Louis Gossett Jr., who won a supporting actor Oscar for his role as a strict drill instructor in 1982’s “An Officer and a Gentleman,” a few years after winning an Emmy for his role as a scheming drummer in “Roots.” He died, the Associated Press reported. He was 87 years old.
In Taylor Hackford’s film “An Officer and a Gentleman”, Sergeant Gossett. Emile Foley memorably drives Richard Gere’s character to the point of near collapse at a Navy flight school. Gossett was the first black man to win Best Supporting Actor for the role.
In addition to An Officer and a Gentleman, Gossett is best known for the films Enemy Mine (1985), in which he played an alien who is forced to come to terms with his human enemy when he and an astronaut, played by Dennis Quaid, find themselves stranded on a planet , and Iron Eagle (1986), in which he played an Air Force veteran who helps a young pilot find his father, whose plane has been shot down and taken prisoner.
After winning an Emmy for “Roots” in 1978, Gossett received six more Emmy nominations over the years. He was nominated for his portrayal of the Egyptian president who made peace with Israel in the 1983 TV movie “Sadat.” He was also nominated for his performance in the 1978 variety special “The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots”; to play Levi Mercer in the 1979 NBC miniseries “Back Stairs of the White House”; For the lead actor in a drama series about “Palmerstown, USA” in 1981; For lead actor in a miniseries or special for “A Gathering of Old Men” (1987) directed by Volker Schlöndorff, in which he starred with Richard Widmark and Holly Hunter; And for several appearances as Anderson Walker on CBS’ “Touched by an Angel” in 1997.
Gossett, still working hard in his late 70s, was a memorable guest star on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” in 2013, playing a mentor to Michael Kenneth Williams’ Chalky who Chalky meets again while he’s on the run.
He also recently appeared in Halle Berry’s CBS sci-fi thriller “Extant” as Quinn, and has guest starred in series including “Madam Minister” (2014), “Psych” (2012) and “ER” (2009) in addition to to IFC’s satirical miniseries “The Spoils Before You Die” (2015).
After first gaining widespread attention through his work on the popular miniseries “Roots,” Gossett starred in another miniseries about slavery, BET’s “The Book of Negroes,” in 2015.
Asked before diverse In 2015, which of his roles was his favorite, Gossett answered: “Anwar Sadat. It was a challenge to play someone with such a history. His spirit was very similar to Mandela’s. He turned from a hawk into a dove. He lost his brother and the people he loved. He said he would be willing to enter Israel in the name of peace. Mandela was ready to walk out of prison with a smile on his face.
Lewis Cameron Gossett Jr. was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He made his stage debut when he was seventeen in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You; A sports injury led him to decide to take acting lessons. He also fought polio while growing up. He was offered an athletic scholarship, but went at his own expense to New York University, where the tall young man would have played basketball, which he declined to do in favor of theatrical pursuits.
Gossett made his Broadway debut in 1953, despite having no formal training as an actor, replacing Bill Gunn in the role of Spencer Scott in the play “Take a Giant Step,” which the New York Times drama critics described as one of his greatest hits. The 10 Best Performances in the Take a Giant Step Film Series, Year. He was first mentioned in diverse For his work in the play.
Other Broadway credits include the original classic 1959-60 production of “A Raisin in the Sun,” in which he played George Murchison, the wealthy and educated friend of the family’s youngest daughter, Beneatha; George, who denies his African heritage, represents the fully assimilated black man. Gossett made his big screen debut when he reprized the role for the 1961 film version of “A Raisin in the Sun.” (Earlier, he had a smaller role in the original comedy The Desk Set, which was thankfully a huge hit as well.)
In 1963 he appeared on the Rialto in the Langston Hughes film adaptation “Tambourines to Glory”, and was an understudy in the controversial musical “Golden Boy” starring Sammy Davis Jr. in which Gossett played the Mephistophlean boxing promoter Eddie Satin. He was also among the stars of the original musical “The Zulu and the Zayda,” about a Jew and a black man who work to bridge the racial divide in Johannesburg.
In 1968, Gossett starred with, among others, Diane Ladd in Sidney Poitier’s play “Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights,” and the actor played assassinated African leader Patrice Lumumba in the 1971 play “Killer Angels.”
Decades later, in 2002, Gossett returned to Broadway to serve as an understudy in the title role of Billy Flynn in the musical “Chicago.”
As one of the show’s executive producers, Gossett shared the 1997 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Special for “In His Father’s Shoes,” for which he was also nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Special. He played a man with cancer who shares a magical experience with his son.
He also shared a nomination in the Outstanding Special category for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City, for which he served as narrator.
Later in his career, Gossett continued to take on roles across television and film. He had a seven-episode arc in the hit HBO series “Watchmen” and had a leading role in the 2020 religious drama “The Reason.” He also appears in the 2023 remake of “The Color Purple.”
Gossett was married three times. His first marriage, to Hattie Glasgow, was annulled in 1964. He was married to Christina Mangusing (1973–1975; one child) and actress Cindy James Gossett (1987–1992). Both marriages ended in divorce.
Survivors include Mangosing’s son, producer Satie Gossett. adopted son Sharon with Cindy James Gossett; and nephew of actor Robert Gossett.