PBoxOpening PBox

PBoxLoading your next world

Everything you’re watching, reading and playing.

Explore

Home Discover Movies TV Shows Anime Reels Search Library Calendar

Your space

Collections Rankings Episode Ratings Stats Community Messages Notifications

More

Open the Box Games Trailer Feed Comics Books Providers What's New Settings Help

Find something new

Movies Discover Lists Library Help

Track your stories and discover where to watch. Pandora’s Box does not host movies or episodes. Artwork and catalogue data belong to their respective providers.

Privacy Cookies Terms Contact

© 2026 Pandora’s Box · Data by TMDB, AniList & more

Home Discover Search Library

Richard Roundtree

Cast & creator

Richard Roundtree

1942-07-09 (died at 81) New Rochelle, New York, USAIMDb

Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mentalist, Grey's Anatomy

Richard Arnold Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor. He is noted as being "the first black action hero" for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft, and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his performance in the original film, he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972. Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was cremated at Chapel of the Pines Crematory. His family hosted a memorial service for him at Saint Catherine African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Rochelle, New York on February 17, 2024.

Also known as: Richard Arnold Roundtree

Movies

100

film credits

Series

55

television credits

Career

153

1961–2025 · acting roles

Credit score

6.1

average across scored titles

Signature credits

Known for

Ordered by popularity

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self · 1962

The Mentalist

The Mentalist

Floyd Benton · 2008

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

Donald Burke · 2005

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

Self · 1961

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

Mr. Shaw · 2004

Across film & television

Filmography (155)

Search filmography

Showing 155 of 155 credits

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self

The Mentalist

The Mentalist

Floyd Benton

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

Donald Burke

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

Self

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

Mr. Shaw

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire

Wallace Boden, Sr.

Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210

Robinson Ashe Jr.

MacGyver

MacGyver

R.T. Hines

Heroes

Heroes

Charles Deveaux

The Closer

The Closer

Col. D.B. Walter

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

Dave Wilbur

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

Kevin Cooper

Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

Peter Jordan

Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel

Murray

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

Judge Ira Menday

Private Practice

Private Practice

Raymond McCray

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

'Barracuda' Jim Barnes

21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

Ben Halley

Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

Don Bennett

A Different World

A Different World

Clinton Reese

Renegade

Renegade

Profiler

Profiler

Det. James Henegar

Dinah!

Dinah!

Self

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Dr. Mumford

Django Unchained

Django Unchained

Thanks

Close to Home

Cyrus Carter

Se7en

Se7en

Talbot

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

General (uncredited)

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Chester Cooper

Star

Charles Floyd

The Wayans Bros.

The Wayans Bros.

Dr. Saunders

Dream On

Dream On

Dr. Charles

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Grandpa

Vicki!

Self

CHiPs

CHiPs

Sgt. Aikens

Amen

Amen

Being Mary Jane

Being Mary Jane

Paul Patterson, Sr.

Roots

Roots

Sam Bennett

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

Self

Alias

Alias

Brill

Blade: The Series

Blade: The Series

Lincoln Heights

Lincoln Heights

Speed Racer

Speed Racer

Ben Burns

George of the Jungle

George of the Jungle

Kwame

What Men Want

What Men Want

Skip Davis

The Player

The Player

Samuel Letts

Masquerade

Masquerade

Mean Willy

Soul Food

Soul Food

Hardy Lester

Hollywood Beat

Hollywood Beat

Roc

Roc

Russell Emerson

A.D.

A.D.

Serpenius

Shaft

Shaft

"Uncle" John Shaft

Maniac Cop

Maniac Cop

Commissioner Pike

Undercover Brother

Undercover Brother

John Shaft (archive footage) (uncredited)

Shaft

Shaft

John Shaft, Sr.

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

Self - Narrator (voice)

Buddies

Buddies

Henry Carlisle

Thelma

Thelma

Ben

Thelma

Thelma

In Memory Of

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event

Grandpa

Earthquake

Earthquake

Miles Quade

Corky Romano

Corky Romano

Howard Shuster

Theodore Rex

Theodore Rex

Commissioner Lynch

Boat Trip

Boat Trip

Felicia's Dad

Brick

Brick

Assistant V.P. Trueman

Shaft

Shaft

John Shaft

Steel

Steel

Uncle Joe

An Eye for an Eye

An Eye for an Eye

Capt. Stevens

Antitrust

Antitrust

Lyle Barton

413 Hope St.

413 Hope St.

Phil Thomas

Q

Powell

Moving On

Moving On

Ralph

Escape to Athena

Escape to Athena

Nat Judson

Rescue 77

Rescue 77

Captain Durfee

Breakdown: 1975

Breakdown: 1975

Self (Shaft- archive footage)

Bonanza: The Return

Bonanza: The Return

Jacob Briscoe

Moscacieca

Gray

City Heat

City Heat

Dehl Swift

Outlaws

Outlaws

Isaiah 'Ice' McAdams

Shaft's Big Score!

