John Amos‘ acting career spanned nearly 50 years, and he was married twice throughout his life. The late Good Times star — who died at the age of 84 in 2024 — was previously married to his first wife, Noel Mickelson, followed by his second wife, Lillian Lehman. One of the Primetime Emmy Award nominee’s children confirmed that John had died two months before the announcement.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” Kelly Amos said in a statement, which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Kelly also pointed out that his late father “lived a good life” and acknowledged that John’s “legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”
Learn more about John’s ex-wives and his marriages, below.
John Amos’ First Wife
In 1965, John married his first wife, Noel Mickelson. The two went on to welcome their kids together before divorcing in 1975. Noel, who was reportedly nicknamed “Noni,” met John at Colorado State University. Upon graduating, John and Noel moved to his home state of New Jersey, and they both worked as social workers, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Noel was reportedly an equestrian and an artist. During their relationship, she encouraged her then-husband to pursue his love of performance.
“Being an artist herself, she understood my reluctance to accept the 9-to-5 world,” John previously said, according to the outlet.
John Amos’ Second Wife
Three years after divorcing Noel, John married his second wife, actress Lillian, in 1978. They divorced one year later. After studying theatre at California State University, Northridge, Lillian appeared in a variety of movies, including Evan Almighty. She also booked television roles in shows such as General Hospital, ER, Cold Case, Seinfeld, L.A. Law, The Closer and several more.
Did John Amos Have Children?
John shares his two children, Shannon Amos and Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos with Noel. Both kids followed in their late father’s footsteps by pursing careers in the entertainment industry. Shannon became a writer and producer and founded the company Afterglow Multimedia LLC. For K.C.’s part, he became a director.