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Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He was a folk singer in the 1960s. He is best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, winning him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also won an Emmy Award for his role as Fiddler in the 1977 ABC television miniseries Roots.
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Gossett has also starred in numerous other film productions including A Raisin in the Sun, The Landlord, Skin Game, Travels with My Aunt, The Laughing Policeman, The White Dawn, The Deep, Jaws 3-D, Wolfgang Petersen's Enemy Mine, The Principal, the Iron Eagle series, Toy Soldiers and The Punisher, in an acting career that spans over five decades.[1][2][3][4][5]
Filmography edit
Film edit
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | A Raisin in the Sun | George Murchison | |
| 1969 | The Bushbaby | Tembo | |
| 1970 | The Landlord | Copee | |
| 1971 | Skin Game | Jason O'Rourke | |
| 1972 | Travels with My Aunt | Zachary / 'Wordsworth' | |
| 1973 | The Laughing Policeman | Inspector James Larrimore | |
| 1974 | The White Dawn | Portagee | |
| 1976 | The River Niger | Dr. Dudley Stanton | |
| J. D.'s Revenge | Reverend Elija Bliss | ||
| 1977 | The Deep | Henri Cloche | |
| The Choirboys | Calvin Motts | ||
| 1980 | It Rained All Night the Day I Left | Leo Garcia | |
| 1982 | An Officer and a Gentleman | Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley | |
| 1983 | Jaws 3-D | Calvin Bouchard | |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | Century | |
| The Guardian | John Mack | ||
| 1985 | Enemy Mine | Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan | |
| 1986 | Iron Eagle | Colonel Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | |
| Firewalker | Leo Porter | ||
| 1987 | The Principal | Jake Phillips | |
| 1988 | Iron Eagle II | Colonel / Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | |
| 1989 | The Punisher | Detective Jake Berkowitz | |
| 1991 | Cover Up | CIA Chief Lou Jackson | |
| Toy Soldiers | Dean Parker | ||
| 1992 | Aces: Iron Eagle III | Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | |
| Diggstown | Roy 'Honey Roy' Palmer | ||
| 1993 | Monolith | Captain MacCandless | |
| 1994 | Flashfire | Ben Durand | |
| Blue Chips | Father Dawkins | Uncredited | |
| A Good Man in Africa | Professor Sam Adekunle | ||
| Curse of the Starving Class | Ellis | ||
| 1995 | Iron Eagle on the Attack | Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair (Ret.) | |
| 1996 | Managua | Paul | |
| 1997 | The Wall That Heals | Narrator | |
| Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy | Corbeck | ||
| 1999 | Terminal Countdown | Morgan | |
| 2000 | The Highwayman | Phil Bishop | |
| 2002 | Deceived | Colonel David Garrett | Direct-to-video release |
| 2005 | Window | Ralph Stanley | Part of African American Short Films[6] |
| Left Behind: World at War | President Gerald Fitzhugh | ||
| 2006 | All In | Caps | |
| Club Soda | 'Doc' | ||
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Willie | |
| Cover | Detective Hicks | ||
| 2008 | The Perfect Game | Cool Papa Bell | |
| Delgo | Zahn | Voice | |
| 2009 | Dog Jack | Grown Up Jed | |
| Shannon's Rainbow | Max Donovan | ||
| The Least Among You | Samuel Benton | ||
| 2010 | Smitty | Mr. Smith | |
| Why Did I Get Married Too? | Porter | ||
| 2011 | The Grace Card | George Wright | |
| A Fonder Heart | Glen | ||
| The Lamp | The Genie | ||
| 2012 | The Undershepherd | Bishop Redford | |
| 2014 | A Fighting Man | 'Cubby' | |
| The Dependables | Lou Jones | ||
| 2015 | Boiling Pot | Detective Haven | |
| 2017 | Undercover Grandpa | Mother | |
| Double Play | 'Coco' | ||
| Breaking Brooklyn | Miles Bryant | ||
| 2019 | Foster Boy | Judge | |
| The Cuban | Luis Garcia | ||
| Supervized | Pendle | ||
| 2021 | Not to Forget | Pastor John | |
