John Amos Was Fired From 'Good Times' After Three Successful Seasons — Here's Why
John Amos passed away at the age of 84 on Aug. 21, 2024.
Published Oct. 2 2024, 11:35 a.m. ET
For three seasons, John Amos starred in the sitcom Good Times, which centered on a Black family with two parents, presenting a strong, united image. From 1974 to 1976, John portrayed the family's patriarch, James Evans Sr., appearing in 61 episodes, according to his IMDb credits.
Sadly, John passed away at the age of 84 on Aug. 21, 2024, though the media did not learn of his death until Oct. 1. What's more, his daughter, Shannon Amos, was unaware of her father's death until she heard it from the media as well.
His death brought not only tears and heartache for those who were close to him but also lingering questions in need of clarification, one of which is, why did he leave Good Times? The truth is, he was fired. Here’s everything you need to know about his time on the show.
The real reason John Amos left 'Good Times.'
After three seasons as James Evans Sr. on Good Times, John Amos was fired for criticizing the show's portrayal of Black characters as "inauthentic," according to a Time magazine interview with him in 2021. Although John acknowledged, “That show was the closest depiction of reality for an African American family living in those circumstances,” he still had disagreements with the writers.
John became "frustrated" by the discord between the writers' lines and the Black storylines, admitting, “It was tooth and nail over what we felt was right. Our convictions were predicated on experience.” He further explained, “Me, the experience of working and living at the time as an African American, and some of the writers theorized what my reactions or the character’s reactions would be, predicated on a Beverly Hills point of view for the most part.”
To make matters worse, Time noted that John's temper didn't help, stemming from the PTSD he struggled with from boxing and professional football. The disconnect eventually became too much, and the show fired him, writing off his character by having him die in a car accident.
When did John Amos play football?
In additon to being a Golden Gloves boxing champion, per IMDb, John also played football. While attending Colorado State University, John played on the varsity football team, according to his New Jersey Hall of Fame bio.
John went on to play for the American Football League’s Denver Broncos, signing a free-agent contract after graduating. Continuing down the football career path, he played for several other minor-league teams, including the Jersey City Jets. By 1976, John signed a contract with the American Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs but didn’t quite stand out. After a few more attempts with minor league teams, John shifted his attention to acting.
John went on to star in some of the most influential and iconic films, playing the role of the adult Kunta Kinte in the 1977 TV miniseries Roots and appearing in films like Coming to America (1988) and Lock Up (1989). He even starred in the unconventional Adam Sandler film Uncut Gems.
