John Amos Biography

Fast Facts

• After being released from the series "Good Times," he rebounded quickly and starred in the series "Roots," receiving an Anniversary Award from TV Land Awards and a Primetime Emmy nomination
• After receiving he recurring role on "Maude," he and actress Bea Arthur went on to star in the show's spin-off series "Good Times," for which he received an Impact Award from TV Land Awards
• After moving to Los Angeles, he made his stage debut after performing stand-up to smaller audiences, in a production of "Norman Is that You?," receiving a Los Angeles Drama Critics nomination for Best Actor
• Quote: "I love my work, and I am grateful to GOD to have a profession that brings joy to so many․"
• Quote: "(After he was released from his contract on "Good Times") "They killed my character off and, as God would have it, just when they told me I would never work again, I got cast in a little program called Roots, and as they would say, the rest is history․""
• Left the Broadway stage to join the cast of "Mary Tyler Moore" in 1970, and stayed on the show until leaving after three seasons
• Played college football at Colorado State University, and went on to professional football and played for the Norfolk Neptunes in the late 1960s