Richard Roundtree
- Acting
- July 9, 1942 · New Rochelle, New York, USA
- October 24, 2023
Biography
Richard Arnold Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor. He is noted as being "the first black action hero" for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft, and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his performance in the original film, he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972. Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was cremated at Chapel of the Pines Crematory. His family hosted a memorial service for him at Saint Catherine African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Rochelle, New York on February 17, 2024.
Known for
Filmography
- Breakdown: 1975 · Self
- Thelma · Ben, In Memory Of
- Moving On · Ralph
- A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks · Self
- Haunting of the Mary Celeste · Tulls
- GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event · Grandpa
- A Family Reunion Christmas · Jebidiah McKellan
- Family Reunion · Grandpa
- Harlem to Hollywood · Self
- Shaft · John Shaft, Sr.
- What Men Want · Skip Davis
- Star · Charles Floyd
- Lethal Weapon · Don Bennett
- The Player · Samuel Letts
- Collar · Alonzo Sparks
- Being Mary Jane · Paul Patterson, Sr.
- Django Unchained · Thanks
- Chicago Fire · Wallace Boden, Sr.
- Retreat! · Henshaw
- The Confidant · Claude
- Whatever She Wants · Theodore Wolf
- Diary of a Single Mom · Lou Bailey
- Set Apart · J.T.
- Ladies of the House · Stan
- The Mentalist · Floyd Benton
- Final Approach · Gary Markash
- Speed Racer · Ben Burns
- Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family · Ben Burns
- Point of Entry · Miles Porter
- Private Practice · Raymond McCray
- All The Days Before Tomorrow · El Doctor
- Lincoln Heights
- Heroes · Charles Deveaux
- Blade: The Series
- Brick · Assistant V.P. Trueman
- Wild Seven · Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods
- Painkiller Jane · Colonel Watts
- Close to Home · Cyrus Carter
- The Closer · Col. D.B. Walter
- Grey's Anatomy · Donald Burke
- Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon · Tahsi
- Desperate Housewives · Mr. Shaw
- Vegas Vampires · Rick Apping
- Men Cry in the Dark
- Boat Trip · Felicia's Dad
- The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow · Self
- BaadAsssss Cinema · Self
- Al's Lads · Boom-Boom
- Undercover Brother · John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Joe and Max · Jack Blackburn
- Hawaiian Gardens · M.O.
- Corky Romano · Howard Shuster
- Alias · Brill
- Antitrust · Lyle Barton
- Soul Food · Hardy Lester
- Shaft · "Uncle" John Shaft
- Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years · Booker T. Washington
- Rescue 77 · Captain Durfee
- 413 Hope St. · Phil Thomas
- Steel · Uncle Joe
- George of the Jungle · Kwame
- Any Place But Home · Gil Oberman
- Profiler · Det. James Henegar
- Original Gangstas · Slick
- Buddies · Henry Carlisle
- Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored · Cleve
- Theodore Rex · Commissioner Lynch
- Se7en · Talbot
- Ballistic · Harold
- Bonanza: Under Attack · Jacob
- The Wayans Bros. · Dr. Saunders
- Touched by an Angel · Murray
- Shadows of Desire · Dunc
- Moscacieca · Gray
- Body of Influence · Harry Reams
- Mind Twister · Frank Webb
- Black as the Heart · Rod
- Sins of the Night · Les
- Bonanza: The Return · Jacob Briscoe
- Amityville: A New Generation · Pauli