Richard Roundtree
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.
Gallery
Known For
Acting History
2024
Thelma as Ben
2023Moving On as Ralph
2021A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks as Self
2020Haunting of the Mary Celeste as Tulls
2020GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event as Grandpa
2019A Family Reunion Christmas as Jebidiah McKellan
2019Family Reunion as Grandpa
2019Harlem to Hollywood as Self
2019Shaft as John Shaft, Sr.
2019What Men Want as Skip Davis
2016Star as Charles Floyd
2016Lethal Weapon as Don Bennett
2015The Player as Samuel Letts
2015Collar as Alonzo Sparks
2013Being Mary Jane as Paul Patterson, Sr.
2012Chicago Fire as Wallace Boden, Sr.
2012Retreat! as Henshaw
2010The Confidant as Claude
2010Whatever She Wants as Theodore Wolf
2009Diary of a Single Mom as Lou Bailey
2009Set Apart as J.T.
2008Ladies of the House as Stan
2008The Mentalist as Floyd Benton
2008Final Approach as Gary Markash
2008Speed Racer as Ben Burns
2007Point of Entry as Miles Porter
2007Private Practice as Raymond McCray
2007All The Days Before Tomorrow as El Doctor
2007Lincoln Heights
2006Heroes as Charles Deveaux
2006Blade: The Series
2006Brick as Assistant V.P. Trueman
2006Wild Seven as Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods
2005Painkiller Jane as Colonel Watts
2005Close to Home as Cyrus Carter
2005The Closer as Col. D.B. Walter
2005Grey's Anatomy as Donald Burke
2004Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon as Tahsi
2004Desperate Housewives as Mr. Shaw
2003Vegas Vampires as Rick Apping
2003Men Cry in the Dark
2002Boat Trip as Felicia's Dad
2002The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow as Self - Narrator (voice)
2002BaadAsssss Cinema as Self
2002Al's Lads as Boom-Boom
2002Undercover Brother as John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)
2002Joe and Max as Jack Blackburn
2001Hawaiian Gardens as M.O.
2001Corky Romano as Howard Shuster
2001Alias as Brill
2001Antitrust as Lyle Barton
2000Soul Food as Hardy Lester
2000Shaft as "Uncle" John Shaft
1999Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years as Booker T. Washington
1999Rescue 77 as Captain Durfee
1997413 Hope St. as Phil Thomas
1997Steel as Uncle Joe
1997George of the Jungle as Kwame
1997Any Place But Home as Gil Oberman
1996Profiler as Det. James Henegar
1996Original Gangstas as Slick
1996Buddies as Henry Carlisle
1996Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored as Cleve
1995Theodore Rex as Commissioner Lynch
1995Se7en as Talbot
1995Ballistic as Harold
1995Bonanza: Under Attack as Jacob
1995The Wayans Bros. as Dr. Saunders
1994Touched by an Angel as Murray
1994Shadows of Desire as Dunc
1994Blind Man's Bluff as Gray
1994Body of Influence as Harry Reams
1994Mind Twister as Frank Webb
1994Black as the Heart as Rod
1993Sins of the Night as Les
1993Bonanza: The Return as Jacob Briscoe
1993Amityville: A New Generation as Pauli
1993Deadly Rivals as Agent Peterson
1993Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman as 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes
1992Christmas in Connecticut as Prescott
1992Hangin' with Mr. Cooper as General (uncredited)
1992Hangin' with Mr. Cooper as Chester Cooper
1992Renegade
1992Vicki! as Self
1992Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight as Samuel Stark
1991A Time to Die as Captain Ralph Phipps
1991Roc as Russell Emerson
1990Beverly Hills, 90210 as Robinson Ashe Jr.
1990The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Dr. Mumford
1990Dream On as Dr. Charles
1990Gypsy Angels as Dr. Carlson
1990Bad Jim as July
1989The Banker as Lloyd
1989Crack House as Lt. Johnson
1989Night Visitor as Captain Crane
1989Miami Cops as Gamble
1988Angel III: The Final Chapter as Lt. Doniger
1988Party Line as Captain Barnes
1988Getting Even as Dundee
1988Maniac Cop as Commissioner Pike
1988Daddy Can't Read as Jason Ruigh
1987Beauty and the Beast
1987A Different World as Clinton Reese
198721 Jump Street as Ben Halley
1986Outlaws
1986Jocks as Chip
1986Amen
1986L.A. Law as Judge Ira Menday
1986Opposing Force as Stafford
1986The Fifth Missile as Cmdr. Frederick Bryce
1985MacGyver as R.T. Hines
1985Hollywood Beat
1985A.D. as Serpenius
1984City Heat as Dehl Swift
1984The Baron and the Kid as Frosty
1984Murder, She Wrote as Major Kevin Cooper
1984Killpoint as Agent Bill Bryant
1983Masquerade as Mean Willy
1983Young Warriors as Sergeant John Austin
1983Just an Overnight Guest
1983The Big Score as Gordon
1982One Down, Two to Go as Ralph
1982Q as Powell
1981An Eye for an Eye as Capt. Stevens
1981Inchon as Sgt. Augustus Henderson
1980Magnum, P.I. as Peter Jordan
1979Day of the Assassin as Fessler
1979Game for Vultures as Gideon Marunga
1979Escape to Athena as Nat Judson
1979Portrait of a Hitman as Coco Morrell
1977The Love Boat as Dave Wilbur
1977CHiPs as Sgt. Aikens
1977Roots as Sam Bennett
1975Diamonds as Archie
1975Man Friday as Friday
1974Earthquake as Miles Quade
1974Dinah! as Self
1973Shaft as John Shaft
1973The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts as Self
1973Shaft in Africa as John Shaft
1973Charley One-Eye as The Black Man
1973Firehouse as Shelly Forsythe
1972Nationtime as Self
1972Shaft's Big Score! as John Shaft
1972Embassy as Dick Shannon
1971Shaft as John Shaft
1971Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location as Self
1970What Do You Say to a Naked Lady as Interracial Couple
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
1961The Mike Douglas Show as Self