| 2022 | Three Months | Benny | |
| 2023 | Outlaw Johnny Black | Reverend Tharrington | Uncredited voice |
| The Color Purple | Ol' Mister | ||
| 2024 | IF † | Lewis | Voice, completed, posthumous release |
| TBA | Soul to Keep † | Mr. G | Post-production, posthumous release |
| Sln † | Elijah | Post-production, posthumous release | |
| Awaken the Reaper † | Dr. Benjamin Locke | In production, posthumous release | |
| Unplugged † | Amos Burton | Voice, in production, posthumous release |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Big Story | Jamie Goodwin | Episode: "The Stubbornest Man" |
| 1962 | The Nurses | William Taylor | Episode: "The Prisoner" |
| 1967–1968 | Cowboy in Africa | Fulah / Hemera | Episode: "Fang and Claw" Episode: "The Quiet Death" |
| 1968 | The Invaders | Ollie | Episode: "The Vise" |
| Daktari | Mkono | Episode: "Adam and Jenny" | |
| Companions in Nightmare | Lieutenant Adam McKay | NBC television film | |
| 1968–1972 | The Mod Squad | 'Smitty' (1968) Lloyd (1969) Charley Jameson (1972) |
Episode: "When Smitty Comes Marching Home" (1968) Episode: "The Uptight Town" (1969) Episode: "Can You Hear Me Out There?" (1972) |
| 1970 | The Bill Cosby Show | 'Hurricane' Smith | Episode: "The Return of Big Bad Bubba Bronson" |
| 1970–1971 | The Young Rebels | Isak Poole | 15 episodes |
| 1971 | Big Fish, Little Fish | Jimmie Luton | Television film |
| The Partridge Family | Sam | Episode: "Soul Club" | |
| Bonanza | Buck Walter | Episode: "The Desperado" | |
| Longstreet | Sergeant Cory | Episode: "The Way of the Intercepting Fist" | |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Dr. Karnes | Episode: "One Lonely Step" | |
| Alias Smith and Jones | Joe Sims | Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" | |
| Cade's County | Unknown | Episode: "The Alien Land" | |
| 1972 | The Living End | Doug Newman | CBS television pilot |
| The Rookies | Toby Jones | Episode: "Covenant with Death" | |
| Love, American Style | Freddy | Segment: "Love and the Christmas Punch..." | |
| 1973 | Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law | Unknown | Episode: "An Often and Familiar Ghost" |
| The Fuzz Brothers | Francis Fuzz | ABC television pilot | |
| 1974 | It's Good to Be Alive | Sam Brockington | CBS television film |
| Sidekicks | Jason O'Rourke | TV remake of Gossett's 1971 Skin Game CBS television film | |
| McCloud | Dewey Justin | Episode: "Shivaree on Delancy Street" | |
| The New Land | Simon York | Episode: "The Word is: Dignity" (never aired) | |
| 1974–1975 | Petrocelli | District Attorney Kurt Olson | Episode: "A Very Lonely Lady" and "A Fallen Idol" |
| Good Times | Donald Knight / Uncle Wilbert | Episode: "Thelma's Young Man" Episode: "Michael's Big Fall" | |
| 1975 | Insight | The Man | Episode: "The Man from Inner Space" |
| Lucas Tanner | Bobby Koball | Episode: "Bonus Baby" | |
| Black Bart | Bart 'Black Bart' | CBS television film | |
| Delancey Street: The Crisis Within | Otis James | NBC television film | |
| Caribe | David Wallace | Episode: "The Assassin" | |
| Harry O | Cleon Jackson | Episode: "Shades" | |
| The Jeffersons | Wendell Brown | Episode: "George's Best Friend" | |
| The Six Million Dollar Man | O'Flaherty | Episode: "Clark Templeton O'Flaherty" | |
| 1975–1976 | Police Story | Freddie / Virgil Barnes | Episode: "The Cut Man Caper" Episode: "50 Cents-First Half Hour, $1.75 All Day" |
| 1976 | Little House on the Prairie | Henry Hill | Episode: "The Long Road Home" |
| The Rebels | Unknown | ||
| 1976–1977 | The Rockford Files | Marcus 'Gabby' Hayes | Episode: Foul on the First Play and Just Another Polish Wedding |
| 1977 | Little Ladies of the Night | Russ Garfield | ABC television film |
| Roots | Fiddler | ABC miniseries | |
| Visions | Rex | Episode: "Freeman" | |
| 1978 | The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots | Himself | Television special |
