professional league teams, most notably, The AFL's Denver Broncos, and then the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs by 1966, where then head coach Hank Stram advised him to continue to pursue his acting career, telling him "You're not a football player, you're a man who is trying to play football". In 1985, the play "Split Second" earned him the NAACP Award as Best Actor. In 2019, the actor also made a surprise appearance during a live broadcast event recreating a Good Times episode for ABC's Live in Front of a Studio Audience series. All Rights Reserved. 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. } else { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), }); ga('ads.send', { The two were seen shaking a leg at the Spread The Cheeer USA gala in Denver in 2021. Amos has one grand child,a grand-daughter, Quiera Williams. He even had a recurring role in Two and a Half Men as well as Netflixs The Ranch. I've played a lot of lovable dads in my time.". She also had two children: Rani DuBois, and Raj Kristo Gupta, who died of cancer in 1987 at 36. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Mary was quite a skilled comedienne, but her forte was really underplaying. K.C also celebrated his mom's love for horses in an Instagram post he made in January 2017. His on-screen wife on the show was Esther Rolle. There was proof of both men's restored relationship when John made a surprise appearance on a "Good Times" live special during "Live in Front of a Studio Audience.". When Amos told Lear it was his call, he proceeded to inform John that the show had been picked up for a new season, which wasnt really a surprise considering its success. When I went back to work, I couldnt finish the day because I kept belching every 30 seconds.. His versatility extends to the theatre as well, which he declares as his first love. Still, they continued and had Shannon a year before being recognized as a legal couple following the famous Supreme Court "Loving vs. Also featured in the Good Times live staging cast were SNL alum Jay Pharaoh, This Is Us Asante Blackk, and Corinne Foxx, daughter of Jamie Foxx, who starred in the first iteration of Live in Front of a Studio Audience back in May. On May 25, John also shared a TikTok video K.C. 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. sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices. 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.As per reports, Amos shares his children with three different women. After about the third one, I turned into a human fountain, he recalls. John Amos Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki, Lillian Lehman(m. 19781979),Noel J. Mickelson(m. 19651975). 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 . As proof of his excellence as an actor, John was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2020, an honor he well and truly deserved. A tough, often hot-headed guy with a somewhat tender side, John would succeed far better on stage than on film and TVwith one extremely noteworthy exceptions.Born on December 27, 1939, John was first employed as an advertising copywriter, a social worker at New York's Vera Institute of Justice, and an American and Canadian semi-professional football player before receiving his calling as an actor. 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"). While Amos did bring out the reality of a struggling family man in the 70s, he went on to quit the show after three of its six-year run owing to creative disputes with Lear. You could go from being employed constantly at a handsome salary for a relatively long period of time and then may not work for five years, he says.
