Person

Louis Gossett Jr.

Acting · 1936–2024 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Biography

Louis Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" and as Fiddler in the television miniseries "Roots". He won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards in an acting career that spanned over five decades.

Known for

Filmography

2025SinElijah
2024IFLewis (voice)
2023The Color PurpleOl' Mister
2023Outlaw Johnny BlackReverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
2022SidneySelf
2022Three MonthsBenny
2021Not to ForgetPastor John
2021I ForgiveGod (voice)
2020The ReasonPastor Jim
2020The CubanLuis Garcia
2020Miracle in East TexasIrving Tanner Jr.
2019WatchmenOld Man / Will Reeves
2019Foster BoyJudge George Taylor
2019SupervizedPendle
2019The Gang ActivistsSelf
2019HalSelf
2018Breaking BrooklynMiles Bryant
2017Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling HeartSelf
2017Undercover GrandpaMother
2017The Good FightCarl Reddick
2017Double PlayCoco
2017King of the DancehallThe Bishop
2016Maya Angelou: And Still I RiseSelf
2016A.C. Green: Iron VirginHimself
2015Boiling PotDetective Haven
2015The Spoils Before DyingDuke Webster
2015The Book of NegroesDaddy Moses
2014Madam SecretaryLaurent Vasseur
2014ExtantQuinn
2014The DependablesLou Jones
2014A Fighting ManCubby
2013Miracle at Gate 213Roy Peddington
2013Breaking at the EdgeFloyd
2012SmittyMr. Smith
2012The UndershepherdBishop Redford
2011Dog JackGrown up Jed
2011The Grace CardGeorge Wright
2010Hawaii Five-0Lou's father
2010Why Did I Get Married Too?Porter
2010For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black PatriotsExecutive Producer
2009The Perfect GameCool Papa Bell
2009Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelf
2009Amazing RacerMax Donovan
2009The Least Among YouSamuel Benton
2009Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black ComedySelf
2008DelgoKing Zahn (voice)
2008Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for TruthSelf
2008A Love Story of TodaySelf
2008A Special Kind of LoveSelf
2008The Black List: Volume OneSelf
2007Stories USADoc (segment "Club Soda")
2007CoverDetective Hicks
2007Daddy's Little GirlsWillie
2007The 50 Greatest Television DramasSelf
2006Club SodaDoc
2006PsychLloyd Marr
2006Solar AttackPresident Ryan Gordon
2006All InCaps
2005Left Behind: World at WarPresident Geral Fitzhugh
2005Black in the 80s
2005Lackawanna BluesOl'lem Taylor
2004The BatmanLucius Fox (voice)
2003Jasper, TexasR.C. Horn
2003MomentumRaymond Addison
2002Half & HalfRay Willis
2002The Dead ZonePastor David Lewis
2002What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-AwayDr. Barnes
2002DeceivedCol. David Garrett
2001For Love of OliviaDaniel Stewart
2001Dr. Lucille
2000The Color of Love: Jacey's StoryLou Hastings
2000The Inspectors 2: A Shred of EvidenceFrank
2000The HighwaymanPhil Bishop
1999Strange JusticeVernon Jordan
1999Y2KMorgan
1999Love SongsReuben
1999Family GuyDrill Sargent (voice)
1998The InspectorsInspector Frank Hughes
1998HerculesChiron (voice)
1998The Wall That HealsSelf - Host
1998Legend of the MummyCorbeck
1998Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodSelf
1997Stargate SG-1Gerak
1997In His Father's ShoesFrank Crosby / Richard
1997To Dance with OliviaDaniel Stewart
1996Early EditionJim Matthews
1996Promised LandAnderson Walker
1996InsideQuestioner
1996Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers StoryBob Kersee
1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryJames Mink
1996ManaguaPaul
1995Iron Eagle on the AttackCharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American MoviesSelf
1995Ray Alexander: A Menu for MurderRay Alexander
1995ZoomanRueben Tate
1995A Father for CharlieWalter Osgood
1995Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight BoxingNarrator
1994Touched by an AngelAnderson Walker
1994ERLeo Malcolm
1994FlashfireBen Durand
1994Curse of the Starving ClassEllis
1994A Good Man in AfricaProf. Sam Adekunle
1994Ray Alexander: A Taste For JusticeRay Alexander
1994EllenSgt. Timko
1994Blue ChipsFather Dawkins (uncredited)
