Richard Roundtree

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

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Filmography

2025
Breakdown: 1975 poster

Breakdown: 1975

Movie · as (archive footage)

2024
Thelma poster

Thelma

Movie · as Ben

2023
Moving On poster

Moving On

Movie · as Ralph

2021
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks poster

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Movie · as Self

2020
Haunting of the Mary Celeste poster

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

Movie · as Tulls

2020
GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event poster

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

TV · as Grandpa · 1 ep

2019
Harlem to Hollywood poster

Harlem to Hollywood

Movie · as Self

2019
Shaft poster

Shaft

Movie · as John Shaft, Sr.

2019
What Men Want poster

What Men Want

Movie · as Skip Davis

2019
A Family Reunion Christmas poster

A Family Reunion Christmas

Movie · as Jebidiah McKellan

2019
Family Reunion poster

Family Reunion

TV · as Grandpa · 6 eps

2016
Lethal Weapon poster

Lethal Weapon

TV · as Don Bennett · 1 ep

2016
Star poster

Star

TV · as Charles Floyd · 5 eps

2015
Collar poster

Collar

Movie · as Alonzo Sparks

2015
The Player poster

The Player

TV · as Samuel Letts · 2 eps

2013
Being Mary Jane poster

Being Mary Jane

TV · as Paul Patterson, Sr. · 51 eps

2012
Retreat! poster

Retreat!

Movie · as Henshaw

2012
Chicago Fire poster

Chicago Fire

TV · as Wallace Boden, Sr. · 4 eps

2010
The Confidant poster

The Confidant

Movie · as Claude

2010
Whatever She Wants poster

Whatever She Wants

Movie · as Theodore Wolf

2009
Set Apart poster

Set Apart

Movie · as J.T.

2009
Diary of a Single Mom poster

Diary of a Single Mom

Movie · as Lou Bailey

2008
Speed Racer poster

Speed Racer

Movie · as Ben Burns

2008
Ladies of the House poster

Ladies of the House

Movie · as Stan

2008
Final Approach poster

Final Approach

Movie · as Gary Markash

2008
Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family poster

Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family

Movie · as Ben Burns

2008
The Mentalist poster

The Mentalist

TV · as Floyd Benton · 1 ep

2007
All The Days Before Tomorrow poster

All The Days Before Tomorrow

Movie · as El Doctor

2007
Point of Entry poster

Point of Entry

Movie · as Miles Porter

2007
Lincoln Heights poster

Lincoln Heights

TV · 1 ep

2007
Private Practice poster

Private Practice

TV · as Raymond McCray · 1 ep

2006
Wild Seven poster

Wild Seven

Movie · as Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods

2006
Brick poster

Brick

Movie · as Assistant V.P. Trueman

2006
Heroes poster

Heroes

TV · as Charles Deveaux · 5 eps

2006
Blade: The Series poster

Blade: The Series

TV · 1 ep

2005
Painkiller Jane poster

Painkiller Jane

Movie · as Colonel Watts

2005
The Closer poster

The Closer

TV · as Col. D.B. Walter · 1 ep

2005
Close to Home poster

Close to Home

TV · as Cyrus Carter · 1 ep

2005
Grey's Anatomy poster

Grey's Anatomy

TV · as Donald Burke · 1 ep

2004
Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon poster

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

Movie · as Tahsi

2004
Desperate Housewives poster

Desperate Housewives

TV · as Mr. Shaw · 5 eps

2003
Men Cry in the Dark poster

Men Cry in the Dark

Movie

2003
Vegas Vampires poster

Vegas Vampires

Movie · as Rick Apping

2002
Al's Lads poster

Al's Lads

Movie · as Boom-Boom

2002
BaadAsssss Cinema poster

BaadAsssss Cinema

Movie · as Self

2002
Joe and Max poster

Joe and Max

Movie · as Jack Blackburn

2002
Undercover Brother poster

Undercover Brother

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

2002
Boat Trip poster

Boat Trip

Movie · as Felicia's Dad

2002
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow poster

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 4 eps

2001
Antitrust poster

Antitrust

Movie · as Lyle Barton

2001
Corky Romano poster

Corky Romano

Movie · as Howard Shuster

2001
Hawaiian Gardens poster

Hawaiian Gardens

Movie · as M.O.

