Amos, John 1939- (Johnny Amos)

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Amos, John 1939- (Johnny Amos)

PERSONAL

Born December 27, 1939, in Newark, NJ; son of John A. (an auto mechanic) and Annabell P. Amos; married Noel J. Mickelson (divorced); married Lillian Lehman (an actress), February 12, 1978 (divorced); married Elisabete De Sousa; children: (second marriage) Shannon Patrice (a film producer and writer), K. C. (a director and writer). Education: Colorado State University, earned a sociology degree; also attended Long Beach City College. Avocational Interests: Scuba diving, boating, horseback riding, flying.

Addresses:

Agent—Diverse Talent Group, 1875 Century Park East, Suite 2250, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Career:

Actor. Greenwich Village, New York City, stand-up comedian; Bahamian Repertory Company, director; Keane-Brown Center Stage, NJ, artistic direc- tor; Step and One Half Productions, creator, producer, and director; John Harms Theater, Englewood, NJ, artistic director; appeared in advertisements. Worked as a professional football player in the American, Continental, and Canadian football leagues, c. 1962-65; also a boxer; Vera Institute of Justice, New York City, social worker; Los Angeles, advertising copywriter.

Member:

Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA).

Awards, Honors:

Los Angeles Drama Critics Award nomination, outstanding performance, 1971, for Norman, Is That You?; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actor for a single appearance in a drama or comedy series, 1977, and TV Land Anniversary Award (with others), 2007, both for Roots; Image Award nomination, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), best actor, 1985, for Split Second; Image Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, 1996, for In the House; TV Land Groundbreaking Show Award (with others), 2004, for The Mary Tyler Moore Show; TV Land Impact Award (with others), 2006, for Good Times.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Gordon "Gordy" Howard, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (also known as Mary Tyler Moore), CBS, 1970-73, 1977.

Husband, The Funny Side, NBC, 1971.

Henry Evans, Maude, CBS, 1972-74.

James Evans, Sr., Good Times, CBS, 1974-76.

Officer Bill Bundy, Future Cop, ABC, 1977-78.

Captain Dolan, Hunter, NBC, 1984-86.

Detective Johnson, One Life to Live (also known as Between Heaven and Hell), ABC, 1987-88.

Ernest "Ernie" Cumberbatch, 704 Hauser (also known as 704 Hauser Street), CBS, 1994.

Fred Wilkes, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1994-95.

Coach Sam Wilson, In the House, UPN, 1995-97.

Percy Fitzwallace, The West Wing (also known as West Wing and El ala oeste de la Casablanca), NBC, 1999-2004.

Mayor Ethan Baker, The District (also known as Washington Police, The District—Einsatz in Washington, Mannions distrikt, and Poliisipaeaellikkkoe Mannion), CBS, 2000-2001.

Joe Anderson, All about the Andersons (also known as Familjen Anderson, Todo sobre los Anderson, and Tudo sobre os Andersons), The WB, 2003-2004.

Buzz, Men in Trees (also known as A ferfi fan terem and Teoria miehistae), ABC, 2006—.

Appeared in South by Southwest, PBS.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Kunte Kinte/Toby as an adult, Roots, ABC, 1977.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Kunte Kinte/Toby as an adult, Roots: The Next Generations (also known as Racines 2, Raices: Las siguientes generaciones, and Roots—Die naechsten Generationen), ABC, 1979.

Bumpy Johnson, Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (also known as Alcatraz and Clarence Carnes), NBC, 1980.

Himself, I Love the '70s, VH1, 2003.

Himself, I Love the '80s Strikes Back, VH1, 2003.

Himself, TV Land Moguls, TV Land, c. 2004.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Marine corporal, The President's Plane Is Missing, ABC, 1973.

Virgil, Willa, CBS, 1979.

Mr. Mack, Bonanza: The Next Generation (also known as Bonanza: The Movie), syndicated, 1988.

Booker Hutch, The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best, CBS, 1996.

Booker Hutch, The Rockford Files: Murder and Misdemeanors, CBS, 1997.

Mr. Swift, Disappearing Acts (also known as Actos desesperados, Eine Liebe in Brooklyn, Medidas desesperadas, and Vise si dorinte), HBO, 2000.

Reverend Washington, Something to Sing About, 2000.

Dutch, Voodoo Moon (also known as Children of the Cornpone and Prisioneiro do demonio), Sci-Fi Channel, 2005.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Hang Tight, Willy Bill, syndicated, 1983.

Sergeant Harold Borman, You Are the Jury (also known as The State of Oregon vs. Stanley Manning), NBC, 1987.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Detective Legrand, Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror, Independent Film Channel, 2000.

Himself, CBS at 75, CBS, 2003.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The America's Awards, The Nashville Network, 1993.

Presenter, Third Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as Screen Actors Guild Third Annual Awards), NBC, 1997.

The Fifth Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, The WB, 2002.

The Sixth Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, UPN, 2003.

The Second Annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV, TV Land, 2004.

The Fourth Annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (also known as TV Land Awards 2006), TV Land, 2006.

The Fifth Annual TV Land Awards, TV Land, 2007.

