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