2001
Alias poster

Alias

TV · as Brill · 2 eps

2000
Shaft poster

Shaft

Movie · as "Uncle" John Shaft

2000
Soul Food poster

Soul Food

TV · as Hardy Lester · 6 eps

1999
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years poster

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Movie · as Booker T. Washington

1999
Rescue 77 poster

Rescue 77

TV · as Captain Durfee · 8 eps

1997
George of the Jungle poster

George of the Jungle

Movie · as Kwame

1997
Steel poster

Steel

Movie · as Uncle Joe

1997
Any Place But Home poster

Any Place But Home

Movie · as Gil Oberman

1997
413 Hope St. poster

413 Hope St.

TV · as Phil Thomas · 10 eps

1996
Original Gangstas poster

Original Gangstas

Movie · as Slick

1996
Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored poster

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

Movie · as Cleve

1996
Profiler poster

Profiler

TV · as Det. James Henegar · 1 ep

1996
Buddies poster

Buddies

TV · as Henry Carlisle · 13 eps

1995
Se7en poster

Se7en

Movie · as Talbot

1995
Theodore Rex poster

Theodore Rex

Movie · as Commissioner Lynch

1995
Bonanza: Under Attack poster

Bonanza: Under Attack

Movie · as Jacob

1995
Ballistic poster

Ballistic

Movie · as Harold

1995
The Wayans Bros. poster

The Wayans Bros.

TV · as Dr. Saunders · 1 ep

1994
Body of Influence poster

Body of Influence

Movie · as Harry Reams

1994
Mind Twister poster

Mind Twister

Movie · as Frank Webb

1994
Shadows of Desire poster

Shadows of Desire

Movie · as Dunc

1994
Black as the Heart poster

Black as the Heart

Movie · as Rod

1994
Touched by an Angel poster

Touched by an Angel

TV · as Murray · 1 ep

1994
Moscacieca

Moscacieca

TV · as Gray · 2 eps

1993
Amityville: A New Generation poster

Amityville: A New Generation

Movie · as Pauli

1993
Sins of the Night poster

Sins of the Night

Movie · as Les

1993
Deadly Rivals poster

Deadly Rivals

Movie · as Agent Peterson

1993
Bonanza: The Return poster

Bonanza: The Return

Movie · as Jacob Briscoe

1993
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman poster

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

TV · as 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes · 1 ep

1992
Christmas in Connecticut poster

Christmas in Connecticut

Movie · as Prescott

1992
Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight poster

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

Movie · as Samuel Stark

1992
Renegade poster

Renegade

TV · 1 ep

1992
Vicki!

Vicki!

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1992
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper poster

