Richard Roundtree

American actor, noted as "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, Roundtree was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972.

The son of a chauffeur and a housekeeper, he went to college on a football scholarship but dropped out, going through many job changes from janitor to model before joining the New York Negro Ensemble Company, 1967. He entered films in 1970, gaining fame as the super-sleuth, cool, ruthless and hip. An actor of over 40 films, he is most noted for his portrayal of "Shaft" but has also made international films in Europe, Great Britain and Korea.

Richard Roundtree was married and divorced twice and had five children. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. He died of pancreatic cancer at his Los Angeles home on 24 October 2023 at the age of 81.