Richard Roundtree, regarded as the first Black action hero in Hollywood, has died at age 81.
According to Variety, the ground-breaking actor passed away Tuesday afternoon (October 24) after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Roundtree's family was reportedly by his bedside at the time of his passing.
The actor's longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, confirmed his death in a statement, saying, “Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men in film. [...] The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”
Roundtree was best known for his role in the cult classic 1971 film Shaft, where he played detective John Shaft. He also starred in the 1972 sequel, Shaft's Big Score!, and the 1973 trilogy, Shaft In Africa. In 2000, Richard reprised his role as John Shaft, alongside Samuel L Jackson, and again in the 2019 version.
Roundtree also played the unforgettable role of Sam Bennett in the "Roots" miniseries. And in recent years, he played Gabrielle Union's father in the TV series Being Mary Jane.
Shortly after news of her TV dad's passing, Union took to Twitter to honor Roundtree.
"Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream," the actress tweeted. "Getting to hang with him & our Being Mary Jane family was always a good a** time with the best stories & laughs. He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him."
"He was simply the best & we all loved him. #RIPRichardRoundtree," she concluded.
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