| To Kill a Cop | Everett Walker | Uncredited role; NBC television film | |
| The Critical List | Lem Harper | NBC television film | |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Levi Mercer | NBC miniseries |
| Lawman Without a Gun | Tom Hayward | NBC television film | |
| The Lazarus Syndrome | Dr. MacArthur St. Clair | ABC television film | |
| 1980 | Palmerstown, USA | Fredrick Douglas Jackson | Episode: Future City |
| 1981 | Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige | Leroy 'Satchel' Paige | ABC television film |
| 1982 | American Playhouse | Unknown | Episode: "Zora Is My Name!" |
| Benny's Place | Benny Moore | ABC television film | |
| Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "Louis Gossett Jr/George Thorogood & the Destroyers" | |
| 1982–1983 | The Powers of Matthew Star | Walter 'Walt' Shepherd / D'Hai | 22 episodes |
| 1983 | Sadat | Anwar al-Sadat | Television miniseries |
| 1984 | The Guardian | John Mack | Television film |
| 1987 | A Gathering of Old Men | Mathu | CBS television film |
| The Father Clements Story | Father Clements | NBC television film | |
| 1988 | Sam Found Out: A Triple Play | Unknown | ABC television film |
| Goodbye, Miss 4th of July | John 'Big John' Creed | Disney Channel television film | |
| Roots: The Gift | Fiddler | ABC television film | |
| Straight Up | Cosmo | 2 episodes | |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver | Gideon Oliver | 5 episodes |
| 1990 | El Diablo | Van Leek | HBO television film |
| Sudie and Simpson | Simpson | Television film | |
| 1991 | The Josephine Baker Story | Sidney Williams | HBO television film |
| Carolina Skeletons | James Bragg | NBC television film | |
| 1991–1992 | Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Commander Clash | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 1992 | Keeper of the City | Detective James Dela | Television film |
| 1993 | Story of a People | Host | Miniseries |
| Gridiron Gang | Host | Documentary film | |
| Father & Son: Dangerous Relations | Unknown | NBC television film | |
| Return to Lonesome Dove | Isom Pickett | Miniseries | |
| 1994 | Picket Fences | Rick Jennings | Episode: "Terms of Estrangement" |
| Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice | Ray Alexander | NBC television film | |
| 1995 | A Father for Charlie | Walter Osgood | CBS television film |
| Zooman | Rueben Tate | Television movie | |
| Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder | Ray Alexander | Television movie | |
| 1996 | Captive Heart: The James Mink Story | James Mink | Television movie |
| Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story | Bob Kersee | Television film | |
| Inside | Questioner | Television film | |
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Anderson Walker | Episode: "Amazing Grace" |
| To Dance with Olivia | Daniel Stewart | CBS television film | |
| In His Father's Shoes | Frank Crosby / Richard | Showtime television film | |
| Early Edition | Jim Matthews | Episode: "The Medal" | |
| Ellen | Sergeant Timko | Episode: "G.I. Ellen" | |
| 1998 | Inspectors | Inspector Frank Hughes | Showtime television film |
| 1999 | Love Songs | Reuben | Segment: "A Love Song for Dad" |
| Strange Justice | Vernon Jordan | Showtime television film | |
| 2000 | Dr. Lucille | David Mulera | Television film |
| The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence | Inspector Frank Hughes | Showtime television film | |
| The Color of Love: Jacey's Story | Lou Hastings | CBS television film | |
| 2001 | For Love of Olivia | Daniel Stewart | CBS television film |
| 2002 | Opening Ceremony Salt Lake Paralympic Winter Games | Narrator | Television special |
| What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway | Dr. Barnes | UPN television film | |
| Resurrection Blvd. | Ezekiel 'Zeke' Grant | Episode: "En Un Momento" and "Esperando Lagrimas" | |
