RICHARD ROUNDTREE
Date of Birth: July 9, 1942
With consistency being the benchmark for stardom in Hollywood,
Richard Roundtree has proven his star power in every sense of the word. As a leading actor for more than last thirty years, he has established himself as a constant force in the entertainment industry.
Discovering that he enjoyed the spotlight while on a football scholarship at Southern Illinois University, Richard signed with Johnson Publications to model in their annual Ebony Fashion Fair, touring 79 cities in 90 days. Roundtree then returned to New York, his home state, began acting lessons and later became a member of New York's acclaimed Negro Ensemble Company. A succession of Off-Broadway roles resulted in his starring role as
Jack Johnson in
The Great White Hope.
Richard initially received international fame when he was chosen to star as John Shaft, private detective and supercop hero in the feature film
Shaft. That role catapulted Roundtree into the world arena as one of the hottest new actors on the scene. He continued the franchise with
Shaft's Big Score, Shaft in Africa, and the television series,
Shaft.
But Roundtree was just beginning to stretch his talents as a movie star. He quickly moved on to star with some of Hollywood's most well-known actors, including
Clint Eastwood,
Robert Shaw,
Peter O'Toole,
Richard Harris,
David Niven,
Tony Curtis and
Laurence Olivier, naming just a few.
Among the more than 70 feature films that he has appeared in are the smash hit thriller
Seven, the critically acclaimed
Once Upon A Timeâ¦When We Were Colored, the remake of
Shaft reprising the role that made him famous,
Steel with basketball superstar Shaquile O'Neal ,
George of the Jungle for Disney Pictures and
Corky Romano with
Saturday Night Live star
Chris Kattan.
Richard's television credits have included series regular roles on
Outlaws for CBS,
413 Hope Street where he garnered an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Series, and
Buddies with Dave Chappel for ABC. He also has appeared in many Movies for Television including the top rated
Having Our Say portraying Booker T. Washington,
Christmas in Connecticut directed by
Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Starz production of
Joe and Max. He has recurred on the ABC smash hit series'
Desperate Housewives, as well as
Grey's Anatomy and
Heroes. Richard recently won a Peabody Award for his narration on the PBS documentary
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow.
An advocate for the fight against breast cancer, Richard is on the lecture circuit and takes part in events to help raise awareness and funds towards finding a cure for this disease.
Filmography:
This Bitter Earth (2009)
Speed Racer(2008)
Retreat! (2008)
Set Apart (2008)
All the Days Before Tomorrow(2007)
Wild Seven (2006)
Brick(2005)
Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon (2004)
Boat Trip(2002)
Al's Lads (2002)
Corky Romano(2001)
Hawaiian Gardens (2001)
Shoot! (2001)
Antitrust(2001)
Shaft(2000)
Steel (1997)
George of the Jungle (1997)
Original Gangstas (1996)
Ballistic (1995)
Se7en (1995)
Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored (1995)
Mind Twister (1994)
Sins of the Night (1993)
Deadly Rivals (1993)
Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight (1992)
A Time to Die (1991)
Bad Jim (1990)
Crack House (1989)
Night Visitor (1989)
The Banker (1989)
Miami Cops (1989)
Party Line (1988)
Maniac Cop (1988)
La Vendetta (1988)
Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988)
Jocks(1987)
Opposing Force (1986)
City Heat (1984)
Killpoint (1984)
The Big Score(1983)
Young Warriors (1983)
One Down, Two to Go (1982)
Q (1982)
An Eye for an Eye (1981)
Inchon (1981)
Gypsy Angels (1980)
Day of the Assassin (1979)
A Game for Vultures (1979)
Escape to Athena (1979)
Portrait of a Hitman (1977)
Diamonds(1975)
Man Friday (1975)
Earthquake(1974)
Shaft in Africa (1973)
Charley One-Eye (1973)
Shaft's Big Score! (1972)
Embassy (1972)
Shaft(1971)
What Do
You Say to a Naked Lady? (1970)