A few years after winning an Emmy for his role as a wily fiddler in Roots, Louis Gossett Jr. won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a tough drill instructor in 1982's An Officer and a Gentleman. He died, the Associated Press reported. He was 87 years old.
Gossett's Sergeant in Taylor Hackford's An Officer and a Gentleman, and Emile Foley's memorable portrayal of Richard Gere's character on the brink of collapse at Naval Flight School. Gossett became the first black man to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
In addition to An Officer and a Gentleman, Gossett is best known for the film Enemy Mine (1985). In the film, he played an alien who is forced to come to terms with humanity's enemies when he encounters an astronaut played by Dennis Quaid. Stranded on a Planet In Iron Eagle (1986), he played an Air Force veteran who helps a young pilot search for his shot down and captured father.
After winning an Emmy for “Roots” in 1978, Gossett was nominated for six more Emmys over the years. He received a nomination for his role as the Egyptian president who made peace with Israel in the 1983 TV movie Sadat. He was also nominated for his performance in the 1978 variety special “The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots.” For his role as Levi Mercer in the 1979 NBC miniseries “Backstairs at the White House.” Best Actor in a Drama Series for “Palmerstown, USA'' in 1981. Best Actor in a Miniseries or Special for Volker Schlondorff's The Old Man (1987), co-starring Richard Widmark and Holly Hunter; In 1997, he had multiple appearances as Anderson Walker on CBS's “Touched by an Angel.''
Gossett, who is still active in his late 70s, guest-starred on HBO's Boardwalk Empire in 2013, playing a mentor to Michael Kenneth Williams' character Chalky who reunites with him while on the run. remains in my memory.
He recently reprized his role as Quinn in CBS's Halle Berry sci-fi thriller “The Extant,” and has starred in films such as “Madam Secretary” (2014), “Psycho” (2012) and “ER” (2009). He also appeared as a guest on the series and IFC programs. A parody of the miniseries “The Spoils Before Dying” (2015).
Gossett, who gained widespread attention for the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, starred in another miniseries about slavery in 2015, BET's The Book of Negroes.
Questioner variety When asked in 2015 which of her roles was her favorite, Gossett answered: It was a challenge to play a character with such a history. His spirit was very similar to Mandela. He transitioned from a hawk to a dove. He lost his brother and loved ones. He is willing to step into Israel in the name of peace, he said. Mr. Mandela intended to come out of prison with a smile on his face. ”
Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at the age of 17 in his school performance “You Can't Take It With You.” His sports injury led him to decide to take acting classes. He also battled polio while growing up. Although he was offered an athletic scholarship to attend New York University at his own expense, the tall young man could have played varsity basketball there, but he turned it down in favor of theatrical pursuits. .
Despite having no formal training as an actor, Gossett had already made his Broadway debut in 1953, replacing Bill Gunn as Spencer Scott in Take a Giant Step. The New York Times drama critic named it one of Broadway's top 10 shows. Year. He first mentioned variety For his work in the play.
Other Broadway productions include the classic original production, “A Raisin in the Sun,” which ran from 1959 to 1960. In the film, he played George Murchison, the wealthy and educated boyfriend of Younger's daughter Beneatha. George, who denies his African heritage, represents a fully assimilated black man. Gossett made his screen debut, reprising the role in the 1961 film version of A Raisin in the Sun. (Previously, he had a small role in the original comedy The Desk Set, which luckily was also a big hit.)
In 1963, Gossett starred as Rialto in the Langston Hughes novel Tambourine to Glory, and played the Mephistophelian character in the controversial hit musical Golden Boy, starring Sammy Davis Jr. He acted as a stand-in for boxing promoter Eddie Satin. He was also one of the stars of the original musical Zulu and Zaida, about a Jewish man and a black man bridging the racial divide in Johannesburg.
In 1968, Gossett co-starred with Diane Ladd and others in Sidney Poitier's play Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights, and in 1971, Gossett co-starred with Diane Ladd and others in Sidney Poitier's play Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights. He played Patrice Lumumba.
Decades later, in 2002, Gossett returned to Broadway as the understudy for lead actor Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago.
As one of the show's executive producers, Gossett shared the 1997 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special for “In His Father's Shoes,” which also won him the Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special. was also nominated. He played a man stricken with cancer who shares a magical experience with his son.
He was also nominated for the Distinguished Class of Excellence for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake Paralympic Winter Games, where he served as narrator.
Later in her career, Gossett continued to play roles in television and movies. He starred in the acclaimed seven-episode HBO miniseries “Watchmen,” and in the lead role in the 2020 religious drama “The Reason.” He also appeared in the 2023 remake of The Color Purple.
Gossett was married three times. His first marriage to Hattie Glascow was annulled in 1964. He was married to Christina Mangosing (he was married from 1973 to 1975 and had one child) and actress Cindy James Gossett (1987 to 1992). Both of these marriages ended in divorce.
Survivors include the son of producer Sati Gossett, of Mungosing; He has an adopted child, Sharon, with Cindy James Gossett. and his nephew actor Robert Gossett.