Louis Gossett Jr. Dies

Louis Gossett Jr. is a highly acclaimed American actor, best known for his versatile performances across film, television, and stage. Born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, Gossett grew up in a creative environment; his father was a porter and his mother was a nurse’s aide. Gossett discovered his passion for acting at an early age and attended New York University on a basketball scholarship, where he initially studied acting.

He later transferred to acting full-time at the Actors Studio. Gossett’s early career saw him making strides on stage, appearing in various Broadway productions. He gained recognition for his role in the Broadway production of “A Raisin in the Sun” in 1959. His breakthrough on screen came with his role as Fiddler in the groundbreaking television miniseries “Roots” (1977), for which he won an Emmy Award.

This performance not only showcased his immense talent but also made him the first African American male to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Prior to “Roots” he appeared in televion shows including “The Big Story” (1958), “The Invaders” (1968), “Daktari” (1968),

“The Bill Cosby Show” (1970), “The Partridge Family” (1971), “Bonanza” (1971), “Alias Smith and Jones” (1971), “The Rookies” (1972), “Love, American Style” (1972), “The Mod Squad” (1968-1972 3 Ep), “McCloud” (1974), “Petrocelli” (1974-1975 2 Ep), “Good Times” (1974-1975 2 Ep),

“Harry O” (1975), “The Jeffersons” (1975), “The Six Million Dollar Man” (1975), “Police Story” (1975-1976 2 Ep), “Little House on the Prairie” (1976), and The Rockford Files (1976-1977 2 Ep). After the success of roots he performed in television such as “Saturday Night Live” (1982 – Host), “The Powers of Matthew Star” (1982-1983 22 Ep), “Roots: The Gift” 1988 TV movie),

“Captain Planet and the Planeteers” (1991-1992 Voiced 3 Ep.), “Return to Lonesome Dove” (1993 Miniseries), “Picket Fences” (1994), “Touched by an Angel” (1997), “Ellen” (1997), “The Dead Zone” (2003), “Stargate SG-1” (2005-2006 5 Ep), “Family Guy” (2006 Voice), “ER” (2009), “Psych” (2012), “Hawaii Five-0” (2018), and “Watchmen” (2019 7 Ep). He began his film career in the movie version of the Broadway play, “A Raisin in the Sun” 1961).

Alternating with his television appearances he appeared in films including “Skin Game” (1971 also starring James Garner, Susan Clark, Ed Asner), “The River Niger” (1976 also starring James Earl Jones, and Cicely Tyson), The Deep (1977 starring Robert Shaw, Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte),

“An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982 as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, also starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger), “Jaws 3-D” (1982 also starring Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, and Simon MacCorkindale), “Finders Keepers” (1984 also starring Michael O’Keefe, Beverly D’Angelo, and Brian Dennehy), “Enemy Mine” (1985 also starring Dennis Quaid), “Iron Eagle” (1986 also starring Jason Gedrick), “Firewalker” (1986 also starring Chuck Norris), “Iron Eagle II” (1988),

“The Punisher” (1989 also starring Dolph Lungren), “Aces: Iron Eagle III” (1992), “Iron Eagle on the Attack” (1995), and “Bram Stoker’s Legend of the Mummy” (1997).

Gossett’s personal life has seen its share of ups and downs. He has been married three times and has children from his previous marriages. Despite facing challenges, including health issues, Gossett has remained resilient and continued to pursue his passion for acting, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

Louis Gossett Jr. had made a full recovery from Prostate Cancer, dicovered in 2010. In late December 2020, Gossett was hospitalized in Georgia with COVID-19. He died at a rehabilitation center in Santa Monica, California, on Friday March 29, 2024, at the age of 87. No cause of death was given. He is survived by two sons, Satie and Sharron.