Richard Arnold Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and four of its sequels, Shaft's Big Score! (1972), Shaft in Africa (1973), its 2000 sequel and its 2019 sequel, Roundtree was credited with having an impact on the rise of African American leading actors in Hollywood projects, thanks to his successful performances in the genre. His portrayal of Shaft as a bold, confident, and charismatic figure also influenced cinematic depictions of black men and black masculinity, a contrast to black men in films prior to Shaft having often been portrayed as mild-mannered or servile. He subsequently attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, but eventually dropped out of college in 1963, in order to begin his acting career. and Salem cigarettes. In 1967, Roundtree joined the Negro Ensemble Company: he then went on to play his first theatrical role by portraying boxer Jack Johnson in the company's production of The Great White Hope. at St. Mark's Playhouse in 1969, directed by Shauneille Perry.
thumb|left|180px|Roundtree playing [[John Shaft in the CBS-TV television series (1973)]] Roundtree made his first big-screen appearance by playing a minor role in the film What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?, a 1970 American hidden-camera style reality film directed by Candid Camera creator Allen Funt. In 1984, he starred again as a private detective, Diehl Swift, in the buddy-crime comedy movie City Heat, acting alongside Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds.
On television, he played the slave Sam Bennett in the 1977 television mini-series Roots, and then starred as Dr. Daniel Reubens in the soap opera Generations from 1989 to 1991.
During that same period of time, Roundtree kept featuring in TV series: In 1995, he acted in David Fincher's critically-acclaimed movie Seven; In 1997, he appeared in the comedy movie George of the Jungle; around the same year, he played a leading role as Phil Thomas in the Fox ensemble drama, 413 Hope St; He served as a voice actor for the title character from the PlayStation game Akuji the Heartless, which was first released in 1999.
In 2004, Roundtree guest-starred in several episodes of the first season of Desperate Housewives as an amoral private detective;
thumb|180px|Roundtree in 2007Starting from the same year, Roundtree appeared in the television series The Closer as retired colonel D. B. Walter; in 2006, he starred in the science fiction drama series Heroes as Charles Deveaux, the terminally ill father of main character Simone Deveaux (Tawny Cypress). During the same year, he also appeared in the TV series Knight Rider as the father of FBI agent Carrie Ravai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier). Starting from 2013, he co-starred as the father of lead character Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) in the drama series Being Mary Jane, aired on BET.
In 2019, Roundtree co-starred in the comedy film What Men Want,
Roundtree's final film to be released in his lifetime was Moving On (2023) with Jane Fonda. The last film released was Thelma (2024).
Personal life, health problems, and death
Roundtree was married and divorced twice and had five children. He married Mary Jane Grant in 1963; He dated actress and TV personality Cathy Lee Crosby shortly thereafter. Roundtree later married Karen M. Ciernia in 1980; they had three children together before divorcing in 1998.
Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles on October 24, 2023, at the age of 81. 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.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
! class=unsortable |
|-
| 1970
| What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?
| Interracial Couple
|
|
|-
| 1971
| Shaft
| John Shaft
|
|
|-
| Shaft in Africa
| John Shaft
|
|
|-
| Game for Vultures
| Gideon Marunga
|
|
|-
| Day of the Assassin
| Fessler
|
|
|-
| 1980
| Gypsy Angels
| Dr. Carlson
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1981
| Inchon
| Sergeant Augustus Henderson
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1982
| Q
| Sgt. Powell
| Also known as Q – The Winged Serpent
|
|-
| One Down, Two to Go
| Ralph
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1983
| Young Warriors
| Sergeant John Austin
|
|
|-
| The Big Score
| Gordon
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1984
| Killpoint
| Agent Bill Bryant
|
|
|-
| City Heat
| Dehl Swift
|
|
|-
| Jocks
| Chip Williams
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1988
| Maniac Cop
| Commissioner Pike
|
|
|-
| Party Line
| Captain Barnes
|
|
|-
| Angel III: The Final Chapter
| Lieutenant Doniger
|
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1989
| Miami Cops
| Gamble
|
|
|-
| Getting Even
| Dundee
|
|
|-
| Night Visitor
| Captain Crane
|
|
|-
| Crack House
| Lieutenant Johnson
|
|
|-
| The Banker
| Lloyd
|
|
|-
| 1990
| Bad Jim
| July
|
|
|-
| 1991
| A Time to Die
| Captain Ralph Phipps
|
|
|-
| 1992
| Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight
| Samuel Stark
|
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1993
| Body of Influence
| Harry Reams
| Direct-to-video
|
|-
| Sins of the Night
| Les
|
|
|-
| Deadly Rivals
| Agent Peterson
|
|
|-
| Amityville: A New Generation
| Pauli
| Direct-to-video
|
|-
| Mind Twister
| Frank Webb
|
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1995
| Ballistic
| Harold
|
|
|-
| Se7en
| District Attorney Martin Talbot
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| George of the Jungle
| Kwame
|
|
|-
| 2000
| Shaft
| Uncle John Shaft
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2001
| Antitrust
| Lyle Barton
|
|
|-
| Hawaiian Gardens
| M.O.
