John Amos cause of death: Good Times and The West Wing actor recently died at the age of 84
Actor John Amos’s death was announced by his son, Kelly Christopher Amos on Tuesday October 1, 2024.
In a statement, Kelly Christopher Amos said:"It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned. He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor."
Former football player John Amos was an Emmy-nominated actor who was best known for playing the part of James Evans Sr. on Good Times. He played the role of a firm yet loving father in the show which was about the struggles of a working-class Black family.
John Amos received an Emmy nomination for his role as the older Kunta Kinte in the 1977 ABC miniseries Roots and also played the part of Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the NBC drama, The West Wing. Before acting, John Amos had try-outs with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs and also played football at Colorado State University.
A day after John Amos’s son Kelly Christopher Amos revealed his father had died, John Amos’s daughter Shannon said she only found out about his death thanks to the media. According to John Amos’s long-term publicist, Belinda Foster, she recently claimed that the actor’s death was delayed because of a difficult family situation. In a statement shared by People magazine, she said:: "Over the years, [John and I] grew close to one another to the point of a familial relationship. In the last few years, he often referred to me as his 'daughter.' This was not a fraud by John, K.C., or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply mourn his passing.
"Shannon's claims that John was abused are false. K.C., Eugene and I, along with numerous others cared for him. On several occasions when Shannon claimed that he was abused, law enforcement authorities sat with John and confirmed his well being.
"At the time of John's passing, K.C. was under a strict no-contact order from the Superior Court of New Jersey based on the Complaint that his sister Shannon brought against him in 2023.
"As a condition of his Pretrial Release, K.C. is precluded from making any contact with Shannon directly or indirectly by phone, social media, or any method of communication. At the time of his death, John was concerned that Shannon might turn his death and interment into a circus as she had done with other aspects of his life. It was John who requested the delay in announcing his death to Shannon and the rest of the world."
It has now been revealed that John Amos died of congestive heart failure. People magazine reported that according to the death certificate obtained by them, “the late actor died of congestive heart failure on Aug. 21 at 5:18 p.m. at a hospital located in Inglewood, Calif. There were no other significant medical conditions that contributed to his death and no autopsy was performed.
“The certificate also reveals that the Good Times star's remains were cremated on Aug. 30, just nine days after he died.”