Trivia
- Richard's wife on Grey's Anatomy, Diahann Carroll, is also a breast cancer survivor and advocate.
- Richard is good friends with Bill Cosby.
- Richard was chosen for the role of John Shaft over Isaac Hayes, who went on to write the score for the movie, and Ron O'Neal, who became famous later as Superfly (1972).
- Richard was nominated for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Daytime Series for his work in "Generations" in 1991.
- Richard won the MTV Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994 for his work on the Shaft movies and television series.
- Richard was honored by the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 2005 for his work in breast cancer awareness.
- Richard received NAACP Image Award nomination in 1997 for his work as the star of the critically acclaimed FOX series, "413 Hope Street."
- Richard received the Peabody Award for his narration of the PBS documentary "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow."
- Nominated in 1971 for the Golden Globe for New Male Star Of The Year.
- Richard's astrological sign, ironically, is Cancer, the crab.
- Richard's Shaft movies helped save MGM from bankruptcy.
- Richard's most famous stage role was in "The Great White Hope" as black heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, a role also played by James Earl Jones in the 1970 film version.
- Richard is a member of the famed New York Negro Ensemble Company.
- Richard played the uncle of his character, John Shaft, played by Samuel L. Jackson, in the 2000 movie remake.
- Richard's performance as John Shaft placed him at #62 in the "100 Greatest Movie Characters Of All Time" in Premiere Magazine.
- Richard enjoys photography as a hobby.
- Richard is an avid golfer.
- Richard attended Southern Illinois University on a football scholarship.
- Richard was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and had a double mastectomy. He is now a spokesperson for breast cancer awareness.
- Richard was a model before becoming an actor.
Quotes
- (about his no longer distancing himself from the "Shaft" role)
Richard Roundtree: Number one, it put me on the map. To this day that film still works. I was blessed.
