‘Shaft’ action hero and ‘Roots’ star Roundtree dies
Richard Roundtree, best known for his role as Detective John Shaft in the ‘70s action thriller “Shaft,” has died, reports say. He was 81.
Roundtree died Tuesday, the actor’s manager Patrick McMinn confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and other news outlets. He died following a battle with pancreatic cancer, THR said.
Roundtree’s “Being Mary Jane” co-star Gabrielle Union mourned the actor’s death in an X post on Tuesday, writing that working with Roundtree was “a dream.”
“He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the best vibes (and people) would literally run over to come see him,” Union wrote. “We all loved him.”
Roundtree was a cancer survivor, having been previously diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. Although he was initially quiet about it, Roundtree later became an advocate for raising awareness of the disease.
The NAACP Image Awards-nominated actor made guest appearances on TV shows such as “The Love Boat,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”