Richard Roundtree was an American actor best known for his iconic role as John Shaft in the 1971 film
"Shaft" and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his role in the film, he was nominated
for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972. He was also the first black actor to
play a leading role in an action movie, earning him the title of "the first black action hero" Roundtree
began modeling in the Ebony Fashion Fair, Johnson Product's Duke hair grease a... moreRichard Roundtree was an American actor best known for his iconic role as John Shaft in the 1971 film
"Shaft" and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his role in the film, he was nominated
for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972. He was also the first black actor to
play a leading role in an action movie, earning him the title of "the first black action hero" Roundtree
began modeling in the Ebony Fashion Fair, Johnson Product's Duke hair grease and Salem cigarettes. In
1967, Roundtree joined the Negro Ensemble Company. His first role while a part of the company was
portraying boxing legend Jack Johnson Roundtree's breakout role in "Shaft" which catapulted him to
fame, and he went on to star in several other films and television shows throughout his career, including
"The Greatest" (1977), "Manhole" (1979), and "Seven" (1995). He also made appearances in popular TV
shows such as "Miami Vice" and "The Cosby Show." In addition to his acting career, Roundtree was also
a successful model and was featured in several high-profile campaigns, including a famous advertising
campaign for the Italian fashion house, Versace. He won several awards during his career including
Lifetime Achievement Award.
