Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

152

Gender

Male

Birthday

1942-07-09

Day of Death

2023-10-24 (81 years old)

Place of Birth

New Rochelle, New York, USA

Also Known As

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.

Known For

Se7en

Se7en

Bad Jim

Bad Jim

All The Days Before Tomorrow

All The Days Before Tomorrow

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Acting

Shaft

2000

Shaft

as

"Uncle" John Shaft

Shaft

1971

Shaft

as

John Shaft

Shaft's Big Score!

1972

Shaft's Big Score!

as

John Shaft

Shaft in Africa

1973

Shaft in Africa

as

John Shaft

Wild Seven

2006

Wild Seven

as

Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods

Se7en

1995

Se7en

as

Talbot

George of the Jungle

1997

George of the Jungle

as

Kwame

Earthquake

1974

Earthquake

as

Miles Quade

Al's Lads

2002

Al's Lads

as

Boom-Boom

Young Warriors

1983

Young Warriors

as

Sergeant John Austin

Speed Racer

2008

Speed Racer

as

Ben Burns

Steel

1997

Steel

as

Uncle Joe

Amityville: A New Generation

1993

Amityville: A New Generation

as

Pauli

Brick

2006

Brick

as

Assistant V.P. Trueman

Antitrust

2001

Antitrust

as

Lyle Barton

The Banker

1989

The Banker

as

Lloyd

1982

Q

as

Powell

Opposing Force

1986

Opposing Force

as

Stafford

Escape to Athena

1979

Escape to Athena

as

Nat Judson

Theodore Rex

1995

Theodore Rex

as

Commissioner Lynch

Maniac Cop

1988

Maniac Cop

as

Commissioner Pike

An Eye for an Eye

1981

An Eye for an Eye

as

Capt. Stevens

The Confidant

2010

The Confidant

as

Claude

City Heat

1984

City Heat

as

Dehl Swift

Ladies of the House

2008

Ladies of the House

as

Stan

BaadAsssss Cinema

2002

BaadAsssss Cinema

as

Self

Corky Romano

2001

Corky Romano

as

Howard Shuster

Angel III: The Final Chapter

1988

Angel III: The Final Chapter

as

Lt. Doniger

Jocks

1986

Jocks

as

Chip

Crack House

1989

Crack House

as

Lt. Johnson

The Baron and the Kid

1984

The Baron and the Kid

as

Frosty

Hawaiian Gardens

2001

Hawaiian Gardens

as

M.O.

Portrait of a Hitman

1979

Portrait of a Hitman

as

Coco Morrell

Painkiller Jane

2005

Painkiller Jane

as

Colonel Watts

Charley-One-Eye

1973

Charley-One-Eye

as

The Black Man

A Time to Die

1991

A Time to Die

as

Captain Ralph Phipps

Man Friday

1975

Man Friday

as

Friday

Christmas in Connecticut

1992

Christmas in Connecticut

as

Prescott

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

1992

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

as

Samuel Stark

One Down, Two to Go

1982

One Down, Two to Go

as

Ralph

Night Visitor

1989

Night Visitor

as

Captain Crane

The Big Score

1983

The Big Score

as

Gordon

Diamonds

1975

Diamonds

as

Archie

Men Cry in the Dark

2003

Men Cry in the Dark

as

Party Line

1988

Party Line

as

Captain Barnes

Bad Jim

1990

Bad Jim

as

July

Getting Even

1988

Getting Even

as

Dundee

Moving On

2023

Moving On

as

Ralph

Joe and Max

2002

Joe and Max

as

Jack Blackburn

Inchon

1981

Inchon

as

Sgt. Augustus Henderson

The Fifth Missile

1986

The Fifth Missile

as

Cmdr. Frederick Bryce

Set Apart

2009

Set Apart

as

J.T.

Sins of the Night

1993

Sins of the Night

as

Les

Gypsy Angels

1990

Gypsy Angels

as

Dr. Carlson

Day of the Assassin

1979

Day of the Assassin

as

Fessler

Game for Vultures

1979

Game for Vultures

as

Gideon Marunga

Any Place But Home

1997

Any Place But Home

as

Gil Oberman

Undercover Brother

2002

Undercover Brother

as

John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)

