LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several 鈥淪haft鈥� films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.
Roundtree鈥檚 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.
鈥淩ichard鈥檚 work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,鈥� McMinn said. 鈥淭he impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.鈥�
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 Roundtree鈥檚 first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.
Roundtree鈥檚 鈥淪haft鈥� was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors 鈥� especially for leading roles 鈥� 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 鈥淚t鈥檚 my duty to please that booty.鈥�
鈥淲hat we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot 鈥檈m up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.
Isaac Hayes鈥� 鈥淪haft鈥� theme song 鈥� which included the line 鈥淵ou a bad mother鈥� (Shut your mouth)鈥� 鈥� helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was 鈥渓ike the 鈥榮hot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.
After the film鈥檚 success, Roundtree returned in sequels 鈥淪haft鈥檚 Big Score鈥� in 1972 and 鈥淪haft in Africa鈥� in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series 鈥淪haft,鈥� which lasted only seven episodes.
Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 鈥淪haft鈥� film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson鈥檚 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 鈥減rototype鈥� and the 鈥渂est to ever do it" in a social media post.
鈥淪HAFT, as we know it is & will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I鈥檓 sure a lotta y鈥檃ll鈥檚, too.鈥�
Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including 鈥淓arthquake,鈥� 鈥淢an Friday鈥� with Peter O鈥橳oole, 鈥淩oots,鈥� 鈥淢aniac Cop鈥� 鈥淪e7en鈥� and 鈥淲hat Men Want鈥� starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on 鈥淢agnum P.I.,鈥� 鈥淭he Love Boat,鈥� 鈥淏eing Mary Jane鈥� and 鈥淭he Love Boat.鈥�
In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie & TV awards.
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
