Louis Gossett Jr.
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1936-05-27
Day of Death
2024-03-29 (87 years old)
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Louis Gossett Jr.
Biography
Louis Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" and as Fiddler in the television miniseries "Roots". He won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards in an acting career that spanned over five decades.
Known For
Acting
Straight Up
as Cosmo
Crimes of Violence
as Self - Host
Gridiron Gang
as Host
(2025)
Sin
as Elijah
(2024)
IF
as Lewis (voice)
(2023)
Outlaw Johnny Black
as Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
(2023)
The Color Purple
as Ol' Mister
(2022)
Sidney
as Self
(2022)
Three Months
as Benny
(2021)
Not to Forget
as Pastor John
(2021)
I Forgive
as God (voice)
(2020)
The Reason
as Pastor Jim
(2020)
The Cuban
as Luis Garcia
(2020)
Miracle in East Texas
as Irving Tanner Jr.
(2019)
Foster Boy
as Judge George Taylor
(2019)
Hal
as Self
(2019)
Supervized
as Pendle
(2019)
The Gang Activists
as Self
(2018)
Breaking Brooklyn
as Miles Bryant
(2017)
(2017)
King of the Dancehall
as The Bishop
(2017)
Undercover Grandpa
as Mother
(2017)
Double Play
as Coco
(2016)
(2016)
A.C. Green: Iron Virgin
as Himself
(2015)
Boiling Pot
as Detective Haven
(2014)
The Dependables
as Lou Jones
(2014)
A Fighting Man
as Cubby
(2013)
Miracle at Gate 213
as Roy Peddington
(2012)
Smitty
as Mr. Smith
(2012)
The Undershepherd
as Bishop Redford
(2011)
The Grace Card
as George Wright
(2011)
Dog Jack
as Grown up Jed
(2010)
Why Did I Get Married Too?
as Porter
(2009)
The Perfect Game
as Cool Papa Bell
(2009)
Amazing Racer
as Max Donovan
(2009)
The Least Among You
as Samuel Benton
(2009)
(2008)
A Love Story of Today
as Self
(2008)
Delgo
as King Zahn (voice)
(2008)
A Special Kind of Love
as Self
(2008)
The Black List: Volume One
as Self
(2008)
(2007)
Daddy's Little Girls
as Willie
(2007)
Stories USA
as Doc (segment "Club Soda")
(2007)
Cover
as Detective Hicks
(2007)
(2006)
Solar Attack
as President Ryan Gordon
(2006)
Club Soda
as Doc
(2006)
All In
as Caps
(2005)
Lackawanna Blues
as Ol'lem Taylor
(2005)
Left Behind: World at War
as President Geral Fitzhugh
(2003)
Jasper, Texas
as R.C. Horn
(2003)
Momentum
as Raymond Addison
(2002)
Deceived
as Col. David Garrett
(2002)
What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away
as Dr. Barnes
(2001)
For Love of Olivia
as Daniel Stewart
(2001)
(2000)
The Color of Love: Jacey's Story
as Lou Hastings
(2000)
The Highwayman
as Phil Bishop
(2000)
(1999)
Strange Justice
as Vernon Jordan
(1999)
Y2K
as Morgan
(1999)
Love Songs
as Reuben
(1998)
(1998)
The Inspectors
as Inspector Frank Hughes
(1998)
Legend of the Mummy
as Corbeck
(1998)
The Wall That Heals
as Self - Host
(1997)
To Dance with Olivia
as Daniel Stewart
(1997)
In His Father's Shoes
as Frank Crosby / Richard
(1996)
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
as James Mink
(1996)
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
as Bob Kersee
(1996)
Inside
as Questioner
(1996)
Managua
as Paul
(1995)
(1995)
Iron Eagle on the Attack
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
(1995)
A Father for Charlie
as Walter Osgood
(1995)
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
as Ray Alexander
(1995)
(1995)
Zooman
as Rueben Tate
(1994)
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
as Ray Alexander
(1994)
Curse of the Starving Class
as Ellis
(1994)
Blue Chips
as Father Dawkins (uncredited)
(1994)
Flashfire
as Ben Durand
(1994)
A Good Man in Africa
as Prof. Sam Adekunle
(1993)
Monolith
as Capt. MacCandless
(1993)
(1992)
Diggstown
as "Honey" Roy Palmer
(1992)
Iron Eagle III
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
(1992)
(1991)
The Josephine Baker Story
as Sidney Williams
(1991)
Toy Soldiers
as Dean Parker
(1991)
Carolina Skeletons
as James Bragg
(1991)
Keeper of the City
as Det. James Dela
(1991)
Cover-Up
as Lou Jackson
(1990)
Sudie and Simpson
as Simpson
(1990)
El Diablo
as Van Leek
(1990)
(1989)
The Punisher
as Jake Berkowitz
(1988)
Roots: The Gift
as Fiddler
(1988)
Iron Eagle II
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
(1988)
Goodbye, Miss 4th of July
as Big John Creed
(1988)
(1987)
A Gathering of Old Men
as Mathu
(1987)
The Principal
as Jake Phillips
(1987)
(1987)
(1986)
Iron Eagle
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
(1986)
Firewalker
as Leo Porter
(1985)
Enemy Mine
as Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
(1984)
Finders Keepers
as Century
(1984)
The Guardian
as John Mack
(1983)
Jaws 3-D
as Calvin Bouchard
(1983)
The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die
as narrator
(1982)
An Officer and a Gentleman
as Sergeant Emil Foley
(1982)
I Love Liberty
as Self
(1982)
Benny's Place
as Benny Moore
(1981)
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
as Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
(1980)
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
as Leo Garcia
(1979)
Lawman Without a Gun
as Tom Hayward
(1978)
To Kill a Cop
as Everett Walker
(1978)
The Lazarus Syndrome
as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair
(1977)
The Deep
as Henri Cloche
(1977)
Little Ladies of the Night
as Russ Garfield
(1977)
The Choirboys
as Calvin Motts
(1977)
Freeman
as Rex
(1976)
J.D.'s Revenge
as Rev. Elija Bliss
(1976)
The River Niger
as Dr. Dudley Stanton
(1975)
Black Bart
as Black Bart
(1975)
Delancey Street: The Crisis Within
as Otis James
(1974)
Sidekicks
as Jason O'Rourke
(1974)
It's Good to Be Alive
as Sam Brockington
(1974)
The White Dawn
as Portagee
(1973)
The Laughing Policeman
as Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
(1972)
Travels with My Aunt
as Wordsworth
(1971)
Skin Game
as Jason O'Rourke
(1970)
The Landlord
as Copee Johnson
(1969)
The Bushbaby
as Tembo
(1968)
Companions in Nightmare
as Lt. Adam McKay
(1961)
A Raisin in the Sun
as George Murchison
(1960)
The New Girl
as Mary's Brother
Crew
(2024)
IF
In Memory Of
(2001)
For Love of Olivia
Executive Producer
(2000)
The Color of Love: Jacey's Story
Executive Producer
(1999)
Love Songs
Director
(1997)
In His Father's Shoes
Executive Producer
(1997)
To Dance with Olivia
Executive Producer
(1996)
Inside
Executive Producer
(1995)
A Father for Charlie
Executive Producer