Gossett was the first Black man to win an Oscar for supporting actor. He also founded the Eracism Foundation to help create a world where racism doesn't exist.
Louis Gossett Jr. poses for a portrait in New York to promote the release of"Roots: The Complete Original Series" on Blu-ray on May 11, 2016.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.
"I knew too little to be nervous," Gossett wrote. "In retrospect, I should have been scared to death as I walked onto that stage, but I wasn't." He went on to become a star on Broadway, replacing Billy Daniels in "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964. Within minutes, he was stopped by eight sheriff's officers, who had him lean against the car and made him open the trunk while they called the car rental agency before letting him go.
In the late 1990s, Gossett said he was pulled over by police on Pacific Coast Highway while driving his restored 1986 Rolls Royce Corniche II. The officer told him he looked like someone they were searching for, but the officer recognized Gossett and left.Gossett made a series of guest appearances on such shows as "Bonanza," "The Rockford Files," "The Mod Squad," "McCloud" and a memorable turn with Richard Pryor on "The Partridge Family.
"More than anything, it was a huge affirmation of my position as a Black actor," he wrote in his memoir.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87Louis 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
Read more »
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87Louis 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.
Read more »
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87Louis 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.
Read more »
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87Louis 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.
Read more »
Louis Gossett Jr., 'An Officer and a Gentleman' star who broke barriers in Hollywood, diesLouis Gossett Jr. dies; actor broke barriers in Hollywood, winning an Oscar for 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and an Emmy for 'Roots'.
Read more »
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win the best supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win the best supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Read more »