Known For
Acting
Known Credits
152
Gender
Male
Birthday
July 9, 1942 (84 years old)
Place of Birth
New Rochelle, New York, USA
Richard Arnold 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.
Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was cremated at Chapel of the Pines Crematory. His family hosted a memorial service for him at Saint Catherine African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Rochelle, New York on February 17, 2024.
| 2024 | Thelmaas Ben | |
| 2023 | Moving Onas Ralph | |
| 2021 | A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parksas Self | |
| 2020 | Haunting of the Mary Celesteas Tulls | |
| 2020 | GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Eventas Grandpa | |
| 2019 | A Family Reunion Christmasas Jebidiah McKellan | |
| 2019 | Family Reunionas Grandpa | |
| 2019 | Harlem to Hollywoodas Self | |
| 2019 | Shaftas John Shaft, Sr. | |
| 2019 | What Men Wantas Skip Davis | |
| 2016 | Staras Charles Floyd | |
| 2016 | Lethal Weaponas Don Bennett | |
| 2015 | The Playeras Samuel Letts | |
| 2015 | Collaras Alonzo Sparks | |
| 2013 | Being Mary Janeas Paul Patterson, Sr. | |
| 2012 | Chicago Fireas Wallace Boden, Sr. | |
| 2012 | Retreat!as Henshaw | |
| 2010 | The Confidantas Claude | |
| 2010 | Whatever She Wantsas Theodore Wolf | |
| 2009 | Diary of a Single Momas Lou Bailey | |
| 2009 | Set Apartas J.T. | |
| 2008 | Ladies of the Houseas Stan | |
| 2008 | The Mentalistas Floyd Benton | |
| 2008 | Final Approachas Gary Markash | |
| 2008 | Speed Raceras Ben Burns | |
| 2008 | Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Familyas Ben Burns | |
| 2007 | Point of Entryas Miles Porter | |
| 2007 | Private Practiceas Raymond McCray | |
| 2007 | All The Days Before Tomorrowas El Doctor | |
| 2007 | Lincoln Heightsas | |
| 2006 | Heroesas Charles Deveaux | |
| 2006 | Blade: The Seriesas | |
| 2006 | Brickas Assistant V.P. Trueman | |
| 2006 | Wild Sevenas Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods | |
| 2005 | Painkiller Janeas Colonel Watts | |
| 2005 | Close to Homeas Cyrus Carter | |
| 2005 | The Closeras Col. D.B. Walter | |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomyas Donald Burke | |
| 2004 | Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragonas Tahsi | |
| 2004 | Desperate Housewivesas Mr. Shaw | |
| 2003 | Vegas Vampiresas Rick Apping | |
| 2003 | Men Cry in the Darkas | |
| 2002 | Boat Tripas Felicia's Dad | |
| 2002 | The Rise and Fall of Jim Crowas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2002 | BaadAsssss Cinemaas Self | |
| 2002 | Al's Ladsas Boom-Boom | |
| 2002 | Undercover Brotheras John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2002 | Joe and Maxas Jack Blackburn | |
| 2001 | Hawaiian Gardensas M.O. | |
| 2001 | Corky Romanoas Howard Shuster | |
| 2001 | Aliasas Brill | |
| 2001 | Antitrustas Lyle Barton | |
| 2000 | Soul Foodas Hardy Lester | |
| 2000 | Shaftas "Uncle" John Shaft | |
| 1999 | Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Yearsas Booker T. Washington | |
| 1999 | Rescue 77as Captain Durfee | |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St.as Phil Thomas | |
| 1997 | Steelas Uncle Joe | |
| 1997 | George of the Jungleas Kwame | |
| 1997 | Any Place But Homeas Gil Oberman | |
| 1996 | Profileras Det. James Henegar | |
| 1996 | Original Gangstasas Slick | |
| 1996 | Buddiesas Henry Carlisle | |
| 1996 | Once Upon a Time... When We Were Coloredas Cleve | |
| 1995 | Theodore Rexas Commissioner Lynch | |
| 1995 | Se7enas Talbot | |
| 1995 | Ballisticas Harold | |
| 1995 | Bonanza: Under Attackas Jacob | |
| 1995 | The Wayans Bros.as Dr. Saunders | |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angelas Murray | |
| 1994 | Shadows of Desireas Dunc | |
| 1994 | Blind Man's Bluffas Gray | |