The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 2007.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Repair person, "Swann's Way," Bill Cosby Show, NBC, 1970.

Tim Conway Comedy Hour, CBS, 1970.

"Love and the Bowling Ball/Love and the Check/Love and the Hiccups/Love and the Liberated Lady Boss," Love, American Style, ABC, 1971.

Mark Cooper, "The Harry Award," The New Dick Van Dyke Show, CBS, 1972.

"Love and the Alibi/Love and the Instant Father/Love and the Lovely Evening/Love and the Lover's Lane/Love and the Split Up," Love, American Style, ABC, 1972.

Luther, "A Visit from Lena Horne," Sanford and Son, NBC, 1973.

Himself, Dinah! (also known as Dinah and Dinah and Friends), syndicated, 1975 (multiple episodes).

Himself, The Merv Griffin Show, syndicated, 1975.

Himself, The Mike Douglas Show, syndicated, 1975.

Walt Kyles, "Oxford Gray," Police Story, NBC, 1976.

"Onward and Upward," Hanging In, CBS, 1979.

Foster, "Boomer Goes for the Gold," Here's Boomer, NBC, 1981.

Duke Taylor, "Zinging Valentine/The Very Temporary Secretary/The Final Score," The Love Boat, ABC, 1983.

Albie Meadows, "The Homecoming," Hardcastle and McCormick, ABC, 1984.

Reverend Johnson, "Pure-Dee Poison," The A Team, NBC, 1984.

Roland Hackett, "The Fred Connection," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1984.

Doc Penrose, "Death Takes a Dive," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1987.

Roy Jeffries, "Blood Money," Stingray, NBC, 1987.

Dr. Herbert, "The Physical," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1988.

"The Alchemist," Beauty and the Beast (also known as A Szepseg es a szoernyeteg, Die Schoene und das Biest, I pentamorfi kai to teras, La bella e la bestia, La bella y la bestia, La belle et la bete, and Skonheden og udyret), CBS, 1988.

Carl Manning, "Tongs," Gideon Oliver (also known as By the Rivers of Babylon), a segment of the The ABC Mystery Movie (also known as The Mystery Movie, The ABC Monday Mystery Movie, and The ABC Saturday Mystery Movie), ABC, 1989.

Himself, The Howard Stern Show, syndicated, 1990.

James Mackey, "The Hero," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1995.

Pastor Roscoe Jones, "Sons of Thunder," Walker, Texas Ranger (also known as Walker), CBS, 1997.

Sergeant Strawn (Tommy's father), "Daddy Dearest," Martin, Fox, 1997.

Voice of Glen Johnson, "Traffic Jam," King of the Hill (animated), Fox, 1998.

"First Time," Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal, Nickelodeon, c. 1998.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Himself, "Good Times," The E! True Hollywood Story (also known as Good Times: The E! True Hollywood Story and THS), E! Entertainment Television, 2000.

Peter Yastrzemski, "Zig Zag," The Outer Limits (also known as The New Outer Limits), Showtime, Sci-Fi Channel, and syndicated, 2000.

Himself, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Inside TV Land (also known as Inside TV Land: The Mary Tyler Moore Show), TV Land, 2001.

Himself, The Wayne Brady Show, syndicated, 2004.

Himself, "Breakout and Disappearing Star," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2005.

Himself, "Changing Times and Trends," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2005.

Himself, "Writing, Rehearsing & Recording," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2005.

Himself, Tavis Smiley, PBS, 2006.

Himself, "Oddballs & Original Characters," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2007.

Uncle Burton Guster, "Meat Is Murder, but Murder Is Also Murder," Psych (also known as Psych—Dilis detektivek), USA Network, 2007.

Himself, Best Week Ever, VH1, 2007.

Appeared in other programs, including The Tonight Show, NBC.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Husband, The Funny Side, NBC, 1971.

Walt Jones, Keeping up with the Joneses, NBC, 1972.

Charlie Travis, Two's Company, CBS, 1973.

Officer Bill Bundy, Future Cop, ABC, 1976.

Mel Haig, Clippers, CBS, 1991.

Mayor Ethan Baker, The District (also known as Washington Police, The District—Einsatz in Washington, Mannions distrikt, and Poliisipaeaellikkkoe Mannion), CBS, 2000.

Joe Anderson, All about the Andersons (also known as Familjen Anderson, Todo sobre los Anderson, and Tudo sobre os Andersons), The WB, 2003.

Buzz, Men in Trees (also known as A ferfi fan terem and Teoria miehistae), ABC, 2006.

Film Appearances:

(As Johnny Amos) Biker, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, Cinemation Industries, 1971.

(Uncredited) Super Soul engineer, Vanishing Point, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1971.

Coach Sam Archer, The World's Greatest Athlete, Buena Vista, 1972.

Kansas City Mack, Let's Do It Again, Warner Bros., 1975.

Tony, Touched by Love (also known as To Elvis, with Love), 1979.

Seth, The Beastmaster (also known as Beastmaster—Der Befreier, Dar I'invincible, El senor de las bestias, Kaan principe guerriero, Kungasonen, O guerreiro sagrado, Varvos mahitis, Voittamaton kostaja, and Wladca zwierzat), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1982.

