Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several 含羞草研究社淪haft含羞草研究社� films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.

Roundtree含羞草研究社檚 longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said 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.

含羞草研究社淩ichard含羞草研究社檚 work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,含羞草研究社� McMinn said. 含羞草研究社淭he impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.含羞草研究社�

Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree含羞草研究社檚 first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.

Roundtree含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淪haft含羞草研究社� was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors 含羞草研究社� especially for leading roles 含羞草研究社� in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.

In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 my duty to please that booty.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲hat we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot 含羞草研究社檈m up,含羞草研究社� Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.

Isaac Hayes含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淪haft含羞草研究社� theme song 含羞草研究社� which included the line 含羞草研究社淵ou a bad mother含羞草研究社� (Shut your mouth)含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was 含羞草研究社渓ike the 含羞草研究社榮hot heard round the world.含羞草研究社� His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.

After the film含羞草研究社檚 success, Roundtree returned in sequels 含羞草研究社淪haft含羞草研究社檚 Big Score含羞草研究社� in 1972 and 含羞草研究社淪haft in Africa含羞草研究社� in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series 含羞草研究社淪haft,含羞草研究社� which lasted only seven episodes.

Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 含羞草研究社淪haft含羞草研究社� film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson含羞草研究社檚 uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.

Jackson called Roundtree the 含羞草研究社減rototype含羞草研究社� and the 含羞草研究社渂est to ever do it含羞草研究社� in a social media post.

含羞草研究社淪HAFT, as we know it is & will always be his Creation,含羞草研究社� he said of Roundtree. 含羞草研究社淗is passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I含羞草研究社檓 sure a lotta y含羞草研究社檃ll含羞草研究社檚, too.含羞草研究社�

Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including 含羞草研究社淓arthquake,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淢an Friday含羞草研究社� with Peter O含羞草研究社橳oole, 含羞草研究社淩oots,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淢aniac Cop含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淪e7en含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淲hat Men Want含羞草研究社� starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on 含羞草研究社淢agnum P.I.,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Love Boat,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淏eing Mary Jane含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Love Boat.含羞草研究社�

In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie & TV awards.

Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press