Remembering Richard Roundtree: A Career In Photos From ‘Shaft’ To ‘Roots’ To ‘Being Mary Jane’ & ‘Family Reunion’
Richard Roundtree #RichardRoundtree
Richard Roundtree, known for his role as Shaft in the series of films, died at the age of 81. The actor has left a legacy in both film and television for generations to come.
Roundtree made his debut in film as John Shaft in Shaft about a private detective who is hired by a mobster to help rescue his daughter who was kidnapped by Italian mobsters. The actor would go on to reprise his role of Shaft in the sequels Shaft’s Big Score (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973). A reboot of Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson was released in 2000 with Roundtree appearing as “Uncle” Shaft. Roundtree also played the role in the short-lived CBS series.
Other films in which Roundtree appeared in include Embassy (1972), Earthquake (1974), Man Friday (1975), Diamonds (1975), Escape to Athena (1979), City Heat (1984), George of the Jungle (1997), What Men Want (2019) and The Haunting of the Mary Celeste (2020), just to name a few.
Television credits for Roundtree include Roots (1977), The Love Boat (1980), CHiPs (1981), Magnum, P.I. (1983), A.D. (1985), Outlaws (1986), A Different World (1989), Generations (1989), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1991), Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper (1992), Buddies (1996), 413 Hope St. (1997), Rescue 77 (1999), Soul Food (2000), Alias (2003), Desperate Housewives (2004), Heroes (2006), Lincoln Heights (2007), Private Practice (2012), Being Mary Jane (2013), Chicago Fire (2015), The Player (2015), Star (2017), Family Reunion (2019), Cherish the Day (2022).
Scroll through the photo gallery below and take a look at Richard Roundtree’s career in photos!
ROOTS, Leslie Uggams, Richard Roundtree, 1977
413 HOPE ST., (aka 413 HOPE STREET), Richard Roundtree, 1997-1998
CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT, from left: Richard Roundtree, Tony Curtis, Ph: Erik Heinila, 1992
BUDDIES, clockwise from lower left, Ari Meyers, Christopher Gartin, Richard Roundtrree, Judith Ivey, Tanya Wright, Dave Chappelle, 1996
BONANZA: THE RETURN, front, from left, Brian Leckner, Alistair MacDougall, Michael Landon, Jr., Emily Warfield, back, Jack Elam, Dirk Blocker, Ben Johnson, Richard Roundtree, aired November 28, 1993
ANY PLACE BUT HOME, (from left): Alan Thicke, Richard Roundtree, 1997
PRIVATE PRACTICE, (from left): Alfre Woodard (back to camera), L. Scott Caldwell, Richard Roundtree, ‘The Next Episode’, (Season 6, ep. 605, aired Nov. 13, 2012)
LINCOLN HEIGHTS, Michael Warren, Mishon Ratliff, Nicki Michaeux, Rhyon Brown, Richard Roundtree, ‘House Arrest’, (Season 1, March 26, 2007)
FAMILY REUNION, from left: Richard Roundtree, Jordyn Raya James, Remember My Funny Valentine?’, (Season 4/Part 4, ep. 405, aired Aug. 26, 2021)
FAMILY REUNION, Tia Mowry, Anthony Alabi, Loretta Devine, Richard Roundtree sin ‘Remember How This All Started?’, (Season 1, Episode 101, aired July 10, 2019)
BEING MARY JANE, (from left): Richard Roundtree, Margaret Avery, ‘Getting Nekkid’, (Season 4, ep. 401, aired Jan. 10, 2017)
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 1973-74.
OUTLAWS, (top) Richard Roundtree, Charles Napier, Patrick Houser, (bot) William Lucking, Rod Taylor, 1986
Richard Roundtree, 1973
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 1971
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, Samuel L. Jackson, 2000
MAN FRIDAY, from left: Peter O’Toole, Richard Roundtree, 1975
THE BIG SCORE, from left: John Saxon, Fred Williamson, Richard Roundtree, 1983
SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!, US poster art, Richard Roundtree, 1972.
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 1971
HELL CAMP (aka OPPOSING FORCE), (bottom l-r): Tom Skerritt, Lisa Eichhorn, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Roundtree, 1986
WHAT MEN WANT, from left: Taraji P. Henson, Richard Rountree, 2019
SHAFT IN AFRICA, Richard Roundtree, Vonetta McGee, 1973
SHAFT IN AFRICA, Neda Arneric, Richard Roundtree, 1973
SHAFT’S BIG SCORE, Richard Roundtree, 1972
SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!, richard Roundtree, 1972
SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!, Richard Roundtree, 1972
SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!, Richard Roundtree, 1972
MOVING ON, from left: Richard Roundtree, Jane Fonda, 2022.
MOVING ON, from left: Richard Roundtree, Jane Fonda, 2022
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 1971
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 1971
SHAFT, from left: Richard Roundtree, Samuel L. Jackson, 2019
SHAFT, Richard Roundtree, 2019
HAUNTING OF THE MARIE CELESTE, Richard Roundtree, 2020
EMBASSY, rear from left: Richard Roundtree, Max von Sydow, Broderick Crawford, 1972
EMBASSY, from left: Richard Roundtree, Marie-Jose Nat, 1972
CRACK HOUSE, Richard Roundtree, 1989
MAN FRIDAY, from left: Peter O’Toole, Richard Roundtree, 1975
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, l-r; Lydell Cheshier, Richard Roundtree, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Michael Chinyamurindi, Greg Cruttwell, Abraham Benrubi, 1997
CITY HEAT, from left: Richard Roundtree, Irene Cara, 1984.
SHAFT IN AFRICA, Richard Roundtree, 1973
HELL CAMP, (aka OPPOSING FORCE), Tom Skerritt (left), Richard Roundtree (center), 1986.
GAME FOR VULTURES, Richard Roundtree, 1979,
DIAMONDS, Richard Roundtree, 1975