| 1994 | Body of Influenceas Harry Reams | |
| 1994 | Mind Twisteras Frank Webb | |
| 1994 | Black as the Heartas Rod | |
| 1993 | Sins of the Nightas Les | |
| 1993 | Bonanza: The Returnas Jacob Briscoe | |
| 1993 | Amityville: A New Generationas Pauli | |
| 1993 | Deadly Rivalsas Agent Peterson | |
| 1993 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Womanas 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes | |
| 1992 | Christmas in Connecticutas Prescott | |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooperas Chester Cooper | |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooperas General (uncredited) | |
| 1992 | Renegadeas | |
| 1992 | Vicki!as Self | |
| 1992 | Bloodfist III: Forced to Fightas Samuel Stark | |
| 1991 | A Time to Dieas Captain Ralph Phipps | |
| 1991 | Rocas Russell Emerson | |
| 1990 | Beverly Hills, 90210as Robinson Ashe Jr. | |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airas Dr. Mumford | |
| 1990 | Dream Onas Dr. Charles | |
| 1990 | Gypsy Angelsas Dr. Carlson | |
| 1990 | Bad Jimas July | |
| 1989 | The Bankeras Lloyd | |
| 1989 | Crack Houseas Lt. Johnson | |
| 1989 | Night Visitoras Captain Crane | |
| 1989 | Miami Copsas Gamble | |
| 1988 | Angel III: The Final Chapteras Lt. Doniger | |
| 1988 | Party Lineas Captain Barnes | |
| 1988 | Getting Evenas Dundee | |
| 1988 | Maniac Copas Commissioner Pike | |
| 1988 | Daddy Can't Readas Jason Ruigh | |
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beastas Cleon Manning | |
| 1987 | A Different Worldas Clinton Reese | |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Streetas Ben Halley | |
| 1986 | Outlawsas Isaiah 'Ice' McAdams | |
| 1986 | Jocksas Chip | |
| 1986 | Amenas | |
| 1986 | L.A. Lawas Judge Ira Menday | |
| 1986 | Opposing Forceas Stafford | |
| 1986 | The Fifth Missileas Cmdr. Frederick Bryce | |
| 1985 | MacGyveras R.T. Hines | |
| 1985 | Hollywood Beatas | |
| 1985 | A.D.as Serpenius | |
| 1984 | City Heatas Dehl Swift | |
| 1984 | The Baron and the Kidas Frosty | |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wroteas Kevin Cooper | |
| 1984 | Killpointas Agent Bill Bryant | |
| 1983 | Masqueradeas Mean Willy | |
| 1983 | Young Warriorsas Sergeant John Austin | |
| 1983 | Just an Overnight Guestas | |
| 1983 | The Big Scoreas Gordon | |
| 1982 | One Down, Two to Goas Ralph | |
| 1982 | Qas Powell | |
| 1981 | An Eye for an Eyeas Capt. Stevens | |
| 1981 | Inchonas Sgt. Augustus Henderson | |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I.as Peter Jordan | |
| 1979 | Day of the Assassinas Fessler | |
| 1979 | Game for Vulturesas Gideon Marunga | |
| 1979 | Escape to Athenaas Nat Judson | |
| 1979 | Portrait of a Hitmanas Coco Morrell | |
| 1977 | The Love Boatas Dave Wilbur | |
| 1977 | CHiPsas Sgt. Aikens | |
| 1977 | Rootsas Sam Bennett | |
| 1975 | Diamondsas Archie | |
| 1975 | Man Fridayas Friday | |
| 1974 | Earthquakeas Miles Quade | |
| 1974 | Dinah!as Self | |
| 1973 | Shaftas John Shaft | |
| 1973 | The Dean Martin Celebrity Roastsas Self | |
| 1973 | Shaft in Africaas John Shaft | |
| 1973 | Charley-One-Eyeas The Black Man | |
| 1973 | Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parksas Self / Shaft (archive footage) | |
| 1973 | Firehouseas Shelly Forsythe | |
| 1972 | Nationtime: Garyas Self | |
| 1972 | Shaft's Big Score!as John Shaft | |
| 1972 | Embassyas Dick Shannon | |
| 1971 | Shaftas John Shaft | |
| 1971 | Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Locationas Self | |
| 1970 | What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?as Interracial Couple | |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonas Self | |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Showas Self |
| 2024 | Thelma...In Memory Of | |
| 2012 | Django Unchained...Thanks |
