Richard Arnold Roundtree was born on July 9, 1942, in New Rochelle, N.Y., the son of John Roundtree and Kathryn (Watkins) Roundtree, who had been a butler and a cook in the same household.

Richard Roundtree's portrayal of Shaft broke barriers and established him as an iconic Black hero in American cinema, resonating with both Black and white audiences alike. Shaft 's success led to ...

Roundtree, who was born on July 9, 1942, started his career off as a model before landing the lead role in 1971’s Shaft. In addition to his work in the crime thriller, he also acted in Outlaws ...

LOS ANGELES -- Richard Roundtree, who broke cinematic ground with his lead role in the 1971 film "Shaft," has died at age 81, his manager confirms. Roundtree died from pancreatic cancer, his ...

Richard Roundtree, known for his role as Shaft in the series of films, died at the age of 81. The actor has left a legacy in both film and television for generations to come.

Richard Roundtree, the star of "Shaft," has died at 81. The actor passed away from pancreatic cancer. Roundtree was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and had a double mastectomy at the time.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.

Roundtree returned for his role as John Shaft alongside Samuel L Jackson in the 2000 remake, but he didn’t only work on Shaft. One of his other famous roles was the Roots miniseries, where he ...

Richard Roundtree, the movie star who originated the role of detective John Shaft in the blaxploitation classic, died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer.