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IMDbPro

Louis Gossett Jr.

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
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Louis Gossett Jr.
IMDb takes a closer look at the notable career of actor Louis Gossett Jr. in this retrospective of his various roles.
Play clip1:13
Louis Gossett Jr. Career Retrospective
59 Videos
99+ Photos
Louis Gossett Jr. is one of the most respected and beloved actors on stage, screen and television and is also an accomplished writer, producer and director. Off-screen he is a social activist, educator and author dedicated to enriching the lives of others. Gossett was the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his unforgettable performance as drill Sergeant Emil Foley in "An Officer and a Gentleman." Among his other awards are an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of Fiddler in the groundbreaking ABC series "Roots," a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for "The Josephine Baker Story" and a Golden Globe for "An Officer and a Gentleman." He has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, one Academy Award, five Images Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards and in 1992 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gossett has also received numerous other honors throughout his illustrious career. His film debut was in the 1961 classic movie "A Raisin in the Sun" with Sidney Poitier. Other film credits include "The Deep," "Blue Chips," "Daddy's Little Girls," Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?," "Firewalker," "Jaws-3D," "Enemy Mine" and "Iron Eagle" 1-4, among many others. Television credits include "Extant," "Madam Secretary," "Boardwalk Empire," "Family Guy" and "ER," among dozens of others. Gossett is the author of the bestselling autobiography "An Actor and a Gentleman," in which he chronicles the challenges and triumphs of his 50+ year career. Gossett is recognized as much for his humanitarian efforts as he is for his accomplishments as an actor. In 2006, Gossett founded The Eracism Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating racism. The foundation provides young adults with tools to live a racially diverse and culturally inclusive life. Programs focus on fostering cultural diversity, historical enrichment, education and anti-violence initiatives. Gossett was born in Brooklyn and made his stage debut when he was 17 in "Take a Giant Step," which was selected as one of the 10 best Broadway shows of 1953 by The New York Times. He has two adult sons and resides in Malibu, California.
BornMay 27, 1936
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 27, 1936
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Oscar

Photos185

Louis Gossett Jr. in To Kill a Cop (1978)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Nathan George in To Kill a Cop (1978)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Stack Pierce in McCloud (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr. in McCloud (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr., Richard Pryor, Danny Bonaduce, Shirley Jones, and Dave Madden in The Partridge Family (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Dave Madden in The Partridge Family (1970)
Susan Dey, Louis Gossett Jr., Richard Pryor, David Cassidy, and Shirley Jones in The Partridge Family (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Richard Pryor in The Partridge Family (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Richard Pryor in The Partridge Family (1970)
Louis Gossett Jr. in Watchmen (2019)
Louis Gossett Jr. in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Louis Gossett Jr. and Esther Rolle in Good Times (1974)

Known for

Richard Gere and Debra Winger in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
An Officer and a Gentleman
7.0
  • Sgt. Emil Foley
  • 1982
Enemy Mine (1985)
Enemy Mine
6.8
  • Drac
  • 1985
Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, and Louis Gossett Jr. in Jaws 3-D (1983)
Jaws 3-D
3.7
  • Calvin Bouchard
  • 1983
Roots (1977)
Roots
8.4
TV Mini Series
  • Fiddler

