LeVar Burton On ‘Roots’ Costar John Amos: “May His Name Forever Be Blessed”

LeVar Burton shared his thoughts on the late John Amos during an appearance on ABC’s The View today, praising his Roots costar – they played the enslaved person Kunta Kinte at different points in the character’s life – for his groundbreaking TV portrayal on Good Times.

“James Evans, the character that John played on Good Times, was the first Black man as householder on TV,” Burton said. “The whole family, the father making it work for the family. When I was coming up Black men were generally portrayed as absent fathers, shiftless, fodder for prison and criminals. And John Amos changed that. May his name forever be blessed.”

“And it will,” responded View moderator Whoopi Goldberg.

Amos died August 21 at the age of 84. His death was announced on October 1 by his son Kelly Christopher Amos. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office, Amos died of congestive heart failure.

In addition to Good Times and Roots, Amos’ many credits include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Coming to America, Die Hard 2, The Beastmaster (1982) and Me Tyme.

Amos’ final role is a guest-starring appearance in the pilot for NBC’s Suits: L.A., which was picked up to series in July. In the pilot, which will air when the series debuts later this season, Amos played himself as a client at Ted’s (Stephen Amell) law firm who also has a longstanding friendship with Ted. See a first look image of Amos in the pilot here.