John Amos, the star of “Good Times,” “Roots” and more, died of natural causes on Aug. 21 in Los Angeles, his rep confirmed to Variety on Tuesday. He was 84.

“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you the passing of my father,” his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement. “He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved all over the world. Many fans consider him their TV dad. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on through his outstanding works on television and film as an actor. My father enjoyed working as an actor all his life. most recently in ‘Suits LA’ playing himself and our documentary about his journey as an actor, ‘America’s Dad.’ He was my father, my best friend and my hero. Thank you for your prayers and support during this time.”

Born on December 27, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey, Amos’s acting career gained momentum when he landed the role of weatherman Gordon “Gordy” Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1970.

From there, he took his comedic talents to CBS’ “Good Times,” a spinoff of “Maude” and “All in the Family,” playing father James Evans Sr. in 1974. The Norman Lear Program made history as the first TV series. show to follow an African American with two parents. households. The hardworking and dedicated father figure role resonated with the audience. However, after three seasons, Amos was dissatisfied with the show’s direction and the portrayal of his character’s son, James “JJ” Evans Jr.. He was fired after season 3, and season 4 began with James Evan Sr. being killed off. off screen.

Amos received an Emmy nomination in 1977 for his role as adult Kunta Kinte in the historical ABC miniseries “Roots.” The series, about slavery in the United States, won nine Emmys, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award and attracted massive viewership in the country. More than 130 million people watched the series, which was more than half the US population in 1977. The final episode holds the record for the third highest rated episode for any type of TV series and the second most rated episode. watched the series finale in history.

Amos also appeared in shows such as ‘About the Andersons’, ‘The West Wing’, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and ‘The Ranch’. His latest television role will appear in the upcoming series ‘Suits LA’. On film, he had roles in Eddie Murphy’s ‘Coming to America’ and its 2021 sequel, ‘Coming 2 America’, ‘Die Hard 2’, ‘The Beastmaster’, ‘Lock Up’ and ‘Me Tyme’. He and his son also produced the upcoming documentary about his life, titled “America’s Dad.”

“We are so proud to have represented John,” said Julia Buchwald, president of Buchwald. “He was not only a remarkable talent, but also a very kind and generous soul. His impact on the industry and those who knew him will never be forgotten.”

Outside of film and TV, Amos wrote, produced and starred in a one-man play entitled ‘Halley’s Comet’. He also appeared on Broadway in August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean.” Before getting into acting, he played college football at Colorado State University and suited up for the 1967 NFL offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs.