Richard Roundtree
Acting
Biography
Richard 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. He reprised the role of Shaft in the movie Shaft (2019), starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Born: July 9, 1942
Place of Birth: New Rochelle, New York, USA
Known For
Filmography
as Ben
as Ralph
as Tulls
as Grandpa
as Jebidiah McKellan
as Grandpa
as Self
as John Shaft, Sr.
as Skip Davis
as Charles Floyd
as Don Bennett
as Samuel Letts
as Alonzo Sparks
as Paul Patterson, Sr.
as Wallace Boden, Sr.
as Henshaw
as Claude
as Theodore Wolf
as Lou Bailey
as J.T.
as Stan
as Floyd Benton
as Gary Markash
as Ben Burns
as Miles Porter
as Raymond McCray
as El Doctor
as Charles Deveaux
as Assistant V.P. Trueman
as Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods
as Colonel Watts
as Cyrus Carter
as Col. D.B. Walter
as Donald Burke
as Tahsi
as Mr. Shaw
as Rick Apping
as Felicia's Dad
as Self - Narrator (voice)
as Self
as Boom-Boom
as John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)
as Jack Blackburn
as M.O.
as Howard Shuster
as Brill
as Lyle Barton
as Hardy Lester
as "Uncle" John Shaft
as Booker T. Washington
as Captain Durfee
as Phil Thomas
as Uncle Joe
as Kwame
as Gil Oberman
as Det. James Henegar
as Slick
as Henry Carlisle
as Commissioner Lynch
as Talbot
as Harold
as Jacob
as Dr. Saunders
as Murray
as Dunc
as Gray
as Frank Webb
as Rod
as Les
as Jacob Briscoe
as Pauli
as Agent Peterson
as Harry Reams
as 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes
as Prescott
as General (uncredited)
as Chester Cooper
as Samuel Stark
as Captain Ralph Phipps
as Russell Emerson
as Dr. Mumford
as Dr. Charles
as Dr. Carlson
as July
as Lloyd
as Lt. Johnson
as Captain Crane
as Gamble
as Lt. Doniger
as Captain Barnes
as Dundee
as Commissioner Pike
as Jason Ruigh
as Clinton Reese
as Ben Halley
as Chip
as Judge Ira Menday
as Stafford
as Cmdr. Frederick Bryce
as R.T. Hines
as Serpenius
as Dehl Swift
as Frosty
as Major Kevin Cooper
as Agent Bill Bryant
as Mean Willy
as Sergeant John Austin
as Gordon
as Ralph
as Powell
as Capt. Stevens
as Sgt. Augustus Henderson
as Peter Jordan
as Fessler
as Gideon Marunga
as Nat Judson
as Coco Morrell
as Dave Wilbur
as Sgt. Aikens
as Sam Bennett
as Archie
as Friday
as Miles Quade
as Self
as John Shaft
as John Shaft
as The Black Man
as Shelly Forsythe
as Self
as John Shaft
as Dick Shannon
as John Shaft
as Interracial Couple
as Self