Richard Roundtree
Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
Jul 9, 1942 (84 years old)
Place of Birth
New Rochelle, New York, USA
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
| 2024 | ThelmaBen | |
| 2023 | Moving OnRalph | |
| 2021 | A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon ParksSelf | |
| 2020 | Haunting of the Mary CelesteTulls | |
| 2020 | GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover EventGrandpa | |
| 2019 | Harlem to HollywoodSelf | |
| 2019 | ShaftJohn Shaft, Sr. | |
| 2019 | What Men WantSkip Davis | |
| 2019 | A Family Reunion ChristmasJebidiah McKellan | |
| 2019 | Family ReunionGrandpa | |
| 2016 | Lethal WeaponDon Bennett | |
| 2016 | StarCharles Floyd | |
| 2015 | CollarAlonzo Sparks | |
| 2015 | The PlayerSamuel Letts | |
| 2013 | Being Mary JanePaul Patterson, Sr. | |
| 2012 | Retreat!Henshaw | |
| 2012 | Chicago FireWallace Boden, Sr. | |
| 2010 | The ConfidantClaude | |
| 2010 | Whatever She WantsTheodore Wolf | |
| 2009 | Set ApartJ.T. | |
| 2009 | Diary of a Single MomLou Bailey | |
| 2008 | Speed RacerBen Burns | |
| 2008 | Ladies of the HouseStan | |
| 2008 | Final ApproachGary Markash | |
| 2008 | Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer FamilyBen Burns | |
| 2008 | The MentalistFloyd Benton | |
| 2007 | All The Days Before TomorrowEl Doctor | |
| 2007 | Point of EntryMiles Porter | |
| 2007 | Lincoln Heights | |
| 2007 | Private PracticeRaymond McCray | |
| 2006 | Wild SevenLee Marvin / Cleetus Woods | |
| 2006 | BrickAssistant V.P. Trueman | |
| 2006 | HeroesCharles Deveaux | |
| 2006 | Blade: The Series | |
| 2005 | Painkiller JaneColonel Watts | |
| 2005 | The CloserCol. D.B. Walter | |
| 2005 | Close to HomeCyrus Carter | |
| 2005 | Grey's AnatomyDonald Burke | |
| 2004 | Max Havoc: Curse Of The DragonTahsi | |
| 2004 | Desperate HousewivesMr. Shaw | |
| 2003 | Men Cry in the Dark | |
| 2003 | Vegas VampiresRick Apping | |
| 2002 | Al's LadsBoom-Boom | |
| 2002 | BaadAsssss CinemaSelf | |
| 2002 | Joe and MaxJack Blackburn | |
| 2002 | Undercover BrotherJohn Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2002 | Boat TripFelicia's Dad | |
| 2002 | The Rise and Fall of Jim CrowSelf - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2001 | AntitrustLyle Barton | |
| 2001 | Corky RomanoHoward Shuster | |
| 2001 | Hawaiian GardensM.O. | |
| 2001 | AliasBrill | |
| 2000 | Shaft"Uncle" John Shaft | |
| 2000 | Soul FoodHardy Lester | |
| 1999 | Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 YearsBooker T. Washington | |
| 1999 | Rescue 77Captain Durfee | |
| 1997 | George of the JungleKwame | |
| 1997 | SteelUncle Joe | |
| 1997 | Any Place But HomeGil Oberman | |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St.Phil Thomas | |
| 1996 | Original GangstasSlick | |
| 1996 | Once Upon a Time... When We Were ColoredCleve | |
| 1996 | ProfilerDet. James Henegar | |
| 1996 | BuddiesHenry Carlisle | |
| 1995 | Se7enTalbot | |
| 1995 | Theodore RexCommissioner Lynch | |
| 1995 | Bonanza: Under AttackJacob | |
| 1995 | BallisticHarold | |
| 1995 | The Wayans Bros.Dr. Saunders | |
| 1994 | Blind Man's BluffGray | |
| 1994 | Body of InfluenceHarry Reams | |
| 1994 | Mind TwisterFrank Webb | |
| 1994 | Shadows of DesireDunc | |
| 1994 | Black as the HeartRod | |
| 1994 | Touched by an AngelMurray | |
