Richard Roundtree, a trailblazing black actor who played private investigator John Shaft in the Shaft films of the 1970s and also took on dramatic roles dealing with race relations in America, died on Tuesday aged 81.
Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Reporter said, citing his manager Patrick McMinn. Roundtree's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.
“Richard's work and career served as a turning point for African-American leading men in film. The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated,” McMinn said, according to Variety, another show business trade publication.
Roundtree shot to fame with the 1971 Blaxploitation movie Shaft about a private detective in the Harlem section of New York. He reprised the role in a number of sequels and a short-lived network TV series.
The rugged and streetwise character, who wore flashy leather jackets and who was accompanied by a catchy theme song from Isaac Hayes, helped define cool as a black leading man and also gained acceptance from white audiences.
Roundtree also had a role in the groundbreaking ABC television slavery drama Roots in 1977 and other prominent projects of the era, playing motorcycle daredevil Miles in 1974's Earthquake.
Among his more poignant films was 1996's Once Upon a Time … When We Were Colored, the story a tight-knit black community confronting the racism of post-war Mississippi.
He also played opposite Peter O'Toole's Robinson Crusoe in Man Friday in 1975 and alongside Laurence Olivier's depiction of General Douglas MacArthur in 1981's Inchon.
Roundtree worked regularly until the end, with 159 acting credits to his name plus three projects yet to be released, according to IMDB.com.
He was married twice and is survived by four daughters – Nicole, Tayler, Morgan and Kelli Roundtree – and son James, Variety said.
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Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
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Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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