Amos’ death, which was due to natural causes according to a press release, was not disclosed until Tuesday.

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

“He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold … and he was loved the world over,” he added.

Amos played the dad, James Evans, for 61 episodes of the sitcom “Good Times” in the mid-1970s and also the older Kunta Kinte in the TV miniseries “Roots,” based on the 1976 novel about slavery by Alex Haley. He also played the TV weatherman Gordy Howard in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the same decade.

Amos also had a brief professional football career in the 1960s.

While filming “Good Times,” Amos often advocated for a more authentic representation of the Black American family, criticising the show’s writers for leaning into racial stereotypes.

He was also a veteran of the 50th Armoured Division of the New Jersey National Guard and honorary master chief of the United States Coast Guard.