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

Born December 27, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey. Before becoming an actor, he had a notable career as a football player, playing in the Continental Football League and the Atlantic Coast Football League. He was signed by the Denver Broncos in 1964, but was cut before the season began due to an injury.

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