Killpoint

1984

Killpoint

as

Agent Bill Bryant

Blind Man's Bluff

1994

Blind Man's Bluff

as

Gray

Deadly Rivals

1993

Deadly Rivals

as

Agent Peterson

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady

1970

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady

as

Interracial Couple

Original Gangstas

1996

Original Gangstas

as

Slick

All The Days Before Tomorrow

2007

All The Days Before Tomorrow

as

El Doctor

Whatever She Wants

2010

Whatever She Wants

as

Theodore Wolf

Thelma

2024

Thelma

as

Ben

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

2004

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

as

Tahsi

Embassy

1972

Embassy

as

Dick Shannon

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

1996

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

as

Cleve

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

1999

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

as

Booker T. Washington

Body of Influence

1993

Body of Influence

as

Harry Reams

Harlem to Hollywood

2019

Harlem to Hollywood

as

Self

Boat Trip

2002

Boat Trip

as

Felicia's Dad

Retreat!

2012

Retreat!

as

Henshaw

Daddy Can't Read

1988

Daddy Can't Read

as

Jason Ruigh

Mind Twister

1994

Mind Twister

as

Frank Webb

Point of Entry

2007

Point of Entry

as

Miles Porter

Just an Overnight Guest

1983

Just an Overnight Guest

as

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

1971

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

as

Self

Firehouse

1973

Firehouse

as

Shelly Forsythe

Shadows of Desire

1994

Shadows of Desire

as

Dunc

Shaft

2019

Shaft

as

John Shaft, Sr.

Miami Cops

1989

Miami Cops

as

Gamble

Bonanza: The Return

1993

Bonanza: The Return

as

Jacob Briscoe

Bonanza: Under Attack

1995

Bonanza: Under Attack

as

Jacob

Collar

2015

Collar

as

Alonzo Sparks

Black as the Heart

1994

Black as the Heart

as

Rod

What Men Want

2019

What Men Want

as

Skip Davis

A Family Reunion Christmas

2019

A Family Reunion Christmas

as

Jebidiah McKellan

Diary of a Single Mom

2009

Diary of a Single Mom

as

Lou Bailey

Nationtime

1972

Nationtime

as

Self

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

2020

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

as

Tulls

Final Approach

2008

Final Approach

as

Gary Markash

Vegas Vampires

2003

Vegas Vampires

as

Rick Apping

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

2021

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

as

Self

Ballistic

1995

Ballistic

as

Harold

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

as

Major Kevin Cooper

A Different World

A Different World

as

Clinton Reese

Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

as

Peter Jordan

CHiPs

CHiPs

as

Sgt. Aikens

Rescue 77

Rescue 77

as

Captain Durfee

Lincoln Heights

Lincoln Heights

as

The Closer

The Closer

as

Col. D.B. Walter

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

as

Mr. Shaw

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

as

Judge Ira Menday

Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210

as

Heroes

Heroes

as

Charles Deveaux

Alias

Alias

as

Brill

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

as

Dr. Mumford

The Wayans Bros.

The Wayans Bros.

as

Dr. Saunders

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

as

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

as

Grandpa

Soul Food

Soul Food

as

Hardy Lester

MacGyver

MacGyver

as

R.T. Hines

Profiler

Profiler

as

Det. James Henegar

Outlaws

Outlaws

as

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

as

Blade: The Series

Blade: The Series

as

Close to Home

as

Shaft

Shaft

as

Amen

Amen

as

Buddies

Buddies

as

Henry Carlisle

Hollywood Beat

Hollywood Beat

as

413 Hope St.

413 Hope St.

as

Phil Thomas

Renegade

Renegade

as

Masquerade

Masquerade

as

Mean Willy

Being Mary Jane

Being Mary Jane

as

Paul Patterson, Sr.

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

as

Donald Burke

The Mentalist

The Mentalist

as

Floyd Benton

The Player

The Player

as

Samuel Letts

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire

as

Wallace Boden, Sr.

Private Practice

Private Practice

as

Raymond McCray

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

as

Self

Vicki!

Vicki!

as

Self

Dinah!

Dinah!

as

Self

Roots

Roots

as

Sam Bennett

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as

Self

Roc

Roc

as

Russell Emerson

A.D.

A.D.

as

Serpenius

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

as

General (uncredited)

Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

as

Don Bennett

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel

as

Murray

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

as

Dave Wilbur

Star

as

Charles Floyd

Dream On

Dream On

as

Dr. Charles

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

as

Grandpa

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

as

Self

21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

as

Ben Halley

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

as

Self - Narrator (voice)

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

as

Chester Cooper

Production

Crew

Django Unchained

2012

Django Unchained

as

Thelma

2024

Thelma

as

Directing