Richard Roundtree, who starred as detective John Shaft in a collection of motion thrillers, died Tuesday. He was 81.
Roundtree died at his residence in Los Angeles of pancreatic most cancers, his supervisor informed media shops.
“Richard’s work and profession served as a turning level for African American main males in movie,” the supervisor, Patrick McMinn, informed Variety in his assertion. “The impression he had on the trade can’t be overstated.”
United Archives by way of Getty Photographs
Roundtree had a protracted and storied profession in Hollywood, showing throughout tv and movie for greater than 4 a long time. HIs first main function got here with “Shaft” in 1971, when he was 28, his characteristic debut within the early days of the Blaxploitation movie motion.
“I continuously cope with being referred to as Shaft, and it by no means ceases to blow me away with the impression that character had on my life and my followers’ lives,” Roundtree mentioned in an interview in 2022.
He went on to behave in a collection of “Shaft” sequels and a short TV collection earlier than transferring on to many different movie and tv tasks. These included roles within the iconic miniseries “Roots.”
Roundtree was a breast most cancers survivor after being recognized in 1993 and have become an advocate for remedy and consciousness surrounding the situation.
“Not speaking about my most cancers was actually powerful,” he mentioned in an interview in 2009. “And now that I do speak about it on a regular basis, it’s actually change into a backhanded blessing. I used to be getting on a airplane lately and a flight attendant ran as much as me and mentioned, ‘You saved my husband’s life.’”
Tributes poured in from those that labored with Roundtree. Gabrielle Union, who starred with him within the collection “Being Mary Jane,” described the actor as “merely one of the best.”
“Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream,” Union wrote. “Getting to hold with him & our Being Mary Jane household was all the time a great ass time with one of the best tales & laughs. He was ALWAYS the best man within the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would actually run over to come back see him.”
“All of us beloved him,” she added.