Esteban, Dance of the Dwarfs (also known as Dance of the Dwarves and Jungle Heat), 1983.

Doctor Conrad, American Flyers, Warner Bros., 1985.

Cleo McDowell, Coming to America (also known as Prince in New York), Paramount, 1988.

Meissner, Lock Up, TriStar, 1989.

Detective Legrand, "The Black Cat" segment, Due occhi diabolici (also known as Two Evil Eyes), Taurus Entertainment, 1990.

Major Grant, Die Hard 2 (also known as Die Hard 2: Die Harder, A taepasta vaoi 2, Assalto ao aeroporto, Cinequante-huit minutes pour vivre, Die hard 2—58 minutes pour vivre, Die hard 2—58 minuti per morire, Die hard 2—vain kuolleen ruumiini yli, Duro de matar 2, 58 minutes pour vivre, La jungla 2: Alerta roja, Med doedlig paafoeljd 2, Meg dragabb az eleted, Poly skliros gia na pethanei 2, Stirb Langsam 2—Die Harder, Szklana pulapka 2, Umri muski 2, Umri pokoncno 2, Vain kuolleen ruumiini yli 2, and Visa hing 2), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990.

Blue Berry, Without a Pass, Chanticleer Films/Fried Films, 1991.

Reverend Styles, Ricochet (also known as Besatt av haemnd, Harhaluoti, Ricochet—Der Aufprall, Ricochete, Rikoset, Verdetto finale, and Visszakezboel), Warner Bros., 1991.

Nat, Mac (also known as Tre broeder), Samuel Goldwyn, 1992.

Captain Hodges, Night Trap (also known as Mardi Gras for the Devil), Prism Entertainment, 1993.

Wes Strickland, Hologram Man, PM Entertainment, 1995.

Gray, For Better or Worse (also known as Stranger Things, Mein Partner mit der heissen Braut, Para o melhor e para o pior, and Vicken looser), Columbia, 1996.

A Woman Like That, 1997.

Freeman, The Players Club, New Line Cinema, 1998.

Coach Zeller, All Over Again (also known as Against Time), Second Image Studios, 2000.

Dr. Bledsoe, Ralph Ellison: An American Journey (documentary), California Newsreel, 2002.

Old Man Amos, The Watermelon Heist (also known as Die Redneck Familie), Colored Wind Productions/Step and One Half Productions, 2003.

Admiral Melory, Lichnyy nomer (also known as Countdown), 2004.

Uncle Virgil, My Baby's Daddy (also known as My Baby's Mama, El padre de mi hijo, Hiphop faijat, Il padre de mio figlio, Papas cheris, and Unos padres de cuidado), Miramax, 2004.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (documentary), Koch Vision, 2004.

Hill, Boy s tenyu (also known as Shadow Boxing and Voitlus varjuga), Central Partnership, 2005.

Jud Jones, Dr. Dolittle 3 (also known as Docteur Dolittle 3 and Elaeintohtori 3), Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 2006.

Henry, Ascension Day (also known as 3/5 of a Man), Freedom Reign Productions/Oxbow Productions, 2007.

Mr. Kimball, Hauntsville, Colored Wind Productions/Stelly Entertainment, 2007.

Film Work:

Director and producer of Grambling Takes It All Back Home. Director and producer of a documentary for the Amistad America Project.

Stage Appearances:

Ben Chambers, Norman, Is That You?, Ebony Showcase Theatre, Los Angeles, 1971.

Luther Jackson, Tough to Get Help, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1972.

The Emperor Jones, 1979.

Sam, Master Harold and the Boys, Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham, MI, 1983.

Rusty, Split Second, Mayfair Theatre, 1985.

Sir Toby Belch, Twelfth Night (also known as Twelfth Night, or What You Will), New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theater, Delacorte Theater, New York City, 1989.

Earl Davis, The Past Is the Past, Billie Holiday Theatre, Brooklyn, New York City, 1989-90.

Halley's Comet (solo show), Billie Holiday Theatre, then American Stage Company, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, both 1990.

Fences, Capital Repertory Company, Albany, NY, 1990-91.

Stage Director:

Forever My Darling, Grant Avenue Community Center, Plainfield, NY, 1988.

Halley's Comet (solo show), Billie Holiday Theatre, Brooklyn, New York City, then American Stage Company, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, both 1990.

Also directed And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little and Twelve Angry Men, both Bahamian Repertory Company.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Detective in "Natural Born Killaz" segment, Murder Was the Case: The Movie, Interscope Records, 1995.

Himself and Kunta Kinte/Toby, Remembering "Roots" (short), Warner Home Video, 2002.

Music Videos:

Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, "Natural Born Killaz," 1995.

Albums:

Recorded songs for an album.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

Wrote screenplays for films, including Grambling Takes It All Back Home.

Teleplays; Episodic:

The Leslie Uggams Show, CBS, 1969.

Writings for the Stage:

Halley's Comet (solo show), Billie Holiday Theatre, Brooklyn, New York City, then American Stage Company, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, both 1990.