Richard Roundtree, the iconic actor who rose to fame after taking on the role of Detective John Shaft in 1971’s Shaft and the sequels that followed, Shaft’s Big Score and Shaft in Africa, and the short-lived TV series, has passed away. He also joined the daytime world when he appeared on Generations and As the World Turns.
Richard Rountree: A Remarkable Life
The actor passed away quietly on October 24, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Roundtree was born on July 9, 1942, in New Rochelle, New York, to John and Kathryn. He attended Southern University of Illinois on a football scholarship where the handsome athlete was spotted by an agent for Johnson Publications and was quickly signed up as a model. He was featured in the Ebony Fashion Fair which toured 79 cities in 90 days. He left school behind and returned to New York to study acting.
He soon was invited to become a member of the famed Negro Ensemble Company and followed that up with a multitude of Off-Broadway roles including the pivotal role of Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope.
Taking on the role of Shaft pushed the actor into the international spotlight and garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. He was lauded as the first Black action hero. What followed was a film and television career that anyone would be proud of.
The actor soon began peppering his resume with films such as Earthquake, Diamonds, Portrait of a Hitman, Escape to Athena, Game for Vultures, and Day of the Assassin. In 1977, Roundtree joined the all-star cast of the legendary mini-series, Roots.
Throughout his career, he worked opposite many legendary actors such as Lawrence Olivier and Ben Gazzara in Inchon, Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds in City Heat, Max von Sydow in Embassy, Peter O’Toole in Man Friday, as well as Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in Se7en.
His TV credits included guest appearances on such iconic shows as The Love Boat, CHiPs, Magnum P.I., Murder, She Wrote, A Different World, Beauty and the Beast, 21 Jump Street, MacGyver, Beverly Hill 90210, L.A. Law, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Alias, Desperate Housewives, Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Fire, and Private Practice.
In 1990, Roundtree added daytime television to his credits when he joined the cast of Generations as Dr. Daniel Ruebens. Later, taking on the role of Oliver Travers on As the World Turns, the father of attorney T. Marshall Travers played by Lamman Rucker.
Actress Jonelle Allen, who played Doreen Jackson on Generations, shared her thoughts on working with Roundtree on Facebook. “My Leading Man on Generations. I Am Very Sad. My Condolences To Your Family. Dearest Richard Roundtree,” Allen wrote. She later shared in a follow-up post along with a photo that showed Daniel and Doreen about to lock lips, “In the scene with him I kept thinking: ‘Shaft is about to kiss ME!!!’ Thank You.”
Janice Lynde, who played Leslie Brooks on Young and the Restless, posted in response to Allen’s post: “Isn’t he Divine?!?! I worked with him in Robert Townsend’s Diary of a Single Mom.”
The hardworking actor continued working steadily, adding films such as Collar, Retreat!, What Men Want, The Haunting of Mary Celeste, and Moving On. Roundtree was a regular cast member on several series in recent years such as Diary of a Single Mom, Being Mary Jane, Family Reunion, and Cherish the Day.
The famed actor battled cancer previously in 1993 when he was diagnosed with breast cancer. He successfully won that battle and was a fierce advocate in the fight for awareness throughout the rest of his life.
Richard Roundtree leaves behind an amazing body of work. He is survived by his three children, John, Kelli, and Tayler. Soap Hub sends its sincere condolences to family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.