Actor Richard Roundtree, star of the film “Shaft,” dies at 81

American actor Richard Roundtree passed away on Tuesday, October 24 at the age of 81. The news was announced by his representative Patrick McMinnwho described the artist’s career as decisive in the selection of African-American actors for leading roles in Hollywood films.

Born in 1942 in New York, Roundtree began his career as a model, but soon after decided to try his luck in theater, appearing in several productions. In 1971 he made his film debut starring in “Shaft,” an action film directed by Gordon Parks in which he played the titular character.; The success was such that the film gave rise to two sequels and a television series. By then the actor combined these jobs with appearances on television and films of various genres, such as drama and comedy.

The success of “Shaft” It sparked a subgenre in action films known as “exploitation,” a term to which the actor always saw pros and cons. In 2019 he stated: “That word, exploitation, offends me because of any attachment to Gordon Parks…I have always seen it as something negative. Exploitation. Who is being exploited? But he gave jobs to a lot of people. He gave a lot of people entry into the business, including many of our current producers and directors. So, overall, I also see it as a positive thing.”

In the 90’s Richard Roundtree He was already a well-known actor for his long career, but he had to face breast cancer in 1993; he was eradicated, but In recent years he suffered from pancreatic cancer, the complications of which caused his death. He is survived by four daughters and a son. May she rest in peace.

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