Louis Gossett Jr.
May 27, 1936 (89 years old) in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
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
Credits
- 2024 · IF as Lewis (voice)
- 2022 · Three Months as Benny
- 2020 · The Reason as Pastor Jim
- 2020 · Miracle in East Texas as Irving Tanner Jr.
- 2019 · Watchmen as Old Man / Will Reeves
- 2018 · Breaking Brooklyn as Miles Bryant
- 2017 · Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart as Self
- 2017 · The Good Fight as Carl Reddick
- 2016 · Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise as Self
- 2015 · Boiling Pot as Detective Haven
- 2015 · The Book of Negroes as Daddy Moses
- 2014 · Madam Secretary as Laurent Vasseur
- 2014 · Extant as Quinn
- 2013 · Breaking at the Edge as Floyd
- 2010 · Hawaii Five-0 as Lou's father
- 2010 · Why Did I Get Married Too? as Porter
- 2009 · The Perfect Game as Cool Papa Bell
- 2009 · Celebrity Ghost Stories as Self
- 2009 · Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy as Self
- 2006 · Psych as Lloyd Marr
- 2006 · Solar Attack as President Ryan Gordon
- 2005 · Left Behind: World at War as President Geral Fitzhugh
- 2004 · The Batman as Lucius Fox (voice)
- 2003 · Momentum as Raymond Addison
- 2002 · Half & Half as Ray Willis
- 2002 · The Dead Zone as Pastor David Lewis
- 2002 · What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away as Dr. Barnes
- 2000 · The Color of Love: Jacey's Story as Lou Hastings
- 2000 · The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence as Frank
- 1999 · Family Guy as Drill Sargent (voice)
- 1998 · The Inspectors as Inspector Frank Hughes
- 1998 · Hercules as Chiron (voice)
- 1998 · Legend of the Mummy as Corbeck
- 1998 · Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood as Self
- 1997 · Stargate SG-1 as Gerak
- 1997 · To Dance with Olivia as Daniel Stewart
- 1996 · Early Edition as Jim Matthews
- 1996 · Promised Land as Anderson Walker
- 1996 · Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story as Bob Kersee
- 1995 · The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self
- 1995 · Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder as Ray Alexander
- 1995 · A Father for Charlie as Walter Osgood
- 1995 · Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing as Narrator
- 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Anderson Walker
- 1994 · ER as Leo Malcolm
- 1994 · A Good Man in Africa as Prof. Sam Adekunle
- 1994 · Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice as Ray Alexander
- 1994 · Ellen as Sgt. Timko
- 1993 · Return to Lonesome Dove as Isom Pickett
- 1992 · Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II as Reader (voice)
- 1992 · Picket Fences as Rick Jennings
- 1991 · Carolina Skeletons as James Bragg
- 1991 · Toy Soldiers as Dean Parker
- 1990 · Captain Planet and the Planeteers as Commander Clash (voice)
- 1990 · El Diablo as Van Leek
- 1989 · The Punisher as Jake Berkowitz
- 1988 · American Experience as Narrator (voice)
- 1987 · The Principal as Jake Phillips
- 1987 · A Gathering of Old Men as Mathu
- 1985 · Enemy Mine as Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
- 1983 · Jaws 3-D as Calvin Bouchard
- 1982 · An Officer and a Gentleman as Sergeant Emil Foley
- 1981 · Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige as Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
- 1979 · The Lazarus Syndrome as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair
- 1979 · Lawman Without a Gun as Tom Hayward
- 1978 · To Kill a Cop as Everett Walker
- 1977 · The Deep as Henri Cloche
- 1977 · Please Turn the Page as Self
- 1977 · Roots as Fiddler
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1975 · Delancey Street: The Crisis Within as Otis James
- 1975 · The Jeffersons as
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Marcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Marcus Aurelius 'Gabby' Hayes
- 1974 · Harry O as Cleon Jackson
- 1974 · Little House on the Prairie as Henry Hill
- 1974 · Good Times as
- 1974 · The Six Million Dollar Man as O'Flaherty
- 1972 · The Rookies as
- 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Lt. Carl Fellows
- 1971 · Alias Smith and Jones as
- 1970 · The Partridge Family as Sam Simon
- 1970 · McCloud as
- 1969 · Love, American Style as Freddy
- 1967 · The Invaders as Ollie
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1959 · Bonanza as Buck Walter
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Audience Member
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Host
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee / Presenter
- Future · Forget to Remember as
- 1974 · Petrocelli as Kurt Olson, DA
- 1974 · Petrocelli as District Attorney Kurt Olson
- 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- 1973 · Police Story as
- 1970 · The Landlord as Copee Johnson
- 1969 · The Bold Ones: The New Doctors as Dr. Karnes
