Richard Roundtree

Richard Roundtree

Acting

July 9, 1942 — October 24, 2023New Rochelle, New York, USA

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

Django Unchained

Django Unchained

2012

Se7en

Se7en

1995

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

2005

The Mentalist

The Mentalist

2008

Heroes

Heroes

2006

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

1990

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire

2012

George of the Jungle

George of the Jungle

1997

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

2004

Shaft

Shaft

2019

Acting151

Thelma

Thelma

2024

Ben

Moving On

Moving On

2023

Ralph

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

2021

Self

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

2020

Tulls

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

2020

Grandpa

A Family Reunion Christmas

A Family Reunion Christmas

2019

Jebidiah McKellan

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

2019

Grandpa

Harlem to Hollywood

Harlem to Hollywood

2019

Self

Shaft

Shaft

2019

John Shaft, Sr.

What Men Want

What Men Want

2019

Skip Davis

Star

2016

Charles Floyd

Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

2016

Don Bennett

The Player

The Player

2015

Samuel Letts

Collar

Collar

2015

Alonzo Sparks

Being Mary Jane

Being Mary Jane

2013

Paul Patterson, Sr.

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire

2012

Wallace Boden, Sr.

Retreat!

Retreat!

2012

Henshaw

The Confidant

The Confidant

2010

Claude

Whatever She Wants

Whatever She Wants

2010

Theodore Wolf

Diary of a Single Mom

Diary of a Single Mom

2009

Lou Bailey

Set Apart

Set Apart

2009

J.T.

Ladies of the House

Ladies of the House

2008

Stan

The Mentalist

The Mentalist

2008

Floyd Benton

Final Approach

Final Approach

2008

Gary Markash

Speed Racer

Speed Racer

2008

Ben Burns

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

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

2008

Ben Burns

Point of Entry

Point of Entry

2007

Miles Porter

Private Practice

Private Practice

2007

Raymond McCray

All The Days Before Tomorrow

All The Days Before Tomorrow

2007

El Doctor

Lincoln Heights

Lincoln Heights

2007

Heroes

Heroes

2006

Charles Deveaux

Blade: The Series

Blade: The Series

2006

Brick

Brick

2006

Assistant V.P. Trueman

Wild Seven

Wild Seven

2006

Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods

Painkiller Jane

Painkiller Jane

2005

Colonel Watts

Close to Home

2005

Cyrus Carter

The Closer

The Closer

2005

Col. D.B. Walter

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

2005

Donald Burke

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

2004

Tahsi

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

2004

Mr. Shaw

Vegas Vampires

Vegas Vampires

2003

Rick Apping

Men Cry in the Dark

Men Cry in the Dark

2003

Boat Trip

Boat Trip

2002

Felicia's Dad

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

2002

Self - Narrator (voice)

BaadAsssss Cinema

BaadAsssss Cinema

2002

Self

Al's Lads

Al's Lads

2002

Boom-Boom

Undercover Brother

Undercover Brother

2002

John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)

Joe and Max

Joe and Max

2002

Jack Blackburn

Hawaiian Gardens

Hawaiian Gardens

2001

M.O.

Corky Romano

Corky Romano

2001

Howard Shuster

Alias

Alias

2001

Brill

Antitrust

Antitrust

2001

Lyle Barton

Soul Food

Soul Food

2000

Hardy Lester

Shaft

Shaft

2000

"Uncle" John Shaft

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

1999

Booker T. Washington

Rescue 77

Rescue 77

1999

Captain Durfee

413 Hope St.

413 Hope St.

1997

Phil Thomas

Steel

Steel

1997

Uncle Joe

George of the Jungle

George of the Jungle

1997

Kwame

Any Place But Home

Any Place But Home

1997

Gil Oberman

Profiler

Profiler

1996

Det. James Henegar

Original Gangstas

Original Gangstas

1996

Slick

Buddies

Buddies

1996

Henry Carlisle

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

1996

Cleve

Theodore Rex

Theodore Rex

1995

Commissioner Lynch

Se7en

Se7en

1995

Talbot

Ballistic

Ballistic

1995

Harold

Bonanza: Under Attack

Bonanza: Under Attack

1995

Jacob

The Wayans Bros.

The Wayans Bros.

