There are multiple generations that will read about a 1970s actor named Richard Roundtree, and think nothing of it. That would be a mistake because learning about that man is a history lesson in cinema and civics together. Learning about this smooth private eye helps you appreciate black cinema. Most importantly,
There are black filmmakers, making the scenes and working behind them. They show respect for what Roundtree meant for their craft. Black musicians do the same. His presence superseded his stage and gave millions a platform to find themselves. This isn’t hyperbole; it’s reality.
Richard Roundtree passed Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81 years old.
Richard Roundtree: A Role “Model” for Black America
Richard Roundtree was born July 1942 and by 1961, he was already a national name–a person people needed to know. At that time, New Rochelle (NY) High School had an undefeated and nationally ranked football team–its feared phenomenal linebacker was Roundtree.
The following year, he went to Southern Illinois University on a full-ride scholarship but felt passion calling him away from the gridiron to the grand stage of acting in 1963. When he hung up his cleats, Roundtree knew he was called for bigger things.
In seven short years, Richard Roundtree would be the epicenter of the national “Blaxploitation” movement, changing how black men were viewed in Hollywood–and across the country–forever.
When he dropped out of college, he met Eunice W. Johnson–wife of media magnate John H. Johnson–who recruited him at the Ebony Fashion Fair in 1963. From there, his cool and smooth appeal brought him to Salem Cigarettes and Duke Hair as a cover model.
Four years later, the young model met an influential comedic actor, Bill Cosby (this was 1967, stop hating for a minute), who suggested Roundtree move to New York to master his craft in acting. From there, he joined the reputable Negro Ensemble Company. Before he went on stage for the production The Great White Hope, he heard about an audition for a New York City private eye.
That private eye was John Shaft, and a legend was born.
Made for $500,000, Gordon Parks directed Shaft as a serious focus on a black lead in the heart of Harlem. The movie would gross $13 million and Issac Hayes won an Oscar for the “Best Song,” thanks to his soulful title track.
The Birth of Blaxploitation
Richard Roundtree wasn’t trying to become a trailblazer. He wanted to act. It was his fans who made him a hero. Before Gordon Parks cast Roundtree as the cerebral and so-cool private eye, he was a successful photojournalist. In 1969, he released a coming-of-age drama called The Learning Tree. However, he wanted to help his community. Primarily, he wanted to showcase the same black men he photographed–strong, confident, and bold black men.
He wanted to give these particular men autonomy in film, star quality, and the ability to look at life from his vantage point. Once Roundtree showed up on film and earned a Golden Globe nomination, America yearned for what it didn’t know it was missing. That defiance of stereotypes positioned black men as proud, intelligent, and suave. This sense of “Blackness” was a source of pride.
And Shaft helped MGM from filing bankruptcy. Black men were seen and heard as a result of Shaft. It was unapologetic and remained strong. Other black directors like Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song), William Crain (Blacula), and D’Urville Martin (Dolemite) followed suit and a movement was made.
But, at the heart of Blaxploitation was Richard Roundtree.
His next acclaimed appearance was in 1977 with Roots. Other film credits included two Shaft sequels, Shaft’s Big Score and Shaft in Africa, along with the popular Shaft TV series. His star power granted appeal and opportunity–1981’s “Inchon,” with Laurence Olivier and Ben Gazzara, and 1984’s “City Heat,” with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds
Roundtree was in Se7en, Grey’s Anatomy, George of the Jungle, Body of Influence, Magnum P.I., Chicago Fire, and What Men Want, and Season 2 of Ava DuVernay’s OWN series Cherish the Day. Among his proudest accolades was a Peabody Award for his narration of The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, a 2002 PBS documentary.
Richard Roundtree was a hero to so many people who came after him–actors and survivors. He battled breast cancer and had a double mastectomy in 1993. And if you think “hero” is too much, look at Cheo Hodari Coker (see below).
This man was every bit the hero that obituaries like this point out. He made a difference. And about that, no one will “shut their mouth.” In the words of Issac Hayes, he’ll always be the man.
My hero. A huge inspiration for Luke Cage. https://t.co/zUuwkjxhF4
— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) October 25, 2023
Since he saw ‘Dune’ in the $1 movie theater as a kid, this guy has been a lover of geek culture. It wasn’t until he became a professional copywriter, ghostwriter, and speechwriter that he began to write about it (a lot).
From the gravitas of the Sith, the genius of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or the gluttony of today’s comic fan, SPW digs intelligent debate about entertainment. He’s also addicted to listicles, storytelling, useless trivia, and the Oxford comma. And, he prefers his puns intended.