- 1969 · The Bill Cosby Show as Hurricane Smith
- 1969 · The Bushbaby as Tembo
- 1968 · The Mod Squad as Smitty
- 1968 · The Mod Squad as Charley Jameson
- 1968 · The Mod Squad as Lloyd
- Future · Straight Up as Cosmo
- 2025 · Sin as Elijah
- 2023 · The Color Purple as Ol' Mister
- 2023 · Outlaw Johnny Black as Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
- 2022 · Sidney as Self
- 2021 · Not to Forget as Pastor John
- 2021 · I Forgive as God (voice)
- 2020 · The Cuban as Luis Garcia
- 2019 · Foster Boy as Judge George Taylor
- 2019 · Supervized as Pendle
- 2019 · The Gang Activists as Self
- 2019 · Hal as Self
- 2017 · Undercover Grandpa as Mother
- 2017 · Double Play as Coco
- 2017 · King of the Dancehall as The Bishop
- 2016 · A.C. Green: Iron Virgin as Himself
- 2015 · The Spoils Before Dying as Duke Webster
- 2014 · The Dependables as Lou Jones
- 2014 · A Fighting Man as Cubby
- 2013 · Miracle at Gate 213 as Roy Peddington
- 2012 · Smitty as Mr. Smith
- 2012 · The Undershepherd as Bishop Redford
- 2011 · Dog Jack as Grown up Jed
- 2011 · The Grace Card as George Wright
- 2009 · Amazing Racer as Max Donovan
- 2009 · The Least Among You as Samuel Benton
- 2008 · Delgo as King Zahn (voice)
- 2008 · A Special Kind of Love as Self
- 2008 · A Love Story of Today as Self
- 2008 · Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth as Self
- 2008 · The Black List: Volume One as Self
- 2007 · Stories USA as Doc (segment "Club Soda")
- 2007 · Cover as Detective Hicks
- 2007 · Daddy's Little Girls as Willie
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2006 · Club Soda as Doc
- 2006 · All In as Caps
- 2005 · Lackawanna Blues as Ol'lem Taylor
- 2005 · Black in the 80s as
- 2003 · Jasper, Texas as R.C. Horn
- 2002 · Deceived as Col. David Garrett
- 2001 · For Love of Olivia as Daniel Stewart
- 2001 · Dr. Lucille as
- 2000 · The Highwayman as Phil Bishop
- 1999 · Strange Justice as Vernon Jordan
- 1999 · Y2K as Morgan
- 1999 · Love Songs as Reuben
- 1998 · The Wall That Heals as Self - Host
- 1997 · In His Father's Shoes as Frank Crosby / Richard
- 1996 · Inside as Questioner
- 1996 · Captive Heart: The James Mink Story as James Mink
- 1996 · Managua as Paul
- 1995 · Iron Eagle on the Attack as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
- 1995 · Zooman as Rueben Tate
- 1994 · Flashfire as Ben Durand
- 1994 · Curse of the Starving Class as Ellis
- 1994 · Blue Chips as Father Dawkins (uncredited)
- 1993 · Monolith as Capt. MacCandless
- 1993 · Father & Son: Dangerous Relations as Leonard Clay
- 1992 · Diggstown as "Honey" Roy Palmer
- 1992 · Iron Eagle III as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
- 1991 · Keeper of the City as Det. James Dela
- 1991 · The Josephine Baker Story as Sidney Williams
- 1991 · Cover-Up as Lou Jackson
- 1990 · Sudie and Simpson as Simpson
- 1990 · Zora is My Name! as
- 1989 · Gideon Oliver as
- 1988 · Roots: The Gift as Fiddler
- 1988 · Goodbye, Miss 4th of July as Big John Creed
- 1988 · Iron Eagle II as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
- 1988 · Sam Found Out: A Triple Play as Sam
- 1987 · The Father Clements Story as
- 1987 · Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood as Self
- 1986 · Firewalker as Leo Porter
- 1986 · Iron Eagle as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
- 1984 · The Guardian as John Mack
- 1984 · Finders Keepers as Century
- 1983 · Sadat as Anwar al-Sadat
- 1983 · The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die as narrator
- 1982 · The Powers of Matthew Star as Walter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)
- 1982 · Benny's Place as Benny Moore
- 1982 · I Love Liberty as Self
- 1980 · It Rained All Night the Day I Left as Leo Garcia
- 1980 · Palmerstown, U.S.A. as
- 1979 · The Lazarus Syndrome as MacArthur St. Clair
- 1979 · Backstairs at the White House as Levi Mercer, Houseman
- 1978 · The Critical List as Lem Harper
- 1977 · Freeman as Rex
- 1977 · The Choirboys as Calvin Motts
- 1977 · Little Ladies of the Night as Russ Garfield
- 1976 · J.D.'s Revenge as Rev. Elija Bliss
- 1976 · The River Niger as Dr. Dudley Stanton
- 1975 · Black Bart as Black Bart
- 1974 · The White Dawn as Portagee
- 1974 · Sidekicks as Jason O'Rourke
- 1974 · It's Good to Be Alive as Sam Brockington
- 1973 · The Laughing Policeman as Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
- 1972 · Travels with My Aunt as Wordsworth
- 1971 · Skin Game as Jason O'Rourke
- 1970 · The Young Rebels as
- 1968 · Companions in Nightmare as Lt. Adam McKay
- 1967 · Cowboy in Africa as Fulah
- 1967 · Cowboy in Africa as Joseph Hemera
- 1966 · Daktari as Mkono
- 1961 · A Raisin in the Sun as George Murchison
- 1960 · The New Girl as Mary's Brother
- Future · Crimes of Violence as Self - Host
- Future · Gridiron Gang as Host
- Future · Unplugged as Amos Burton (voice)