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1-21 of 21
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Richard Roundtree shot to fame as the ultra-hip, flamboyantly-dressed -- not to mention charismatic-- private eye John Shaft. The film Shaft (1971) spawned a genre, two sequels and a series. It made Roundtree a household name, and, for a while, one of the hottest box-office stars in Hollywood. As New York Times reviewer Vincent Canby put it: "Shaft is the sort of man who can drink five fingers of scotch without gagging or his eyes watering. He moves through Whitey's world with perfect ease and aplomb, but never loses his independence, or his awareness of where his life is really at." Rather aptly, Roundtree has been described as blaxploitation's James Bond.
Fame and success did not come at once. The son of Kathryn (a nurse and/or maid), and John Roundtree (employed variously as a garbage collector and caterer), Richard was born in New Rochelle, New York. During high school, he excelled at football and duly won an athletic scholarship at Southern Illinois University. However, he dropped out in 1963 and worked a succession of different jobs, including as janitor and salesman. He became a fashion model after being signed by Eunice Johnson of Ebony Magazine, later posing as an advertising model for a brand of hair grease and for Salem cigarettes. Deciding to give acting a go, Roundtree returned to New York to take drama lessons. In 1967, he joined the acclaimed Negro Ensemble Company, working alongside people like Robert Hooks, Rosalind Cash and Moses Gunn. He was soon cast in several off-Broadway productions and had a first headlining role as boxing legend Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope.
In 1971, Roundtree, then a virtual unknown in show biz, ignited the screen as the macho sleuth Shaft. Slickly directed by Gordon Parks and filmed on location in Harlem, Greenwich Village and Times Square, the picture was a tangible box-office hit, which satisfied both black and white audiences alike and likely saved a struggling MGM from impending bankruptcy. Shaft can also be said to have spawned the blaxploitation action genre of the 70s. Roundtree went on to star in two less successful sequels (Shaft's Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973)) and a series. He reprised his character for a 2000 motion picture which starred Samuel L. Jackson as John Shaft's nephew.
Down the line, Roundtree portrayed a few other robust characters: a Union army deserter teaming up with a crippled Indian to escape a sadistic bounty hunter in Charley-One-Eye (1973), a professional jewel thief in Diamonds (1975) (alternatively titled 'Diamond Shaft'-- a curious coincidence), a treasure hunter in Day of the Assassin (1979) and a Zimbabwean guerrilla in Game for Vultures (1979). By the mid-80s, however, the actor found himself increasingly relegated to the supporting cast as conventional establishment figures, often police or army officers.Television afforded him several good roles, notably in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries Roots (1977) and as former slave-turned gunslinger Isaiah "Ice" McAdams in Outlaws (1986). He subsequently had recurring roles in the cast of the soap Generations (1989) (as a doctor), the drama Being Mary Jane (2013) (as the titular talk show host's dad) and (as a grandfather) in the sitcom Family Reunion (2019).
Roundtree's accolades have included an MTV Lifetime Achievement Award for Shaft in 1994, a Peabody Award in 2002 and a Black Theater Alliance Award Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
Though diagnosed with male breast cancer in 1993 and having undergone both chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, Roundtree bravely soldiered on in his chosen profession and continued to act on screen right up to his death from pancreatic cancer on October 24 2023, at the age of 81.- David Arey was born on 27 September 1958 in Concord, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for Weekend at Bernie's (1989) and Burning Vengeance (1989). He died on 24 October 2023 in Concord, North Carolina, USA.
- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Steve Riley was born on 28 September 1964 in Springfield, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Point Break (1991), Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) and The Apostle (1997). He was married to Mary Louise. He died on 24 October 2023 in the USA.- Luis Pérez Pons was born on 17 October 1951 in Caracas, Venezuela. He was an actor, known for Somos Tu Y Yo Un Nuevo Dia (2009), El engaño (1989) and Guerra de mujeres (2001). He died on 24 October 2023 in Venezuela.
- Sharon Shackelford was born on 2 January 1953 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Blind Fury (1989). She was married to Thomas Campbell. She died on 24 October 2023 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Founder of two of the most important bands of heavy metal in Argentina V8 and Hermetica, now he is the singer and main composer of Almafuerte. His songs are very realistic urban stories dealing with themes related to the life of lower classes and Argentinian 'metalheads'. He played bass also on every band he played in but recently he choose Beto Ceriotti as the new bassist of Almafuerte. He still remains as singer of the band and main composer (mostly in the lyrical part).- Director
- Writer
Raul Alfonso was born in 1966 in Santa Clara, Cuba. Raul was a director and writer, known for Naturaleza Muerta (2012). Raul died on 24 October 2023 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Miyuki Ichijô was born on 23 August 1949 in Mizusawa [now Ôshû], Iwate, Japan. She was an actress, known for Detective Conan (1996), Project ARMS (2001) and Martian Successor Nadesico (1996). She died on 24 October 2023.
- Heinz-Günther Hüsch was born on 13 June 1929 in Karken, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He died on 24 October 2023 in Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Script and Continuity Department
- Writer
- Production Manager
Zsuzsa Bíró was born on 16 June 1933 in Budapest, Hungary. She was a writer and production manager, known for The Brother from Brooklyn (1995), Teketória (1977) and Szevasz, Vera (1967). She died on 24 October 2023 in Hungary.- Niels Holst Sørensen was born on 19 December 1922. He died on 24 October 2023.
- Wanda Póltawska was born on 2 November 1921 in Lublin, Lubelskie, Poland. She was a writer, known for The Island W, Television Theater (1953) and Macht der Wunder - Die Geheimnisse des Vatikans (2010). She was married to Andrzej Poltawska. She died on 24 October 2023 in Krakow, Poland.
- Christiane Collange was born on 29 October 1930 in Paris, France. She was a writer, known for Le troisième oeil (1971), 7 sur 7 (1981) and Questions pour un champion (1988). She was married to Jean Ferniot, Jean-François Coblenz and Jean Ravel. She died on 24 October 2023 in Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Seine-Maritime, France.
- John Cinti was born on 4 January 1959 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Stonewashed (2000). He died on 24 October 2023 in Daly City, California, USA.
- Anderl Molterer was born on 8 October 1931. He died on 24 October 2023.
- Barbara Steslowicz was born on 30 August 1936 in Lwów, Lwowskie, Poland [now Lviv, Ukraine]. She was an actress, known for Morderca zostawia slad (1967), Pobojowisko (1985) and Dulscy (1976). She died on 24 October 2023.
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Martín Jauregui was born on 8 January 1964 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Martín was a producer and director, known for La sequía (2019) and Cromo (2015). Martín died on 24 October 2023 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Stanlislav Potapov is known for The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Insomnia (2018) and Rok (2017). Stanlislav died on 24 October 2023.
- Malgorzata Kozlowska was born on 8 April 1942 in Przemysl, Poland. She was an actress, known for Botoks (2017), Botoks (2018) and Triumph of the Spirit (1989). She died on 24 October 2023.
- Arnold Diaz was born on 16 June 1949 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Shawn Callaghan. He died on 24 October 2023 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.
- Alberto Angel El Cuervo was born on 1 September 1950 in Nanchital, Veracruz, Mexico. He died on 24 October 2023 in Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico.