Richard Roundtree has passed away at his home, and there’s no doubt his wife, family, and friends will be devastated by his death. But how much do you know about his family? We will discuss details of Richard Roundtree’s wife Mary Jane Grant and Karen Ciernia in this write-up.
Who is Richard Roundtree?
Richard Roundtree was born on July 9, 1942, in New Rochelle, New York, United States of America, to John Roundtree and Kathryn Watkins. attended New Rochelle High School, graduating in 1961.
During high school, Roundtree played for the school’s undefeated and nationally ranked football team. Following high school, Roundtree attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Roundtree dropped out of college in 1963 to begin his acting career.
Richard Roundtree began modelling in the Ebony Fashion Fair after being scouted by Eunice W. Johnson. After his modelling success with the Fashion Fair, Roundtree began modelling for such products as Johnson Products’ Duke hair grease and Salem cigarettes.
Richard Roundtree Career In Perspective
Richard Roundtree began his professional career around 1963 In 1967, Roundtree joined the Negro Ensemble Company. His first role while a part of the company was portraying boxing legend Jack Johnson in the company’s production of The Great White Hope. According to J. E. Franklin, he acted in the Off-Off-Broadway production of her play Mau Mau Room, by the Negro Ensemble CompanyWorkshop Festival, at St. Mark’s Playhouse in 1969, directed by Shauneille Perry.
Roundtree was a leading man in early 1970s blaxploitation films, his best-known role being detective John Shaft in the action movie, Shaft(1971) and its sequels, Shaft’s Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973). Roundtree also appeared opposite Laurence Olivier and Ben Gazzara in Inchon (1981). On television, he played the slave Sam Bennett in the 1977 television series Roots and Dr. Daniel Reubens on Generations from 1989 to 1991.
He played another private detective in 1984’s City Heatopposite Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds. Although Roundtree worked throughout the 1990s, many of his films were not well-received, but he found success elsewhere in stage plays.
During that period, however, he reemerged on the small screen as a cultural icon. On September 19, 1991, Roundtree appeared in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 with Vivica A. Fox. The episode was “Ashes to Ashes”, Roundtree playing Robinson Ashe Jr. Roundtree appeared in David Fincher’s critically acclaimed 1995 movie Seven, and in the 2000 Shaft, again as John Shaft, with Samuel L. Jackson playing the title character, who is described as the original Shaft’s nephew.
Richard Roundtree guest-starred in several episodes of the first season of Desperate Housewives as an amoral private detective. He also appeared in 1997’s George of the Jungle and played a high-school vice-principal in the 2005 movie, Brick. His voice was utilized as the title character in the hit PlayStation game Akuji the Heartless, where Akuji must battle his way out of the depths of Hell at the bidding of the Baron.
In 2019, Roundtree co-starred in the comedy film What Men Want and returned to the role of John Shaft in Shaft, a sequel to the 2000 film, opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Jessie Usher, who portray John Shaft II and John Shaft III, respectively. This time, Roundtree’s character was described as Jackson’s character’s father, while acknowledging that Roundtree had pretended to be Jackson’s Shaft’s uncle in the 2000 movie. He also starred in the movie, Family Reunion in 2019.
Richard Roundtree Death: How Did He Die
Richard Roundtree was confirmed dead on October 24, 2023, at the age of 81 and many have since been asking questions about what exactly could be Richard Roundtree’s cause of death. According to reports close to his family, Richard has been battling pancreatic cancer for some time now and has finally succumbed to the disease at his Los Angeles home.
Richard Roundtree Wife: was the actor married?
Richard Roundtree has been married twice throughout his life, but both ended in divorce with five children across those marriages. His first marriage was to Mary Jane Grant, whom he married on November 27, 1963. Richard and Mary Jane Grant had two children before divorcing in December 1973.
He dated actress and TV personality Cathy Lee Crosby shortly thereafter but decided to marry again. The actor later married Karen Ciernia in September 1980. Together, they had three children before they divorced in 1998.
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