"𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐟𝐭, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞." -𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞
In memory of legendary actor Richard Roundtree who has passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 81.
Born on July 9th, 1942 in New Rochelle, New York
Died on October 24th, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
Richard started his career by working as a print and fashion model in 1963, later branching out into acting when he joined the Negro Ensemble Company in New York in 1967 where he appeared in numerous plays. Acclaimed as "the first black action hero" for his role as private detective John Shaft in the hit crime drama Shaft in 1971, Roundtree reprised the character in three additional films (Shaft's Big Score! in 1972, Shaft in Africa in 1973, and a partial remake which used the original title in 2000). He also portrayed John Shaft in seven television movies made by CBS in 1973-1974. An in demand actor during his long career, Roundtree appeared in the films Earthquake (1974), Inchon (1981), Se7en (1995), George of the Jungle (1997), and Speed Racer (2008). His television credits include roles on CHiPs, Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, A Different World, 21 Jump Street, MacGyver, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Beverly Hills 90210, L.A. Law, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and in more recent years Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and Chicago Fire. He also gave a memorable and critically praised performance as carriage driver Sam Bennett in the groundbreaking mini-series Roots in 1977. Diagnosed with male breast cancer in 1993 (successfully treated after he underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy), Richard went public with his condition afterwards, later stating: "Breast cancer is not gender specific. And men have this cavalier attitude about health issues. I got such positive feedback because I spoke out about it." Married twice, he is survived by his daughters Kelli, Nicole, Tayler and Morgan, and a son, John.
May he rest in peace. ❤
Portrait of Richard wearing his iconic leather coat taken during production of Shaft in 1971.
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