The actor’s manager Patrick McMinn confirmed to People magazine that Richard Roundtree died on Tuesday at his home surrounded by his family in Los Angeles. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
Richard Roundtree is dead. He was a pioneer in Hollywood
“The Artists and Representatives Agency mourns the loss of our friend and client Richard Roundtree,” the actor’s agency said. “His pioneering career changed the face of entertainment around the world, and his legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones at this difficult time,” the statement read.
During a career spanning five decades, Roundtree played Harlem detective John Shaft in 1971. Director Gordon Parks decided to give the role of the title character to a black actor, even though it was written for a white man. Therefore, there were definitely more other black characters in the cast than originally planned. It was a breakthrough in Hollywood, the film was a success at the box office, and the musical theme by Isaac Hayes was awarded an Oscar. Roundtree was nominated for the Golden Globe New Star of the Year as the first black action hero.
Samuel L. Jackson said goodbye to the actor. “I love you brother”
Samuel L. Jackson, who played Roundtree’s nephew in the 2000 and 2019 “Shaft” sequels, called the actor “a progenitor, the best to ever do it!” He wrote on Instagram:
His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure in many of you too. I love you brother. I see you walking down the middle of the main street in heaven and Isaac conducting your song [i – red.] coat fluttering in the wind!
A fan of “Shaft” and its legacy was, among others, Quentin Tarantino. Kerry Washington’s character Brunhilde von Shaft, who appears in “Django,” not only has the same last name as Roundtree’s character, but was written by Tarantino as an ancestor of John Shaft.
Source: Gazeta
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