'Good Times' Star John Amos Dead at 84

John Amos, the Good Times actor who has been centered in a poisonous familial battle between his daughter, Shannon, and son, K.C., has died. He was 84 years old.

Amos died on Aug. 21 in Los Angeles of natural causes, his son announced, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” he said in a statement. “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.”

The Roots star began his career in an entirely different field, serving as an advertising copywriter, a social worker, and a semi-professional football player before landing a role as a staff writer on Leslie Uggams' musical variety show. He went on to act on stage, earning a Los Angeles Drama Critics nomination for "Best Actor" and forming his own theater company, before finding even more success on television.

Concerns for Amos' wellbeing first came to light in the summer of 2023, after his daughter launched a GoFundMe that claimed to be soliciting funds to help with his medical care and legal aid after allegedly being taken advantage of by a "trusted caregiver."

"My dad had fallen victim to elder abuse and financial exploitation," she said at the time, stating that he was left "fighting for his life" in the ICU and would "require extensive medical care and rehabilitation."

Through his rep, Belinda Foster (who Shannon would later accuse of being involved in the alleged cover-up of his neglect), Amos assured fans that he was "doing well," sharing his appreciation for anyone's concerns but dubbing the GoFundMe campaign inaccurate and unauthorized by him. Foster also described his hospital stay as "a little tune up" rather than a life-threatening emergency.

Shannon, however, stood fast in her claims, writing in a since-deleted social media post, "All due respect to my father's response, I understand that this is embarrassing and upsetting, and probably not what he would have wanted me to do, but it is in his best interest." A statement from her representative also alluded to an open investigation into the matter with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) and Custer County Sheriff’s Department.

Amos later accused Shannon of being the one to take "advantage" of him in a video taken in the hospital and uploaded to his son's Instagram account, claiming, "I'm not in the hospital as a result of anything that happened recently. Other than the fact that, about a month ago, I was hospitalized because I was suffering from water retention and a couple of other issues, all of which had been corrected, or at least addressed."

He assured whoever he was speaking with on the phone—seemingly a reporter or an investigator—that he was "very confident in the doctors [and] medical staff that [his] son has assembled," relating his "main issues" to his daughter, "who [he] feel[s] has taken advantage" of him and his situation. "...she would be the primary suspect if you would...she's the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to."

However, K.C. was reportedly removed as his father's medical power of attorney not long after that video was posted, with Shannon's reps telling Parade that he was recovering under the care of other, undisclosed family members. Shannon also served him with a cease and desist, demanding "that he stop making false statements on public platforms which have caused defamation to her reputation and harm to her business," but he was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill his sister less than a month later.

Months later, in March 2024, Shannon filed accusations of neglect with Adult Protective Services, leading the Los Angeles Police Department to launch a formal investigation into his health and wellbeing.

At the time, Amos stood fast in his assurances that he was "feeling well" and that "this story about neglect is false and unmerited," calling his son "a caring, thoughtful human being who respects" him.

However, investigators couldn't come up with enough evidence and quickly closed the case, attributing it to ongoing family disputes, assumedly between the siblings.

Amos said that the docuseries he was working on with his son would "shed light on the real truth as to the motives of those who have painted a false narrative..."

He continued, "I learned something very valuable some years ago that I reference in my work and all that I do. Stand on the truth and stay there. it won't let you down. The truth will stand up for you. The LAPD's conclusion of their investigation along with my upcoming documentary each stand on that same truth."

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