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

TV · as General (uncredited), Chester Cooper · 1 ep

1991
A Time to Die poster

A Time to Die

Movie · as Captain Ralph Phipps

1991
Roc poster

Roc

TV · as Russell Emerson · 3 eps

1990
The Banker poster

The Banker

Movie · as Lloyd

1990
Bad Jim poster

Bad Jim

Movie · as July

1990
Gypsy Angels poster

Gypsy Angels

Movie · as Dr. Carlson

1990
Beverly Hills, 90210 poster

Beverly Hills, 90210

TV · as Robinson Ashe Jr. · 1 ep

1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air poster

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

TV · as Dr. Mumford · 2 eps

1990
Dream On poster

Dream On

TV · as Dr. Charles · 1 ep

1989
Crack House poster

Crack House

Movie · as Lt. Johnson

1989
Night Visitor poster

Night Visitor

Movie · as Captain Crane

1989
Miami Cops poster

Miami Cops

Movie · as Gamble

1988
Maniac Cop poster

Maniac Cop

Movie · as Commissioner Pike

1988
Angel III: The Final Chapter poster

Angel III: The Final Chapter

Movie · as Lt. Doniger

1988
Party Line poster

Party Line

Movie · as Captain Barnes

1988
Getting Even poster

Getting Even

Movie · as Dundee

1988
Daddy Can't Read poster

Daddy Can't Read

Movie · as Jason Ruigh

1987
A Different World poster

A Different World

TV · as Clinton Reese · 2 eps

1987
21 Jump Street poster

21 Jump Street

TV · as Ben Halley · 1 ep

1987
Beauty and the Beast poster

Beauty and the Beast

TV · as Cleon Manning · 4 eps

1986
Opposing Force poster

Opposing Force

Movie · as Stafford

1986
Jocks poster

Jocks

Movie · as Chip

1986
The Fifth Missile poster

The Fifth Missile

Movie · as Cmdr. Frederick Bryce

1986
L.A. Law poster

L.A. Law

TV · as Judge Ira Menday · 1 ep

1986
Outlaws poster

Outlaws

TV · as Isaiah 'Ice' McAdams · 12 eps

1986
Amen poster

Amen

TV · 2 eps

1985
MacGyver poster

MacGyver

TV · as R.T. Hines · 1 ep

1985
Hollywood Beat poster

Hollywood Beat

TV · 1 ep

1985
A.D. poster

A.D.

TV · as Serpenius · 5 eps

1984
City Heat poster

City Heat

Movie · as Dehl Swift

1984
The Baron and the Kid poster

The Baron and the Kid

Movie · as Frosty

1984
Killpoint poster

Killpoint

Movie · as Agent Bill Bryant

1984
Murder, She Wrote poster

Murder, She Wrote

TV · as Kevin Cooper · 1 ep

1983
Young Warriors poster

Young Warriors

Movie · as Sergeant John Austin

1983
The Big Score poster

The Big Score

Movie · as Gordon

1983
Just an Overnight Guest poster

Just an Overnight Guest

Movie

1983
Masquerade poster

Masquerade

TV · as Mean Willy · 1 ep

1982
Q poster

Q

Movie · as Powell

1982
One Down, Two to Go poster

One Down, Two to Go

Movie · as Ralph

1981
An Eye for an Eye poster

An Eye for an Eye

Movie · as Capt. Stevens

1981
Inchon poster

Inchon

Movie · as Sgt. Augustus Henderson

1980
Magnum, P.I. poster

Magnum, P.I.

TV · as Peter Jordan · 1 ep

1979
Escape to Athena poster

Escape to Athena

Movie · as Nat Judson

1979
Portrait of a Hitman poster

Portrait of a Hitman

Movie · as Coco Morrell

1979
Day of the Assassin poster

Day of the Assassin

Movie · as Fessler

1979
Game for Vultures poster

Game for Vultures

Movie · as Gideon Marunga

1977
CHiPs poster

CHiPs

TV · as Sgt. Aikens · 1 ep

1977
Roots poster

Roots

TV · as Sam Bennett · 1 ep

1977
The Love Boat poster

The Love Boat

TV · as Dave Wilbur · 2 eps

1975
Man Friday poster

Man Friday

Movie · as Friday

1975
Diamonds poster

Diamonds

Movie · as Archie

1974
Earthquake poster

Earthquake

Movie · as Miles Quade

1974
Dinah! poster

Dinah!

TV · as Self · 2 eps

1973
Shaft in Africa poster

Shaft in Africa

Movie · as John Shaft

1973
Charley-One-Eye poster

Charley-One-Eye

Movie · as The Black Man

1973
Firehouse poster

Firehouse

Movie · as Shelly Forsythe

1973
Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks poster

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks

Movie · as Self / Shaft (archive footage)

1973
Shaft poster

Shaft

TV · as John Shaft · 7 eps

1973
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts poster

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1972
Shaft's Big Score! poster

Shaft's Big Score!

Movie · as John Shaft

1972
Embassy poster

Embassy

Movie · as Dick Shannon

1972
Nationtime: Gary poster

Nationtime: Gary

Movie · as Self

1971
Shaft poster

Shaft

Movie · as John Shaft

1971
Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location poster

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

Movie · as Self

1970
What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? poster

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

Movie · as Interracial Couple

1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV · as Self · 2 eps

1961
The Mike Douglas Show poster

The Mike Douglas Show

TV · as Self · 2 eps