| 1993 | Amityville: A New GenerationPauli | |
| 1993 | Sins of the NightLes | |
| 1993 | Deadly RivalsAgent Peterson | |
| 1993 | Bonanza: The ReturnJacob Briscoe | |
| 1993 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman'Barracuda' Jim Barnes | |
| 1992 | Christmas in ConnecticutPrescott | |
| 1992 | Bloodfist III: Forced to FightSamuel Stark | |
| 1992 | Renegade | |
| 1992 | Vicki!Self | |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. CooperGeneral (uncredited) | |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. CooperChester Cooper | |
| 1991 | A Time to DieCaptain Ralph Phipps | |
| 1991 | RocRussell Emerson | |
| 1990 | Bad JimJuly | |
| 1990 | Gypsy AngelsDr. Carlson | |
| 1990 | Beverly Hills, 90210Robinson Ashe Jr. | |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirDr. Mumford | |
| 1990 | Dream OnDr. Charles | |
| 1989 | The BankerLloyd | |
| 1989 | Crack HouseLt. Johnson | |
| 1989 | Night VisitorCaptain Crane | |
| 1989 | Miami CopsGamble | |
| 1988 | Maniac CopCommissioner Pike | |
| 1988 | Angel III: The Final ChapterLt. Doniger | |
| 1988 | Party LineCaptain Barnes | |
| 1988 | Getting EvenDundee | |
| 1988 | Daddy Can't ReadJason Ruigh | |
| 1987 | A Different WorldClinton Reese | |
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beast | |
| 1987 | 21 Jump StreetBen Halley | |
| 1986 | Opposing ForceStafford | |
| 1986 | JocksChip | |
| 1986 | The Fifth MissileCmdr. Frederick Bryce | |
| 1986 | L.A. LawJudge Ira Menday | |
| 1986 | Outlaws | |
| 1986 | Amen | |
| 1985 | MacGyverR.T. Hines | |
| 1985 | Hollywood Beat | |
| 1985 | A.D.Serpenius | |
| 1984 | City HeatDehl Swift | |
| 1984 | The Baron and the KidFrosty | |
| 1984 | KillpointAgent Bill Bryant | |
| 1984 | Murder, She WroteKevin Cooper | |
| 1983 | Young WarriorsSergeant John Austin | |
| 1983 | The Big ScoreGordon | |
| 1983 | Just an Overnight Guest | |
| 1983 | MasqueradeMean Willy | |
| 1982 | QPowell | |
| 1982 | One Down, Two to GoRalph | |
| 1981 | An Eye for an EyeCapt. Stevens | |
| 1981 | InchonSgt. Augustus Henderson | |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I.Peter Jordan | |
| 1979 | Escape to AthenaNat Judson | |
| 1979 | Portrait of a HitmanCoco Morrell | |
| 1979 | Day of the AssassinFessler | |
| 1979 | Game for VulturesGideon Marunga | |
| 1977 | CHiPsSgt. Aikens | |
| 1977 | RootsSam Bennett | |
| 1977 | The Love BoatDave Wilbur | |
| 1975 | Man FridayFriday | |
| 1975 | DiamondsArchie | |
| 1974 | EarthquakeMiles Quade | |
| 1974 | Dinah!Self | |
| 1973 | Shaft in AfricaJohn Shaft | |
| 1973 | Charley One-EyeThe Black Man | |
| 1973 | FirehouseShelly Forsythe | |
| 1973 | Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon ParksSelf / Shaft (archive footage) | |
| 1973 | ShaftJohn Shaft | |
| 1973 | The Dean Martin Celebrity RoastsSelf | |
| 1972 | Shaft's Big Score!John Shaft | |
| 1972 | EmbassyDick Shannon | |
| 1972 | NationtimeSelf | |
| 1971 | ShaftJohn Shaft | |
| 1971 | Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on LocationSelf | |
| 1970 | What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?Interracial Couple | |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf | |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas ShowSelf |
| 2024 | ThelmaIn Memory Of | |
| 2012 | Django UnchainedThanks |