Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He was a folk singer in the 1960s. He is best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, winning him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also won an Emmy Award for his role as Fiddler in the 1977 ABC television miniseries Roots.
Gossett has also starred in numerous other film productions including A Raisin in the Sun, The Landlord, Skin Game, Travels with My Aunt, The Laughing Policeman, The White Dawn, The Deep, Jaws 3-D, Wolfgang Petersen's Enemy Mine, The Principal, the Iron Eagle series, Toy Soldiers and The Punisher, in an acting career that spans over five decades.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
| Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | George Murchison | |||
| 1969 | Tembo | |||
| 1970 | Copee | |||
| 1971 | Skin Game | Jason O'Rourke | ||
| 1972 | Travels with My Aunt | Zachary / 'Wordsworth' | ||
| 1973 | Inspector James Larrimore | |||
| 1974 | Portagee | |||
| 1976 | Dr. Dudley Stanton | |||
| J. D.'s Revenge | Reverend Elija Bliss | |||
| 1977 | Henri Cloche | |||
| Calvin Motts | [6] | |||
| 1980 | It Rained All Night the Day I Left | Leo Garcia | ||
| 1982 | Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley | [7] | ||
| 1983 | Jaws 3-D | Calvin Bouchard | [8] | |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | Century | [9] | |
| The Guardian | John Mack | |||
| 1985 | Enemy Mine | Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan | [10] | |
| 1986 | Iron Eagle | Colonel Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | [11] | |
| Firewalker | Leo Porter | [12] | ||
| 1987 | Jake Phillips | [13] | ||
| 1988 | Iron Eagle II | Colonel / Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | [14] | |
| 1989 | Detective Jake Berkowitz | [15] | ||
| 1991 | Cover Up | CIA Chief Lou Jackson | [16] | |
| Toy Soldiers | Dean Parker | [17] | ||
| 1992 | Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair | [18] | ||
| Diggstown | Roy 'Honey Roy' Palmer | [19] | ||
| 1993 | Monolith | Captain MacCandless | ||
| 1994 | Flashfire | Ben Durand | ||
| Blue Chips | Father Dawkins | Uncredited | ||
| Professor Sam Adekunle | ||||
| Curse of the Starving Class | Ellis | |||
| 1995 | Iron Eagle on the Attack | Brigadier General Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair (Ret.) | ||
| 1996 | Managua | Paul | ||
| 1997 | Narrator | |||
| Bram Stoker's Legend of the Mummy | Corbeck | |||
| 1999 | Terminal Countdown | Morgan | ||
| 2000 | The Highwayman | Phil Bishop | ||
| 2002 | Deceived | Colonel David Garrett | ||
| 2005 | Window | Ralph Stanley | Part of African American Short Films[20] | |
| President Gerald Fitzhugh | ||||
| 2006 | All In | Caps | ||
| Club Soda | 'Doc' | |||
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Willie | ||
| Cover | Detective Hicks | |||
| 2008 | Cool Papa Bell | |||
| Delgo | Zahn | Voice | ||
| 2009 | Dog Jack | Grown Up Jed | ||
| Shannon's Rainbow | Max Donovan | |||
| Samuel Benton | ||||
| 2010 | Smitty | Mr. Smith | ||
| Why Did I Get Married Too? | Porter | |||
| 2011 | George Wright | |||
| Glen | ||||
| The Genie | ||||
| 2012 | The Undershepherd | Bishop Redford | ||
| 2014 | A Fighting Man | 'Cubby' | ||
| The Dependables | Lou Jones | |||
| 2015 | Boiling Pot | Detective Haven | ||
| 2017 | Undercover Grandpa | Mother | ||
| Double Play | 'Coco' | |||
| Breaking Brooklyn | Miles Bryant | |||
| 2019 | Foster Boy | Judge | ||
| The Cuban | Luis Garcia | |||
| Supervized | Pendle | |||
| 2021 | Not to Forget | Pastor John | ||
| 2022 | Three Months | Benny | ||
| 2023 | Outlaw Johnny Black | Reverend Tharrington | Uncredited voice | |
| The Color Purple | Ol' Mister | |||
| 2024 | IF | Lewis | Voice, posthumous release; dedicated to his memory | |
| Soul to Keep | Mr. G | Post-production, posthumous release | ||
| Sln | Elijah | Post-production, posthumous release | ||
| Awaken the Reaper | Dr. Benjamin Locke | In production, posthumous release | ||
| Unplugged | Amos Burton | Voice, in production, posthumous release |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Jamie Goodwin | Episode: "The Stubbornest Man" | |||
| 1962 | William Taylor | Episode: "The Prisoner" | |||
| 1967–1968 | Cowboy in Africa | Fulah / Hemera | Episode: "Fang and Claw" Episode: "The Quiet Death" | ||
| 1968 | Ollie | Episode: "The Vise" | |||
| Daktari | Mkono | Episode: "Adam and Jenny" | |||
| Companions in Nightmare | Lieutenant Adam McKay | NBC television film | |||