|
|
|-
| Corky Romano
| Howard Shuster
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| Capone's Boys
| "Boom-Boom"
| Also known as Al's Lads
|
|-
| Boat Trip
| Malcolm
|
|
|-
| 2003
| Men Cry in the Dark
| Derrick's father
| Direct-to-DVD
|
|-
| 2004
| Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon
| Tahsi
|
|
|-
| 2005
| Brick
| Assistant Vice President Trueman
|
|
|-
| 2006
| Wild Seven
| Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2007
| All the Days Before Tomorrow
| El Doctor
|
|
|-
| Vegas Vampires
| Rick Apping
|
|
|-
| 2009
| Set Apart
| J.T.
|
|
|-
| 2010
| The Confidant
| Claude
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2012
| The Trial of Ben Barry
| Ben Barry
| Short film
|
|-
| This Bitter Earth
| Grady
|
|
|-
| 2015
| Collar
| Reverend Alonzo Sparks
|
|
|-
| 2018
| Duke
| J.T.
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2019
| What Men Want
| Skip
|
|
|-
| Shaft
| John Shaft I
|
|
|-
| 2020
| Haunting of the Mary Celeste
| Tulls
|
|
|-
| 2024
| Thelma
|Ben
| Posthumous release
|
|-
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
! class=unsortable |
|-
| 1972
| Parachute to Paradise
|
| Television film
|
|-
| 1972–1976
| The Hollywood Squares
| Himself (Panelist)
| Recurring role (4 episodes)
|
|-
| 1973
| Firehouse
| Shelly Forsythe
| Television film
|
|-
| 1973–1974
| Shaft
| John Shaft
| Series regular (7 episodes)
|
|-
| 1974
| The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
| Himself
| Episode: "Telly Savalas"
|
|-
| 1976
| Freedom Is
|
| Television special; voice role
|
|-
| 1977
| Roots
| Sam Bennett
| Television miniseries; Episode: "Part IV"
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1980
| The Love Boat
| Dave Wilbur
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1985
| A.D.
| Serpenius
| Television miniseries (5 episodes)
|
|-
| 1986
| Ebony/Jet Showcase
| Himself
| 1 episode (October 24)
|
|-
| 1986–1987
| Outlaws
| Isaiah "Ice" McAdams
| Series regular (12 episodes)
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1989
| A Different World
| Clinton Reese
| 2 episodes: "Great Expectations", "Answered Prayers"
|
|-
| 1989–1991
| Generations
| Dr. Daniel Reubens
| Recurring role (6 episodes)
|
|-
| Beverly Hills, 90210
| Robinson Ashe Jr.
| Episode: "Ashes to Ashes"
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1992
| Hearts Are Wild
| Xavier Burns
| "Episode: #1.8"
|
|-
| Christmas in Connecticut
| Prescott
| Television film
|
|-
| 1992–1994
| Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
| Sergeant / Chester Cooper
| 2 episodes: "Miracle in Oaktown" (1992), "Hangin' with Mrs. Cooper" (1994)
|
|-
| Renegade
| Gene Collins
| Episode: "Thrill Kill"
|
|-
| Rescue 77
| Captain Durfee
| Series regular (8 episodes)
|
|-
| Linc's
| Jake
| Episode: "Real Time"
|
|-
| 2000–2001
| Soul Food
| Hardy Lester
| Recurring role (6 episodes)
|
|-
| 2003, 2004
| Alias
| Thomas<!--from Dialog--> Brill<!--from Dialog & IMDb - Screen credit omits Role name-->
| 2 episodes: "Breaking Point" & "Blood Ties"
|
|-
| Point of Entry
| Detective Miles Porter
|
|-
| 2009
| Knight Rider
| Lawrence Rival
| Episode: "Day Turns into Knight"
|
|-
| 2009–2011
| Diary of a Single Mom
| Lou Bailey
| Recurring role (18 episodes)
|
|-
| 2009
| Meet the Browns
| Frank
| Episode: "Meet the Anniversary"
|
|-
| 2019–2022
| Family Reunion
| Jebediah McKellan
| Recurring role (22 episodes )
|
|-
| 2022
| Cherish the Day
| Mandeville "MV" St. James
| Main role (season 2)
|
|}
Stage
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Playwright
! Venue
! class=unsortable | Notes
! class=unsortable |
|-
| 1969
| Mau Mau Room
|
| J. E. Franklin
| St. Mark's Playhouse
|
|
|-
| 1977
| Purlie Victorious
| Purlie
| Ossie Davis
| Tiffany's Attic
|
| Salem
|-
| 2007
| Whatever She Wants
| Theodore Wolf
| Je'Caryous Johnson
| Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
| Recorded version released direct-to-DVD
|
|-
|}
Discography
- The Man from Shaft (MGM Records 1972)
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable"
!Association
!Year
!Category
!Nominated work
!Result
!Ref
|-
|African-American Film Critics Association
|2011
|Legacy Award
|
|
| rowspan="7" |
|-
|Golden Globe Awards
|1972
|Most Promising Newcomer – Male
|Shaft
|
|-
|Indie Series Awards
|2010
|Best Performance by a Supporting Actor
|Diary of a Single Mom
|
|-
|MTV Movie & TV Awards
|1994
|Lifetime Achievement Award
|Shaft (film series)
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |NAACP Image Awards
|1971
|Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
|Shaft
|
|-
|1998
|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
|413 Hope St.
|
|}