
Richard Roundtree
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 9, 1942
- Died
- October 24, 2023 (aged 81)
- Birthplace
- New Rochelle, New York, USA
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
Photos
Filmography

Breakdown: 1975
Movie · as (archive footage)

Thelma
Movie · as Ben

Moving On
Movie · as Ralph

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
Movie · as Self

Haunting of the Mary Celeste
Movie · as Tulls

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event
TV · as Grandpa · 1 ep

Harlem to Hollywood
Movie · as Self

Shaft
Movie · as John Shaft, Sr.

What Men Want
Movie · as Skip Davis

A Family Reunion Christmas
Movie · as Jebidiah McKellan

Family Reunion
TV · as Grandpa · 6 eps

Lethal Weapon
TV · as Don Bennett · 1 ep

Star
TV · as Charles Floyd · 5 eps

Collar
Movie · as Alonzo Sparks

The Player
TV · as Samuel Letts · 2 eps

Being Mary Jane
TV · as Paul Patterson, Sr. · 51 eps

Retreat!
Movie · as Henshaw

Chicago Fire
TV · as Wallace Boden, Sr. · 4 eps

The Confidant
Movie · as Claude

Whatever She Wants
Movie · as Theodore Wolf

Set Apart
Movie · as J.T.

Diary of a Single Mom
Movie · as Lou Bailey

Speed Racer
Movie · as Ben Burns

Ladies of the House
Movie · as Stan

Final Approach
Movie · as Gary Markash

Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family
Movie · as Ben Burns

The Mentalist
TV · as Floyd Benton · 1 ep

All The Days Before Tomorrow
Movie · as El Doctor

Point of Entry
Movie · as Miles Porter

Lincoln Heights
TV · 1 ep

Private Practice
TV · as Raymond McCray · 1 ep

Wild Seven
Movie · as Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods

Brick
Movie · as Assistant V.P. Trueman

Heroes
TV · as Charles Deveaux · 5 eps

Blade: The Series
TV · 1 ep

Painkiller Jane
Movie · as Colonel Watts

The Closer
TV · as Col. D.B. Walter · 1 ep

Close to Home
TV · as Cyrus Carter · 1 ep

Grey's Anatomy
TV · as Donald Burke · 1 ep

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon
Movie · as Tahsi

Desperate Housewives
TV · as Mr. Shaw · 5 eps

Men Cry in the Dark
Movie

Vegas Vampires
Movie · as Rick Apping

Al's Lads
Movie · as Boom-Boom

BaadAsssss Cinema
Movie · as Self

Joe and Max
Movie · as Jack Blackburn

Undercover Brother
Movie · as John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)

Boat Trip
Movie · as Felicia's Dad

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow
TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 4 eps

Antitrust
Movie · as Lyle Barton

Corky Romano
Movie · as Howard Shuster

Hawaiian Gardens
Movie · as M.O.

Alias
TV · as Brill · 2 eps

Shaft
Movie · as "Uncle" John Shaft

Soul Food
TV · as Hardy Lester · 6 eps

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Movie · as Booker T. Washington

Rescue 77
TV · as Captain Durfee · 8 eps

George of the Jungle
Movie · as Kwame

Steel
Movie · as Uncle Joe

Any Place But Home
Movie · as Gil Oberman

413 Hope St.
TV · as Phil Thomas · 10 eps

Original Gangstas
Movie · as Slick

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored
Movie · as Cleve

Profiler
TV · as Det. James Henegar · 1 ep

Buddies
TV · as Henry Carlisle · 13 eps

Se7en
Movie · as Talbot

Theodore Rex
Movie · as Commissioner Lynch

Bonanza: Under Attack
Movie · as Jacob

Ballistic
Movie · as Harold

The Wayans Bros.
TV · as Dr. Saunders · 1 ep

Body of Influence
Movie · as Harry Reams

Mind Twister
Movie · as Frank Webb

Shadows of Desire
Movie · as Dunc

Black as the Heart
Movie · as Rod

Touched by an Angel
TV · as Murray · 1 ep
Moscacieca
TV · as Gray · 2 eps

Amityville: A New Generation
Movie · as Pauli

Sins of the Night
Movie · as Les

Deadly Rivals
Movie · as Agent Peterson

Bonanza: The Return
Movie · as Jacob Briscoe

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
TV · as 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes · 1 ep

