RIP Lou Gossett Jr

[CardsofSTL]

Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.

Gossett’s first cousin Neal L. Gossett told The Associated Press that the actor died in Santa Monica, California. A statement from the family said Gossett died Friday morning. No cause of death was revealed.

Gossett broke through on the small screen as Fiddler in the groundbreaking 1977 miniseries “Roots,” which depicted the atrocities of slavery on TV. The sprawling cast included Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton and John Amos.

Gossett became the third Black Oscar nominee in the supporting actor category in 1983. He won for his performance as the intimidating Marine drill instructor in “An Officer and a Gentleman” opposite Richard Gere and Debra Winger. He also won a Golden Globe for the same role.

Didn't hear about his passing until today when I looked him up because I happened on an episode of Stargate SG1 where he was a guest star. I read his autobiography a couple years back...good read from an interesting individual.

[JoeMcKim]

Diggstown and Iron Eagle are both great movies.

[mikechamp]

I will always remember him for "Iron Eagle".

[sighyoung]

I saw Gossett in a lot of movies and tv shows when I was growing up, but it wasn't until later that I realized that he played a significant role in the development of African American theater from the 1950s onward, including being an original cast member in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway in 1959, and later on appearing in the film. Evidently, he was training with the New York Knicks at the time, but he could make more money as an actor than as an athlete, and so he took the role (his third on Broadway, incidentally).

[CardsofSTL]

I saw Gossett in a lot of movies and tv shows when I was growing up, but it wasn't until later that I realized that he played a significant role in the development of African American theater from the 1950s onward, including being an original cast member in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway in 1959, and later on appearing in the film. Evidently, he was training with the New York Knicks at the time, but he could make more money as an actor than as an athlete, and so he took the role (his third on Broadway, incidentally).

You should read his book.

[sighyoung]

You should read his book.

I will definitely look for it.