Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several 91裸聊视频淪haft91裸聊视频� films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.
Roundtree91裸聊视频檚 longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.
91裸聊视频淩ichard91裸聊视频檚 work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,91裸聊视频� McMinn said. 91裸聊视频淭he impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.91裸聊视频�
Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree91裸聊视频檚 first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.
Roundtree91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淪haft91裸聊视频� was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors 91裸聊视频� especially for leading roles 91裸聊视频� in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.
In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 my duty to please that booty.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲hat we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot 91裸聊视频檈m up,91裸聊视频� Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.
Isaac Hayes91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淪haft91裸聊视频� theme song 91裸聊视频� which included the line 91裸聊视频淵ou a bad mother91裸聊视频� (Shut your mouth)91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was 91裸聊视频渓ike the 91裸聊视频榮hot heard round the world.91裸聊视频� His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.
After the film91裸聊视频檚 success, Roundtree returned in sequels 91裸聊视频淪haft91裸聊视频檚 Big Score91裸聊视频� in 1972 and 91裸聊视频淪haft in Africa91裸聊视频� in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series 91裸聊视频淪haft,91裸聊视频� which lasted only seven episodes.
Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 91裸聊视频淪haft91裸聊视频� film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson91裸聊视频檚 uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.
Jackson called Roundtree the 91裸聊视频減rototype91裸聊视频� and the 91裸聊视频渂est to ever do it91裸聊视频� in a social media post.
91裸聊视频淪HAFT, as we know it is & will always be his Creation,91裸聊视频� he said of Roundtree. 91裸聊视频淗is passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I91裸聊视频檓 sure a lotta y91裸聊视频檃ll91裸聊视频檚, too.91裸聊视频�
Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including 91裸聊视频淓arthquake,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淢an Friday91裸聊视频� with Peter O91裸聊视频橳oole, 91裸聊视频淩oots,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淢aniac Cop91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淪e7en91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淲hat Men Want91裸聊视频� starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on 91裸聊视频淢agnum P.I.,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淭he Love Boat,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淏eing Mary Jane91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he Love Boat.91裸聊视频�
In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie & TV awards.
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
