John Amos, star of ‘Good Times’ and ‘Roots,’ dead at 84

(CNN) –John Amos, the actor known for his role as the family patriarch on the hit sitcom Good Times and the adult Kunta Kinte in the famed original miniseries Roots, has died, according to longtime publicist Belinda Foster. He was 84.Foster told CNN on the phone on Tuesday that Amos died in Los Angeles of natural causes on August 21. She also shared a statement from Amos’ son, Kelly Christopher Amos, via email.Related Stories “It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” the statement read. “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.”Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Amos found his first passion in sports after he fell in love with football and played at Colorado State University.While he graduated with a degree in social work, he scored tryouts with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Denver Broncos and the Canadian Football League’s British Columbia Lions.In a video shared by the...