| 1968–1972 | 'Smitty' (1968) Lloyd (1969) Charley Jameson (1972) | Episode: "When Smitty Comes Marching Home" (1968) Episode: "The Uptight Town" (1969) Episode: "Can You Hear Me Out There?" (1972) | |||
| 1970 | 'Hurricane' Smith | Episode: "The Return of Big Bad Bubba Bronson" | |||
| 1970–1971 | Isak Poole | 15 episodes | |||
| 1971 | Big Fish, Little Fish | Jimmie Luton | Television film | ||
| Sam | Episode: "Soul Club" | ||||
| Bonanza | Buck Walter | Episode: "The Desperado" | |||
| Longstreet | Sergeant Cory | Episode: "The Way of the Intercepting Fist" | |||
| Dr. Karnes | Episode: "One Lonely Step" | ||||
| Alias Smith and Jones | Joe Sims | Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" | |||
| Cade's County | Unknown | Episode: "The Alien Land" | |||
| 1972 | The Living End | Doug Newman | CBS television pilot | ||
| Toby Jones | Episode: "Covenant with Death" | ||||
| Love, American Style | Freddy | Segment: "Love and the Christmas Punch..." | |||
| 1973 | Unknown | Episode: "An Often and Familiar Ghost" | |||
| The Fuzz Brothers | Francis Fuzz | ABC television pilot | |||
| 1974 | It's Good to Be Alive | Sam Brockington | CBS television film | ||
| Sidekicks | Jason O'Rourke | TV remake of Gossett's 1971 Skin Game CBS television film | |||
| McCloud | Dewey Justin | Episode: "Shivaree on Delancy Street" | |||
| The New Land | Simon York | Episode: "The Word is: Dignity" (never aired) | |||
| 1974–1975 | Petrocelli | District Attorney Kurt Olson | Episode: "A Very Lonely Lady" and "A Fallen Idol" | ||
| Good Times | Donald Knight / Uncle Wilbert | Episode: "Thelma's Young Man" Episode: "Michael's Big Fall" | |||
| 1975 | Insight | The Man | Episode: "The Man from Inner Space" | ||
| Lucas Tanner | Bobby Koball | Episode: "Bonus Baby" | |||
| Black Bart | Bart 'Black Bart' | CBS television film | |||
| Delancey Street: The Crisis Within | Otis James | NBC television film | |||
| Caribe | David Wallace | Episode: "The Assassin" | |||
| Harry O | Cleon Jackson | Episode: "Shades" | |||
| Wendell Brown | Episode: "George's Best Friend" | ||||
| O'Flaherty | Episode: "Clark Templeton O'Flaherty" | ||||
| 1975–1976 | Police Story | Freddie / Virgil Barnes | Episode: "The Cut Man Caper" Episode: "50 Cents-First Half Hour, $1.75 All Day" | ||
| 1976 | Little House on the Prairie | Henry Hill | Episode: "The Long Road Home" | ||
| The Rebels | Unknown | ||||
| 1976–1977 | Marcus 'Gabby' Hayes | Episode: Foul on the First Play and Just Another Polish Wedding | |||
| 1977 | Little Ladies of the Night | Russ Garfield | ABC television film | ||
| Roots | Fiddler | ABC miniseries | |||
| Visions | Rex | Episode: "Freeman" | |||
| 1978 | The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots | Himself | Television special | ||
| To Kill a Cop | Everett Walker | Uncredited role; NBC television film | |||
| The Critical List | Lem Harper | NBC television film | |||
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Levi Mercer | NBC miniseries | ||
| Lawman Without a Gun | Tom Hayward | NBC television film | |||
| The Lazarus Syndrome | Dr. MacArthur St. Clair | ABC television film | |||
| 1980 | Palmerstown, USA | Fredrick Douglas Jackson | Episode: Future City | ||
| 1981 | Leroy 'Satchel' Paige | ABC television film | |||
| 1982 | American Playhouse | Unknown | Episode: "Zora Is My Name!" | ||
| Benny's Place | Benny Moore | ABC television film | |||
| Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "Louis Gossett Jr/George Thorogood & the Destroyers" | |||
| 1982–1983 | Walter 'Walt' Shepherd / D'Hai | 22 episodes | |||
| 1983 | Sadat | Anwar al-Sadat | Television miniseries | ||
| 1984 | The Guardian | John Mack | Television film | ||
| 1987 | Mathu | CBS television film | |||
| Father Clements | NBC television film | ||||
| 1988 | Sam Found Out: A Triple Play | Unknown | ABC television film | ||
| Goodbye, Miss 4th of July | John 'Big John' Creed | Disney Channel television film | |||
| Fiddler | ABC television film | ||||
| Straight Up | Cosmo | 2 episodes | |||
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver | Gideon Oliver | 5 episodes | ||
| 1990 | El Diablo | Van Leek | HBO television film | ||
| Sudie and Simpson | Simpson | Television film | |||
| 1991 | Sidney Williams | HBO television film | |||
| Carolina Skeletons | James Bragg | NBC television film | |||
| 1991–1992 | Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Commander Clash | Voice, 3 episodes | ||
| 1992 | Keeper of the City | Detective James Dela | Television film | ||
| 1993 | Story of a People | Host | Miniseries | ||