1993Return to Lonesome DoveIsom Pickett
1993MonolithCapt. MacCandless
1993Father & Son: Dangerous RelationsLeonard Clay
1992Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War IIReader (voice)
1992Picket FencesRick Jennings
1992Gridiron GangHost
1992Diggstown"Honey" Roy Palmer
1992Iron Eagle IIICharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1991Keeper of the CityDet. James Dela
1991Carolina SkeletonsJames Bragg
1991Toy SoldiersDean Parker
1991The Josephine Baker StorySidney Williams
1991Cover-UpLou Jackson
1990Captain Planet and the PlaneteersCommander Clash (voice)
1990Sudie and SimpsonSimpson
1990El DiabloVan Leek
1990Zora is My Name!
1989The PunisherJake Berkowitz
1989Gideon Oliver
1988Roots: The GiftFiddler
1988Goodbye, Miss 4th of JulyBig John Creed
1988Iron Eagle IICharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1988American ExperienceNarrator (voice)
1988Sam Found Out: A Triple PlaySam
1988Straight UpCosmo
1987The Father Clements Story
1987The PrincipalJake Phillips
1987Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987A Gathering of Old MenMathu
1986FirewalkerLeo Porter
1986Iron EagleCharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1985Enemy MineJeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
1984The GuardianJohn Mack
1984Finders KeepersCentury
1983SadatAnwar al-Sadat
1983Jaws 3-DCalvin Bouchard
1983The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Dienarrator
1982The Powers of Matthew StarWalter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)
1982An Officer and a GentlemanSergeant Emil Foley
1982Benny's PlaceBenny Moore
1982I Love LibertySelf
1982American Playhouse
1981Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" PaigeLeroy 'Satchel' Paige
1980It Rained All Night the Day I LeftLeo Garcia
1980Palmerstown, U.S.A.
1979The Lazarus SyndromeDr. MacArthur St. Clair
1979The Lazarus SyndromeMacArthur St. Clair
1979Lawman Without a GunTom Hayward
1979Backstairs at the White HouseLevi Mercer, Houseman
1978The Critical ListLem Harper
1978To Kill a CopEverett Walker
1978To Kill a CopEverett Walker
1978The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His RootsSelf
1977FreemanRex
1977The ChoirboysCalvin Motts
1977The DeepHenri Cloche
1977Please Turn the PageSelf
1977RootsFiddler
1977Little Ladies of the NightRuss Garfield
1976J.D.'s RevengeRev. Elija Bliss
1976The River NigerDr. Dudley Stanton
1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host
1975Delancey Street: The Crisis WithinOtis James
1975The Jeffersons
1975Black BartBlack Bart
1974The Rockford FilesMarcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien
1974Harry OCleon Jackson
1974Little House on the PrairieHenry Hill
1974PetrocelliDistrict Attorney Kurt Olson
1974The White DawnPortagee
1974SidekicksJason O'Rourke
1974It's Good to Be AliveSam Brockington
1974Good Times
1974The Six Million Dollar ManO'Flaherty
1973The Laughing PolicemanInsp. James Larrimore SFPD
1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...Self
1973Police Story
1972Travels with My AuntWordsworth
1972The Rookies
1971Skin GameJason O'Rourke
1971Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawLt. Carl Fellows
1971Alias Smith and Jones
1970The Partridge FamilySam Simon
1970The Young Rebels
1970The LandlordCopee Johnson
1970McCloud
1969Love, American StyleFreddy
1969The Bill Cosby ShowHurricane Smith
1969The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsDr. Karnes
1969The BushbabyTembo
1968Companions in NightmareLt. Adam McKay
1968The Mod SquadSmitty
1967Cowboy in AfricaJoseph Hemera
1967The InvadersOllie
1966DaktariMkono
1962The Merv Griffin ShowSelf
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf
1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf
1961A Raisin in the SunGeorge Murchison
1960The New GirlMary's Brother
1959BonanzaBuck Walter
1953The OscarsSelf
1948The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee
—Crimes of ViolenceSelf - Host
—Forget to Remember
—UnpluggedAmos Burton (voice)

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