Iconic ‘Shaft’ Actor Richard Roundtree Dies at 81 After Brief Cancer Battle

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Renowned stage and screen actor Richard Roundtree, most famously recognized for his iconic role as a hard-nosed detective in the epochal 1971 movie “Shaft,” has passed away at the age of 81. This heartbreaking revelation was substantiated by Patrick McMinn, Roundtree’s manager, who asserted that his demise on Tuesday afternoon followed a brief encounter with pancreatic cancer.

Roundtree’s awe-inspiring body of work and illustrious career marked a pivotal paradigm shift for African-American leading men in cinema, as McMinn highlighted. The seismic influence he exerted on the film industry, he said, was immeasurable.


Respected for his humble and arduous journey to stardom, Roundtree holds the rare distinction of featuring among a select group of actors who commanded a leading cast billing with his premiere screen credit. Originating as a theatre actor, his monumental leap to stardom was facilitated by his starring role in “Shaft,” a seminal 1971 Blaxploitation masterpiece that launched him into the sociocultural consciousness, prompting subsequent sequels, a television show, and a 2019 revival led by Samuel L. Jackson.

His expansive career spanned over five decades, boasting an impressive repertoire of over 150 on-screen appearances. Among his most noteworthy performances were in the television dramas “Roots,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” while his filmographic contributions included lauded roles in movies such as “Se7en,” “Speed Racer,” and “Brick.”

From the entertainment fraternity, actress Gabrielle Union paid homage to Roundtree, sharing a series of photos of the pair from their collaboration on the television show “Being Mary Jane.”

Similarly, Jackson, Roundtree’s co-star in the fresh rendition of “Shaft,” tendered an emotional tribute, hailing his late colleague as “The Prototype, The Best To Ever Do It!!” Expressing his profound sense of loss, Jackson envisaged his fellow actor strolling amidst the heavenly streets, enveloped in angelic whispers.