Shaft's Big Score!

John Shaft

Amityville: A New Generation

Amityville: A New Generation

Pauli

Angel III: The Final Chapter

Angel III: The Final Chapter

Lt. Doniger

Shaft

Shaft

John Shaft

Shaft in Africa

Shaft in Africa

John Shaft

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight

Samuel Stark

Body of Influence

Body of Influence

Harry Reams

Party Line

Party Line

Captain Barnes

Nationtime: Gary

Nationtime: Gary

Self

The Banker

The Banker

Lloyd

Bonanza: Under Attack

Bonanza: Under Attack

Jacob

Diary of a Single Mom

Diary of a Single Mom

Lou Bailey

Man Friday

Man Friday

Friday

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

Tahsi

Hawaiian Gardens

Hawaiian Gardens

M.O.

Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family

Speed Racer: Wonderful World of Racing - The Amazing Racer Family

Ben Burns

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

Haunting of the Mary Celeste

Tulls

One Down, Two to Go

One Down, Two to Go

Ralph

Sins of the Night

Sins of the Night

Les

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Booker T. Washington

Bad Jim

Bad Jim

July

Inchon

Inchon

Sgt. Augustus Henderson

Point of Entry

Point of Entry

Miles Porter

Ladies of the House

Ladies of the House

Stan

A Family Reunion Christmas

A Family Reunion Christmas

Jebidiah McKellan

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored

Cleve

Final Approach

Final Approach

Gary Markash

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Self

Painkiller Jane

Painkiller Jane

Colonel Watts

Young Warriors

Young Warriors

Sergeant John Austin

Opposing Force

Opposing Force

Stafford

Vegas Vampires

Vegas Vampires

Rick Apping

Original Gangstas

Original Gangstas

Slick

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

Cleon Manning

Day of the Assassin

Day of the Assassin

Fessler

Daddy Can't Read

Daddy Can't Read

Jason Ruigh

Crack House

Crack House

Lt. Johnson

Just an Overnight Guest

Just an Overnight Guest

Christmas in Connecticut

Christmas in Connecticut

Prescott

Portrait of a Hitman

Portrait of a Hitman

Coco Morrell

The Baron and the Kid

The Baron and the Kid

Frosty

BaadAsssss Cinema

BaadAsssss Cinema

Self

Night Visitor

Night Visitor

Captain Crane

All The Days Before Tomorrow

All The Days Before Tomorrow

El Doctor

A Time to Die

A Time to Die

Captain Ralph Phipps

Jocks

Jocks

Chip

Game for Vultures

Game for Vultures

Gideon Marunga

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

Interracial Couple

Joe and Max

Joe and Max

Jack Blackburn

The Fifth Missile

The Fifth Missile

Cmdr. Frederick Bryce

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location

Self

Men Cry in the Dark

Men Cry in the Dark

Mind Twister

Mind Twister

Frank Webb

Wild Seven

Wild Seven

Lee Marvin / Cleetus Woods

Killpoint

Killpoint

Agent Bill Bryant

Any Place But Home

Any Place But Home

Gil Oberman

Getting Even

Getting Even

Dundee

The Big Score

The Big Score

Gordon

Black as the Heart

Black as the Heart

Rod

Harlem to Hollywood

Harlem to Hollywood

Self

Deadly Rivals

Deadly Rivals

Agent Peterson

Firehouse

Firehouse

Shelly Forsythe

Charley-One-Eye

Charley-One-Eye

The Black Man

Ballistic

Ballistic

Harold

The Confidant

The Confidant

Claude

Gypsy Angels

Gypsy Angels

Dr. Carlson

Al's Lads

Al's Lads

Boom-Boom

Embassy

Embassy

Dick Shannon

Retreat!

Retreat!

Henshaw

Whatever She Wants

Whatever She Wants

Theodore Wolf

Miami Cops

Miami Cops

Gamble

Collar

Collar

Alonzo Sparks

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks

Listen to a Stranger: An Interview with Gordon Parks

Self / Shaft (archive footage)

Set Apart

Set Apart

J.T.

Shadows of Desire

Shadows of Desire

Dunc

Diamonds

Diamonds

Archie