| Gridiron Gang | Host | Documentary film | |||
| Unknown | NBC television film | ||||
| Return to Lonesome Dove | Isom Pickett | Miniseries | |||
| 1994 | Picket Fences | Rick Jennings | Episode: "Terms of Estrangement" | ||
| Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice | Ray Alexander | NBC television film | |||
| 1995 | A Father for Charlie | Walter Osgood | CBS television film | ||
| Zooman | Rueben Tate | Television movie | |||
| Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder | Ray Alexander | Television movie | |||
| 1996 | Captive Heart: The James Mink Story | James Mink | Television movie | ||
| Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story | Bob Kersee | Television film | |||
| Inside | Questioner | Television film | |||
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Anderson Walker | Episode: "Amazing Grace" | ||
| To Dance with Olivia | Daniel Stewart | CBS television film | |||
| In His Father's Shoes | Frank Crosby / Richard | Showtime television film | |||
| Early Edition | Jim Matthews | Episode: "The Medal" | |||
| Ellen | Sergeant Timko | Episode: "G.I. Ellen" | |||
| 1998 | Inspectors | Inspector Frank Hughes | Showtime television film | ||
| 1999 | Love Songs | Reuben | Segment: "A Love Song for Dad" | ||
| Strange Justice | Vernon Jordan | Showtime television film | |||
| 2000 | Dr. Lucille | David Mulera | Television film | ||
| The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence | Inspector Frank Hughes | Showtime television film | |||
| Lou Hastings | CBS television film | ||||
| 2001 | For Love of Olivia | Daniel Stewart | CBS television film | ||
| 2002 | Opening Ceremony Salt Lake Paralympic Winter Games | Narrator | Television special | ||
| What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway | Dr. Barnes | UPN television film | |||
| Resurrection Blvd. | Ezekiel 'Zeke' Grant | Episode: "En Un Momento" and "Esperando Lagrimas" | |||
| 2003 | Pastor David Lewis | Episode: "Zion" | |||
| Jasper, Texas | R.C. Horn | Television movie | |||
| Momentum | Raymond Addison | SCI FI television film | |||
| 2004 | Half & Half | Ray Willis | 2 episodes | ||
| 2005 | Solar Attack | President Ryan Gordon | Direct-to-DVD release | ||
| Lackawanna Blues | Ol'lem Taylor | HBO television film | |||
| 2005–2006 | Stargate SG-1 | Gerak | 5 episodes | ||
| 2006 | Family Guy | Drill Sergeant | Voice, episode: "Saving Private Brian" | ||
| 2007 | Lucius Fox | Voice, 3 episodes | |||
| 2009 | ER | Leo Malcolm | Episode: "The Family Man" | ||
| 2012 | Psych | Lloyd | Episode: "Heeeeere's Lassie" | ||
| 2013 | Boardwalk Empire | Oscar Boneau | Episode: "Havre de Grace" | ||
| 2014 | Madam Secretary | Father Laurent Vasseur | Episode: "The Call" | ||
| 2014–2015 | Extant | Quinn | Recurring; 4 episodes | ||
| 2015 | The Book of Negroes | Daddy Moses | 2 episodes | ||
| The Spoils Before Dying | Duke Webster | Episode: "The Trip Trap" | |||
| 2017 | The Good Fight | Carl Reddick | Episode: "Reddick v Boseman" | ||
| 2018 | Hap and Leonard | Bacon | 6 episodes | ||
| Hawaii Five-0 | Percy Grover Sr. | Episode: "Lele pū nā manu like" (Hawaiian for: "Birds of a Feather...") | |||
| 2019 | Watchmen | Will Reeves / Hooded Justice | 7 episodes | ||
| 2022–2023 | Kingdom Business | Jeremiah | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Half-Life 2 | Vortigaunts | Voice | [21] |
| 2006 | ||||
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Take a Giant Step | Spencer Scott | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway debut | |
| 1955 | The Desk Set | Kenny | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1959 | A Raisin in the Sun | George Murchinson | Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1963 | Tambourines to Glory | Big-Eyed Buddy Lomax | Little Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1964 | Golden Boy | Frank | Majestic Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1965 | The Zulu and the Zayda | Paulus | Cort Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1966 | My Sweet Charlie | Charles Roberts | Longacre Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1968 | Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights | Willie Nurse | John Golden Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1971 | Murderous Angels | Patricia Lumumba | Playhouse Theatre | |
| 2002 | Chicago | Billy Flynn | Ambassador Theatre | |
| 2006 | Dvorak's New World: Chamber Music Plus | Narrator | Venue | [22] [23] |
See main article: article and List of awards and nominations received by Louis Gossett Jr..