Everything you need to know about Richard Roundtree's family as Shaft actor dies aged 81
Actor Richard Roundtree, best known for his role in Shaft (1971), has passed away at the age of 81. The star had two wives in his lifetime and was a father to five children.
Who were Richard Roundtree’s two wives?
In his lifetime, the famous Shaft actor was married twice. His first marriage was with Mary Jane Grant. The couple tied the knot in 1963 and remained married for 10 years until 1973, sharing two children.
The Generations actor’s second wife was Karen M. Cierna. The couple had three children during their marriage which ended in 1998.
Who are Richard Roundtree’s children?
Richard, who was dubbed Hollywood’s “first Black action hero”, is survived by his four daughters Kelli, Nicole, Tayler, and Morgan as well as a son, John Roundtree, 24. Despite his fame, the star kept his personal life under wraps and away from media attention.
👉 For more insights, check out this resource.
Richard Roundtree died from pancreatic cancer
The star died on Tuesday, October 24 at the age of 81, in his Los Angeles home. The Shaft actor’s manager, Patrick McMinn, revealed his cause of death as pancreatic cancer. As per the New York Times, McMinn revealed that Richard was diagnosed with the disease just two months ago.
This wasn’t the first time Richard battled cancer. The actor was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1993. He survived the illness and became a huge advocate for breast cancer awareness among men.
👉 Discover more in this in-depth guide.
He went on to appear in many more acting roles after his initial recovery. Richard starred in films like Deadly Rivals, Sins of the Night, Once Upon a Time… When We Were Colored, Buddies, Rescue 77, Dairy of a Single Mom and more.
The actor’s most recent roles were in Family Reunion (2019-2022), Cherish the Day (2021-2022), and 2023’s Collar – Director’s Cut.
Celebs pay tribute to Hollywood’s ‘first black action hero’
Samuel L Jackson wrote, “The passing of Richard Roundtree is a real blow. Loved being around him, learning, working, laughing & feeling Blessed to have an idol live up to who I expected him to be!! Thanks for making us feel REAL GOOD about ourselves!”
“Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream. Getting to hang with him & our Being Mary Jane family was always a good a** time with the best stories & laughs. He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him. He was simply the best & we all loved him,” said Gabrielle Union.
