Richard Roundtree, best known for his role as Detective John Shaft in the ’70s action thriller “Shaft,” has died. He was 81.
Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, told The Associated Press the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.
“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”
Roundtree was a cancer survivor. Although he was initially quiet about it, Roundtree later became an advocate for raising awareness of the disease.
