Richard 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.
He reprised the role of Shaft in the movie Shaft (2019), starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Movies
Shaft
"Uncle" John Shaft
Shaft
John Shaft
Shaft's Big Score!
John Shaft
Shaft in Africa
John Shaft
Wild Seven
Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods
Se7en
Talbot
George of the Jungle
Kwame
Earthquake
Miles Quade
Al's Lads
Boom-Boom
Young Warriors
Sergeant John Austin
Speed Racer
Ben Burns
Steel
Uncle Joe
Amityville: A New Generation
Pauli
Brick
Assistant V.P. Trueman
Antitrust
Lyle Barton
The Banker
Lloyd
Q
Powell
Opposing Force
Stafford
Escape to Athena
Nat Judson
Theodore Rex
Commissioner Lynch
Maniac Cop
Commissioner Pike
An Eye for an Eye
Capt. Stevens
The Confidant
Claude
City Heat
Dehl Swift
Ladies of the House
Stan
BaadAsssss Cinema
Self
Corky Romano
Howard Shuster
Angel III: The Final Chapter
Lt. Doniger
Jocks
Chip
Crack House
Lt. Johnson
The Baron and the Kid
Frosty
Hawaiian Gardens
M.O.
Portrait of a Hitman
Coco Morrell
Painkiller Jane
Colonel Watts
Charley-One-Eye
The Black Man
A Time to Die
Captain Ralph Phipps
Man Friday
Friday
Christmas in Connecticut
Prescott
Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight
Samuel Stark
One Down, Two to Go
Ralph
Night Visitor
Captain Crane
The Big Score
Gordon
Diamonds
Archie
Men Cry in the Dark
Party Line
Captain Barnes
Bad Jim
July
Getting Even
Dundee
Moving On
Ralph
Joe and Max
Jack Blackburn
Inchon
Sgt. Augustus Henderson
The Fifth Missile
Cmdr. Frederick Bryce
Set Apart
J.T.
Sins of the Night
Les
Gypsy Angels
Dr. Carlson
Day of the Assassin
Fessler
Game for Vultures
Gideon Marunga
Any Place But Home
Gil Oberman
Undercover Brother
John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)
Killpoint
Agent Bill Bryant
Blind Man's Bluff
Gray
Deadly Rivals
Agent Peterson
What Do You Say to a Naked Lady
Interracial Couple
Original Gangstas
Slick
All The Days Before Tomorrow
El Doctor
Whatever She Wants
Theodore Wolf
Thelma
Ben
Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon
Tahsi
Embassy
Dick Shannon
Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored
Cleve
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Booker T. Washington
Body of Influence
Harry Reams
Harlem to Hollywood
Self
Boat Trip
Felicia's Dad
Retreat!
Henshaw
Daddy Can't Read
Jason Ruigh
Mind Twister
Frank Webb
Point of Entry
Miles Porter
Just an Overnight Guest
Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location
Self
Firehouse
Shelly Forsythe
Shadows of Desire
Dunc
Shaft
John Shaft, Sr.
Miami Cops
Gamble
Bonanza: The Return
Jacob Briscoe
Bonanza: Under Attack
Jacob
Collar
Alonzo Sparks
Black as the Heart
Rod
What Men Want
Skip Davis
A Family Reunion Christmas
Jebidiah McKellan
Diary of a Single Mom
Lou Bailey
Nationtime
Self
Haunting of the Mary Celeste
Tulls
Final Approach
Gary Markash
Vegas Vampires
Rick Apping
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
Self
Ballistic
Harold
Shows
Murder, She Wrote
Major Kevin Cooper
A Different World
Clinton Reese
Magnum, P.I.
CHiPs
Sgt. Aikens
Rescue 77
Captain Durfee
Lincoln Heights
The Closer
Col. D.B. Walter
Desperate Housewives
Mr. Shaw
L.A. Law
Judge Ira Menday
Beverly Hills, 90210
Heroes
Charles Deveaux
Alias
Brill
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Dr. Mumford
The Wayans Bros.
Dr. Saunders
Beauty and the Beast
Family Reunion
Grandpa
Soul Food
Hardy Lester
MacGyver
R.T. Hines
Profiler
Det. James Henegar
Outlaws
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Blade: The Series
Close to Home
Shaft
Amen
Buddies
Henry Carlisle
Hollywood Beat
413 Hope St.
Phil Thomas
Renegade
Masquerade
Mean Willy
Being Mary Jane
Paul Patterson, Sr.
Grey's Anatomy
Donald Burke
The Mentalist
Floyd Benton
The Player
Samuel Letts
Chicago Fire
Wallace Boden, Sr.
Private Practice
Raymond McCray
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
Vicki!
Self
Dinah!
Self
Roots
Sam Bennett
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Roc
Russell Emerson
A.D.
Serpenius
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
General (uncredited)
Lethal Weapon
Don Bennett
Touched by an Angel
Murray
The Love Boat
Dave Wilbur
Star
Charles Floyd
Dream On
Dr. Charles
GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event
Grandpa
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self
21 Jump Street
Ben Halley
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow
Self - Narrator (voice)