Credit: ABCOn Friday, March 29, actor Louis Gossett Jr., an actor most well-known for his performances in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and Roots, tragically passed away in Santa Monica, CA. He was 87 years old.
The news was confirmed by Gossett Jr.’s first cousin, Neal L. Gossett. “Never mind the awards,” he said, “never mind the glitz and glamor, the Rolls-Royces and the big houses in Malibu. It’s about the humanity of the people that he stood for.” His cousin also remembered that he was a great joketeller and a man who “faced and fought racism with dignity and humor.”
His family also released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter:
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning. We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Louis Gossett Jr.: Legend of the Stage and Screen, Historic Oscar Winner
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Born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 27, 1936, Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. made his stage debut in a high school production of You Can’t Take It With You after a sports injury. He made his Broadway debut in 1953 at 17 years old and was accepted to New York University (NYU) the following year. He rejected a basketball scholarship in order to focus on theater.
In 1961, he made his big screen debut in A Raisin in the Sun (1961). He would continue to perform on the stage and even wrote the antiwar folk song “Handsome Johnny” with Richie Haven. Gossett Jr. would write and perform more songs while also performing in multiple television shows and films.
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Gossett Jr. would continue to earn critical acclaim throughout his career, earning multiple Emmy Award nominations. He eventually won in 1977 for playing Fiddler in Roots alongside Levar Burton, Ben Vereen, Leslie Uggams, and John Amos.
His most significant breakthrough came with An Officer and a Gentleman as drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley opposite Richard Gere. The performance earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting in a Feature Film and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was the first black man to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and the third black person ever after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier.
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Gossett Jr. would continue to have a fruitful career, earning even more award nominations and public recognition in the Iron Eagle film series as Colonel Chappy Sinclair, Jaws 3-D (1983), Enemy Mine (1985), Marvel’s The Punisher (1989) with Dolph Lundgren, the Disney Channel movie Goodbye, Miss 4th of July (1988), Toy Soldiers (1991), Boardwalk Empire, Watchmen, and The Color Purple (2023).
Louis Gossett Jr. is survived by his two sons, Satie and Sharron, as well as his cousins, Robert Gossett and Neal L. Gossett.
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