| 2003 | The Dead Zone | Pastor David Lewis | Episode: "Zion" |
| Jasper, Texas | R.C. Horn | Television movie | |
| Momentum | Raymond Addison | SCI FI television film | |
| 2004 | Half & Half | Ray Willis | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Solar Attack | President Ryan Gordon | Direct-to-DVD release |
| Lackawanna Blues | Ol'lem Taylor | HBO television film | |
| 2005–2006 | Stargate SG-1 | Gerak | 5 episodes |
| 2006 | Family Guy | Drill Sergeant | Voice, episode: "Saving Private Brian" |
| 2007 | The Batman | Lucius Fox | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2009 | ER | Leo Malcolm | Episode: "The Family Man" |
| 2012 | Psych | Lloyd | Episode: "Heeeeere's Lassie" |
| 2013 | Boardwalk Empire | Oscar Boneau | Episode: "Havre de Grace" |
| 2014 | Madam Secretary | Father Laurent Vasseur | Episode: "The Call" |
| 2014–2015 | Extant | Quinn | Recurring; 4 episodes |
| 2015 | The Book of Negroes | Daddy Moses | 2 episodes |
| The Spoils Before Dying | Duke Webster | Episode: "The Trip Trap" | |
| 2017 | The Good Fight | Carl Reddick | Episode: "Reddick v Boseman" |
| 2018 | Hap and Leonard | Bacon | 6 episodes |
| Hawaii Five-0 | Percy Grover Sr. | Episode: "Lele pū nā manu like" (Hawaiian for: "Birds of a Feather...") | |
| 2019 | Watchmen | Will Reeves / Hooded Justice | 7 episodes |
| 2022–2023 | Kingdom Business | Jeremiah | 2 episodes |
Video games edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Half-Life 2 | Vortigaunts | Voice | [7] |
| 2006 | Half-Life 2: Episode One |
Theatre edit
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Take a Giant Step | Spencer Scott | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway debut | |
| 1955 | The Desk Set | Kenny | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1959 | A Raisin in the Sun | George Murchinson | Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1963 | Tambourines to Glory | Big-Eyed Buddy Lomax | Little Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1964 | Golden Boy | Frank | Majestic Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1965 | The Zulu and the Zayda | Paulus | Cort Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1966 | My Sweet Charlie | Charles Roberts | Longacre Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1968 | Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights | Willie Nurse | John Golden Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1971 | Murderous Angels | Patricia Lumumba | Playhouse Theatre | |
| 2002 | Chicago | Billy Flynn | Ambassador Theatre | |
| 2006 | Dvorak's New World: Chamber Music Plus | Narrator | Venue | [8][9] |
Awards and nominations edit
References edit
- ^ Marble, Steve (March 29, 2024). "Louis Gossett Jr., 'An Officer and a Gentleman' star who broke barriers in Hollywood, dies". Los Angeles Times – via Yahoo!.
- ^ Dagan, Carmel (March 29, 2024). "Louis Gossett Jr., 'An Officer and a Gentleman' Oscar Winner, Dies at 87". Variety – via MSN.com.
- ^ Harris, Beth; Kennedy, Mark; Hall, Kristin (March 29, 2024). "ENTERTAINMENT: Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies". Associated Press News.
- ^ Franklin, Garth (March 29, 2024). "Louis Gossett Jr. Dies At 87". Dark Horizons.
- ^ Barnes, Mike; Byrge, Duane (March 29, 2024). "Louis Gossett Jr., Star of 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and 'Roots,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "African American Short Films". TVGuide.com.
- ^ Wilde, Tyler (29 March 2024). "Actor Louis Gossett Jr, who voiced Half-Life 2's vortigaunts, has died". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Dvorak's New World". CMP South West. 3 December 2006. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
- ^ Reel, James (30 November 2006). "Burleigh's Greatest Hits". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 26 November 2018.