1995

Dr. Saunders

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel

1994

Murray

Shadows of Desire

Shadows of Desire

1994

Dunc

Blind Man's Bluff

Blind Man's Bluff

1994

Gray

Body of Influence

Body of Influence

1994

Harry Reams

Mind Twister

Mind Twister

1994

Frank Webb

Black as the Heart

Black as the Heart

1994

Rod

Sins of the Night

Sins of the Night

1993

Les

Bonanza: The Return

Bonanza: The Return

1993

Jacob Briscoe

Amityville: A New Generation

Amityville: A New Generation

1993

Pauli

Deadly Rivals

Deadly Rivals

1993

Agent Peterson

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

1993

'Barracuda' Jim Barnes

Christmas in Connecticut

Christmas in Connecticut

1992

Prescott

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

1992

General (uncredited) / Chester Cooper

Renegade

Renegade

1992

Vicki!

1992

Self

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

1992

Samuel Stark

A Time to Die

A Time to Die

1991

Captain Ralph Phipps

Roc

Roc

1991

Russell Emerson

Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210

1990

Robinson Ashe Jr.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

1990

Dr. Mumford

Dream On

Dream On

1990

Dr. Charles

Gypsy Angels

Gypsy Angels

1990

Dr. Carlson

Bad Jim

Bad Jim

1990

July

The Banker

The Banker

1989

Lloyd

Crack House

Crack House

1989

Lt. Johnson

Night Visitor

Night Visitor

1989

Captain Crane

Miami Cops

Miami Cops

1989

Gamble

Angel III: The Final Chapter

Angel III: The Final Chapter

1988

Lt. Doniger

Party Line

Party Line

1988

Captain Barnes

Getting Even

Getting Even

1988

Dundee

Maniac Cop

Maniac Cop

1988

Commissioner Pike

Daddy Can't Read

Daddy Can't Read

1988

Jason Ruigh

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

1987

Cleon Manning

A Different World

A Different World

1987

Clinton Reese

21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

1987

Ben Halley

Outlaws

Outlaws

1986

Isaiah 'Ice' McAdams

Jocks

Jocks

1986

Chip

Amen

Amen

1986

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

1986

Judge Ira Menday

Opposing Force

Opposing Force

1986

Stafford

The Fifth Missile

The Fifth Missile

1986

Cmdr. Frederick Bryce

MacGyver

MacGyver

1985

R.T. Hines

Hollywood Beat

Hollywood Beat

1985

A.D.

A.D.

1985

Serpenius

City Heat

City Heat

1984

Dehl Swift

The Baron and the Kid

The Baron and the Kid

1984

Frosty

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

1984

Kevin Cooper

Killpoint

Killpoint

1984

Agent Bill Bryant

Masquerade

Masquerade

1983

Mean Willy

Young Warriors

Young Warriors

1983

Sergeant John Austin

Just an Overnight Guest

Just an Overnight Guest

1983

The Big Score

The Big Score

1983

Gordon

One Down, Two to Go

One Down, Two to Go

1982

Ralph

Q

1982

Powell

An Eye for an Eye

An Eye for an Eye

1981

Capt. Stevens

Inchon

Inchon

1981

Sgt. Augustus Henderson

Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

1980

Peter Jordan

Day of the Assassin

Day of the Assassin

1979

Fessler

Game for Vultures

Game for Vultures

1979

Gideon Marunga

Escape to Athena

Escape to Athena

1979

Nat Judson

Portrait of a Hitman

Portrait of a Hitman

1979

Coco Morrell

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977

Dave Wilbur

CHiPs

CHiPs

1977

Sgt. Aikens

Roots

Roots

1977

Sam Bennett

Diamonds

Diamonds

1975

Archie

Man Friday

Man Friday

1975

Friday

Earthquake

Earthquake

1974

Miles Quade

Dinah!

Dinah!

1974

Self

Shaft

Shaft

1973

John Shaft

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

1973

Self

Shaft in Africa

Shaft in Africa

1973

John Shaft

Charley-One-Eye

Charley-One-Eye

1973

The Black Man

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks

1973

Self / Shaft (archive footage)

Firehouse

Firehouse

1973

Shelly Forsythe

Nationtime: Gary

Nationtime: Gary

1972

Self

Shaft's Big Score!

Shaft's Big Score!

1972

John Shaft

Embassy

Embassy

1972

Dick Shannon

Shaft

Shaft

1971

John Shaft

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

1971

Self

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

1970

Interracial Couple

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

Self

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Self

Crew2

Thelma

Thelma

2024

In Memory Of

Django Unchained

Django Unchained

2012

Thanks