A former football player, John Amos is best recognized for his portrayal of role as James Evans Sr. in the hit series The Good Times. Amos is also known for his role as Gordy Howard on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1973. In his four-decade old acting career, John Amos has been a nominee for NAACP Image Award and Primetime Emmy Award.

He has appeared in several films like Vanishing Point, The Beastmasters, Die Hard 2, American Flyers and Coming to America. Apart from being a TV and film actor, John Amos is also the producer and writer of Halley's Comet. It is a critically acclaimed one-man play that he is performing around the globe.