John Amos, the talented television actor recognized for his performances in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, The West Wing, and Roots, has passed away at the age of 84.
His family shared that Amos died of natural causes in his Los Angeles home on August 21, but the announcement was only made public today.
“With deep sadness, I announce that my father has transitioned,” his son, Kelly Christopher Amos, said in a statement to Deadline. “He was a man with an incredibly kind heart and a golden spirit… loved by people everywhere. Many fans regarded him as their TV father.”
Born on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, Amos initially pursued a career in football, playing in the Continental Football League and the Atlantic Coast Football League. He was signed by the Denver Broncos in 1964 but was released before the season due to an injury.
His acting career, however, proved more successful. He gained recognition as weatherman Gordy Howard on the popular sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a role he held from 1970 to 1973.
Amos is best remembered for his portrayal of James Evans, the father in the classic sitcom Good Times. At just 34 years old when he was cast, he convincingly depicted a hardworking father of three living in a low-income housing project.
The show was lauded for its exploration of significant issues like poverty and racism. However, as the series progressed, Amos had disagreements with the writers and producers regarding the portrayal of Black families and the show’s shift toward broader comedic themes. After season 3, he was let go, and his character met his end in a car accident.
Shortly thereafter, Amos took on another defining role as the adult Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, for which he received an Emmy nomination.
He is also known for his role as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the political drama The West Wing. Additionally, he had recurring roles in Two and a Half Men and The Ranch.
Among his notable film credits are Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, Die Hard 2, Coming to America, and its sequel.
“He led a fulfilling life, and his legacy will endure through his remarkable contributions to television and film,” his son expressed in the statement. “My father cherished his work as an actor throughout his life.”
“He was my father, my closest friend, and my hero. I appreciate your prayers and support during this difficult time.”
‘American Pickers’ Frank Fritz put under guardianship – things started going downhill after bad engagement – Latest news!
We occasionally follow paths in life that we never would have imagined. Although Frank Fritz was a well-liked character on television, he was going through a lot in his personal life.
This is his tragic tale…
Longtime partner of Frank Fritz was Diann Bankson. His tumultuous split from her resulted in his drinking, unemployment, and even a medical emergency. Although the two are now permanently apart, their time spent together left a lasting impression on them both.]
At the age of 25, Frank Fritz, the host of “American Pickers,” first laid eyes on Diann Bankson. The pair intermittently dated before being engaged in 2017. They moved in together after purchasing an Iowa farmhouse a year later in 2018.
Their relationship, however, soured in November of that year when Bankson claimed to have “walked in” on Fritz and “caught him in bed with another woman.”
Fritz disclosed in an interview that Bankson had cheated on him and that he was even reminded of her “betrayal” by a tattoo. However, he declared his desire to wed her.
“I had planned to get married, had purchased a house and a very expensive ring, and was shocked to learn that my fiancée had been seeing someone else for the previous 2.5 years,” Fritz remarked.
Fritz stated, “She’s the cheater, which is why I got a tattoo saying ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater.’” He said that the tattoo was meant to act as a reminder to never do “the same mistake again.” And that Bankson had “cost” him a lot of money, he said.
He started drinking to heal his broken heart. That’s how he handled his heartbreak, he claimed. He lost a lot of weight as a result of this as well. “I gave it a good shot,” remarked Fritz. I made an attempt to drown her.
He overcame his drinking issue, but because the last relationship with Bankson had “stung hard enough,” he made the decision to put off dating for a while.
Following the split, he had losses in his career as well. The Sun claims that after March 2020, he stopped hosting History Channel’s “American Pickers.”
Fritz gave an explanation for his absence, saying that he intended to return to the show after the scar from his back surgery healed. “I would like to return to the show,” Fritz remarked. Now that I’m fully recovered, I’m prepared to resume my role on the show.
Fritz claimed there had been no definitive decision made by the show regarding his return. He said, though, that a showrunner had given him a call and assured him that he would return to the screen.
Despite Fritz having worked on the show for ten years, TMZ claims that the show has “no plans” to employ him as a host once more.
In addition to not returning to his show, Bankson’s ex-boyfriend Eric Longlett, an engineering administration manager, made his debut. She gushed about how fortunate she was to be with him in posts about him on social media.
“He took me to see Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour,” she captioned a photo of herself and Longlett together at the concert. I’m a fortunate woman. Love you, sweetie. oxo
Fritz was hospitalized on July 4, 2022, following a stroke. After finding him on his house floor, his companion had phoned for assistance. The 911 call in which his friend stated, “He might be seizuring, I’m not sure,” was obtained by The US Sun.
Bill Fritz, Fritz’s father, told the reporters that his son was healing nicely and getting better every day.
His recuperation was not as complete as the physicians had hoped, though. After being discharged from the hospital, he was placed under guardianship and sent to a nursing home.
On August 18, 2022, his “longtime friend” reportedly filed an emergency appointment for temporary guardianship and conservatorship on his behalf, which was subsequently approved.
The bank was designated as his conservator to manage his finances, and his friend was named as his guardian.
In its capacity as his conservator, the bank would manage all of his care facility bills, including daily costs, health insurance, maintenance, and property tax payments. The bank would have to make sure he could get to events and doctor’s visits in a suitable manner.
In addition to being “in decision-making since the stroke,” his friend’s guardianship required that he submit a “initial care plan” for the patient.
In order to achieve this, his guardian would have to make decisions about his living situation, place of residence at the time, health, and medical requirements. They would also need to arrange for him to participate in activities, maintain communication with him and his loved ones, and pursue romantic relationships. It would also be expected of him to provide an annual report as his guardian.
His health was getting worse, according to his papers, and it was making it more difficult for him to make wise decisions for himself, “without which physical injury or illness may occur.”
Documents revealed that he was unable to “make, communicate, or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs,” indicating that his condition was far worse than previously believed.
His guardian will have to make decisions on his behalf as he heals and is able to “receive treatment for his injuries.”
The court determined that Fritz needs a guardian in order to prevent additional harm to his health. The court decided that “appointing a guardian and conservator is necessary to avoid immediate harm to him.”
This story really breaks my heart. We send Frank Fritz our best wishes for wellness and recovery.
Tell your friends and relatives about this so they can pray for the well-being of their beloved TV show presenter and learn what happened to him.
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