ट्रिविया

Amos was once a Golden Gloves boxing champion.

Played college football at Colorado State University.

Played professional football for the Norfolk Neptunes in the late 1960s.

Signed a free agent contract with the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs but was later strongly urged by Head Coach Hank Stram to pursue his heart as a writer.

Amos was cast as the Evans family's father in Good Times (1974) despite being only eight years older than Jimmie 'JJ' Walker, who portrayed oldest son J.J., and nearly nineteen years younger than Esther Rolle, who played his wife, Florida. This was not unusual in African-American comedies in the 1970s produced by Norman Lear. In The Jeffersons (1975), Sherman Hemsley, who portrayed husband George, was about twenty and one half years younger than Isabel Sanford, who portrayed wife Louise.

Was also a social worker (he headed New York's Vera Institute of Justice) and an advertising copywriter prior to pursuing a career as an actor.

Has also written comedy material for television and performed stand-up comedy in New York City's Greenwich Village.

Although he played Leslie Uggams's father in Roots (1977), he is only three years her senior in real life.

Quit Good Times (1974) over complaints directed at him, by fans and friends, that the show was not a pleasant portrait of African-American life and somewhat insulting. To explain his absence from the show, his character on was killed in a car accident, ensuring his choice to leave was permanent. Unknown to Amos at the time of his resignation from the Good Times cast, but he was almost immediately cast in a little show named Roots (1977).

He was inducted into the 2019-2020 Class of New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Arts and Entertainment category.

In 1972, he appeared with his future Good Times son, then ten year old Ralph Carter, in the Broadway comedy, Tough to Get Help. The play, that was directed by Carl Reiner and written by Steve Gordon of Arthur fame, closed on opening night.

Father of K.C. Amos and Shannon Amos.

He was spotted observing one of the trials of mobster John Gotti.

Friends with Bea Arthur and Louis Gossett Jr..

As of January 1, 2022, he is the last adult survivor of the recurring performers on the Mary Tyler Moore show and the last survivor from his generation of actors playing parents of older children on the Norman Lear comedies of the seventies. Lisa Gerritsen, who was twelve years old when she started on MTM, is also still alive.

Son of John Amos Sr..

Friends with Demond Wilson.

Grandfather of Quiera Williams.

According to the Chinese calendar, he was born in the Year of the Rabbit.

Earned a degree in Sociology from Colorado State University.