BREAKING: John Amos, known for Good Times, Roots, The West Wing dead at 84

John Amos, the longtime actor known for playing the father in the sitcom series "Good Times," has passed away at 84 years old. The death was announced by his son Kelly Christopher Amos.

According to Variety, Amos died of natural causes on August 21 of this year. The actor's son said in a statement, "It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned. He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold."

"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," Kelly Amos shared, per the outlet. "My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life…. most recently in ‘Suits LA’ playing himself and our documentary about his life journey as an actor, ‘America’s Dad.’ He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero. Thank you for your prayers and support at this time.”

In addition to "Good Times," John Amos also played major roles in "Roots," as well as the "West Wing." Born on December 27, 1939, Amos landed his first acting role in 1970 as the weather man, Gordon “Gordy” Howard on the “The Mary Tyler Moore show.”

That set him on a path to take on his role as the patriarch of "Good Times." Amos won an Emmy nomination in 1977 for his role in "Roots" as adult Kunta Kinte in the ABC series detailing slavery in the United States.

More than 130 million people tuned in to watch the "Roots" series, and it received massive viewership across the country. Before Amos started acting, he played college football for Colorado State University and played in the 1967 NFL offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs.