The coroner at the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has released the official report on the cause of death of legendary actor John Amos.
According to the death certificate obtained by People magazine, Amos died on Aug. 21 at the age of 84 of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Inglewood, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. However, his death was just announced on Oct. 1 by his son Kelly Christopher Amos.
The announcement of the actor’s passing shocked his daughter, Shannon Amos. She conveyed her horror on Instagram, saying she was “without words” after learning of her father’s death through the media.
“I am without words…Our family has received the heartbreaking news that my Dad, John Allen Amos, Jr., transitioned on August 21st,” she wrote. “We are devastated and left with many questions about how this happened 45 days ago, learning about it through the media like so many of you.”
Shannon Amos continued, “This should be a time of honoring and celebrating his life, yet we are struggling to navigate the wave of emotions and uncertainties surrounding his passing. Still, there is some semblance of peace in knowing my father is finally free.”
Amos will forever be remembered for portraying the formidable father James Evans in the 1970’s classic sitcom “Good Times.” He’s attained renown and acclaim for playing the elder Kunte Kinte in the all-time great miniseries “Roots,” which was once the highest-rating miniseries in television history.
After a banner 1970s, Amos’ received a second wave of fame playing Cleo McDowell, the protective father in Eddie Murphy’s seminal comedy Coming to America. The versatile actor with the booming baritone also played a criminal mastermind in Bruce Willis’ Die Hard 2, and had a famous cameo as a police officer in Ice Cube’s Player’s Club.
