The cause of death for John Amos, known for his roles in “Roots” and “Coming 2 America,” has been made public.

The actor, celebrated for his part in “Good Times,” succumbed to congestive heart failure at a hospital in the Los Angeles area on August 21, as noted in a death certificate acquired by YSL News on October 8.

John Amos, whose full name was John Allen Amos Jr., had been struggling with this condition—resulting from the heart’s inability to supply sufficient blood and oxygen to the body’s organs—for several years prior to his passing. The document did not indicate any other major health issues that could have contributed to his death. He was cremated just nine days later.

His son, Kelly Amos, was the individual who notified the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health regarding his father’s passing.

In a heartfelt message shared with YSL News on October 1, Kelly Amos expressed, “It is with profound sadness that I announce my father’s passing. He was a man with a gentle spirit and a heart of gold  loved by many around the globe.”

According to the CDC, heart failure was cited in 13.9% of death records in 2022.

John Amos was born in Newark, New Jersey, and landed his first major television role in 1970 as weatherman Gordy Howard on CBS’ “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Shortly afterward, he attained perhaps his most iconic character: patriarch James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” a groundbreaking sitcom by Norman Lear that aired from 1974 to 1979, which was a spinoff of “Maude.” He left the show due to disagreements with the writers about the portrayal of Black characters.

Amos is also recognized for his portrayal of the older Kunta Kinte in the seminal miniseries “Roots,” earning him an Emmy nomination for his performance.

Throughout his illustrious five-decade career, Amos showcased his talent through numerous roles, including Major Grant in “Die Hard 2” and Cleo McDowell in the comedy “Coming to America,” a character he reprised in the 2021 sequel, “Coming 2 America.”

He also played a noteworthy part as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on NBC’s “The West Wing” and more recently appeared in shows such as CBS’ “Two and a Half Men,” Netflix’s “The Ranch,” and HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones.”