Christmas in Connecticut
Movie · as Prescott

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight
Movie · as Samuel Stark

Renegade
TV · 1 ep
Vicki!
TV · as Self · 1 ep

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
TV · as General (uncredited), Chester Cooper · 1 ep

A Time to Die
Movie · as Captain Ralph Phipps

Roc
TV · as Russell Emerson · 3 eps

The Banker
Movie · as Lloyd

Bad Jim
Movie · as July

Gypsy Angels
Movie · as Dr. Carlson

Beverly Hills, 90210
TV · as Robinson Ashe Jr. · 1 ep

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV · as Dr. Mumford · 2 eps

Dream On
TV · as Dr. Charles · 1 ep

Crack House
Movie · as Lt. Johnson

Night Visitor
Movie · as Captain Crane

Miami Cops
Movie · as Gamble

Maniac Cop
Movie · as Commissioner Pike

Angel III: The Final Chapter
Movie · as Lt. Doniger

Party Line
Movie · as Captain Barnes

Getting Even
Movie · as Dundee

Daddy Can't Read
Movie · as Jason Ruigh

A Different World
TV · as Clinton Reese · 2 eps

21 Jump Street
TV · as Ben Halley · 1 ep

Beauty and the Beast
TV · as Cleon Manning · 4 eps

Opposing Force
Movie · as Stafford

Jocks
Movie · as Chip

The Fifth Missile
Movie · as Cmdr. Frederick Bryce

L.A. Law
TV · as Judge Ira Menday · 1 ep

Outlaws
TV · as Isaiah 'Ice' McAdams · 12 eps

Amen
TV · 2 eps

MacGyver
TV · as R.T. Hines · 1 ep

Hollywood Beat
TV · 1 ep

A.D.
TV · as Serpenius · 5 eps

City Heat
Movie · as Dehl Swift

The Baron and the Kid
Movie · as Frosty

Killpoint
Movie · as Agent Bill Bryant

Murder, She Wrote
TV · as Kevin Cooper · 1 ep

Young Warriors
Movie · as Sergeant John Austin

The Big Score
Movie · as Gordon

Just an Overnight Guest
Movie

Masquerade
TV · as Mean Willy · 1 ep

Q
Movie · as Powell

One Down, Two to Go
Movie · as Ralph

An Eye for an Eye
Movie · as Capt. Stevens

Inchon
Movie · as Sgt. Augustus Henderson

Magnum, P.I.
TV · as Peter Jordan · 1 ep

Escape to Athena
Movie · as Nat Judson

Portrait of a Hitman
Movie · as Coco Morrell

Day of the Assassin
Movie · as Fessler

Game for Vultures
Movie · as Gideon Marunga

CHiPs
TV · as Sgt. Aikens · 1 ep

Roots
TV · as Sam Bennett · 1 ep

The Love Boat
TV · as Dave Wilbur · 2 eps

Man Friday
Movie · as Friday

Diamonds
Movie · as Archie

Earthquake
Movie · as Miles Quade

Dinah!
TV · as Self · 2 eps

Shaft in Africa
Movie · as John Shaft

Charley-One-Eye
Movie · as The Black Man

Firehouse
Movie · as Shelly Forsythe

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks
Movie · as Self / Shaft (archive footage)

Shaft
TV · as John Shaft · 7 eps

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV · as Self · 1 ep

Shaft's Big Score!
Movie · as John Shaft

Embassy
Movie · as Dick Shannon

Nationtime: Gary
Movie · as Self

Shaft
Movie · as John Shaft

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location
Movie · as Self

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?
Movie · as Interracial Couple

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 2 eps

The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps