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • The Color Purple
    • Post-production
  • Imaginary Friends
    • Post-production
  • On Smoother Dirt
    • Pre-production
  • Forget to Remember
    • Pre-production
  • Elephants in the Room
    • Pre-production
  • Everbrook
    • In Development
  • Unplugged
    • (voice)
    • In Production
  • A Scorched Earth
    • Pre-production
  • SIn
    • Post-production
  • Redemption
    • In Development
  • Yolanda Adams and Serayah in Kingdom Business (2022)
    Kingdom Business
  • Three Months (2022)
    Three Months
  • Olympia Dukakis, Louis Gossett Jr., Cloris Leachman, Tatum O'Neal, George Chakiris, Karen Grassle, and Valerio Zanoli in Not to Forget (2021)
    Not to Forget
  • The Reason (2020)
    The Reason
  • Rebecca Holden and Richard Rossi in Canaan Land (2020)
    Canaan Land
  • Regina King in Watchmen (2019)
    Watchmen
  • The Cuban (2019)
    The Cuban
  • Matthew Modine, Louis Gossett Jr., Julie Benz, and Shane Paul McGhie in Foster Boy (2019)
    Foster Boy
  • Louis Gossett Jr., John Ratzenberger, Kevin Sorbo, Sam Sorbo, and Tyler Mane in Miracle in East Texas (2019)
    Miracle in East Texas
  • Tom Berenger, Beau Bridges, Fionnula Flanagan, and Louis Gossett Jr. in Supervized (2019)
    Supervized
  • Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
    Hawaii Five-0
  • Louis Gossett Jr., Jack Noseworthy, Catherine Curtin, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Nathan Kress, Paul Becker, Madeleine Mantock, and Colin Critchley in Breaking Brooklyn (2018)
    Breaking Brooklyn
  • Hap and Leonard (2016)
    Hap and Leonard
  • Paul Sorvino, James Caan, Louis Gossett Jr., Lawrence Dane, Kenneth Welsh, Greta Onieogou, and Dylan Everett in Undercover Grandpa (2017)
    Undercover Grandpa
  • Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald in The Good Fight (2017)
    The Good Fight

Producer

  • For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots (2010)
    For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots
  • ReNew Orleans
  • Louis Gossett Jr. and Oren Williams in For Love of Olivia (2001)
    For Love of Olivia
  • Louis Gossett Jr., Gena Rowlands, and Penny Bae Bridges in The Color of Love: Jacey's Story (2000)
    The Color of Love: Jacey's Story
  • Louis Gossett Jr. and Jonathan Silverman in The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence (2000)
    The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence
  • The Inspectors (1998)
    The Inspectors
  • In His Father's Shoes (1997)
    In His Father's Shoes
  • Managua (1997)
    Managua
  • To Dance with Olivia (1997)
    To Dance with Olivia
  • Inside (1996)
    Inside
  • Louis Gossett Jr. and Charlayne Woodard in Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story (1996)
    Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
  • Louis Gossett Jr. and Joseph Mazzello in A Father for Charlie (1995)
    A Father for Charlie
  • Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice
  • Louis Gossett Jr. and Blair Underwood in Father & Son: Dangerous Relations (1993)
    Father & Son: Dangerous Relations

Director

  • Louis Gossett Jr., Lynn Whitfield, Andre Braugher, and Robert Townsend in Love Songs (1999)
    Love Songs
    • (segment Love Song for Champ, A)
  • The Powers of Matthew Star (1982)
    The Powers of Matthew Star
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos59

Louis Gossett Jr. Career Retrospective
Clip 1:13
Louis Gossett Jr. Career Retrospective
What We Know About "Watchmen" ... So Far
Clip 3:19
What We Know About "Watchmen" ... So Far
The Perfect Game: Jansen Panettiere
Clip 1:05
The Perfect Game: Jansen Panettiere
The Perfect Game: Ryan Ochoa
Clip 0:46
The Perfect Game: Ryan Ochoa
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Clip 0:45
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Clip 1:00
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Clip 0:49
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:53
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 1:32
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 3:36
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:06
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:54
Official Trailer

Personal details

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  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Facebook (Alternate)
    • May 27, 1936
    • Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
    • Cyndi James GossettDecember 25, 1987 - 1992 (divorced)
    • Satie Gossett
    • Robert Gossett(Cousin)
  • Other works
    Portrayed Pete in "Winesburg, Ohio," produced at the Santa Barbara Performing Arts Center in Santa Barbara, California.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 3 Interviews
    • 3 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He was cast in his Oscar winning role in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) after Jack Nicholson turned down the role, and none of the other actors who the producers wanted proved available at the time. Screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart then did research on a Navy base in Pensacola, Florida and found out the top drill instructors they had there were African-American. Upon realizing this, Gossett was cast in what can now arguably be his best remembered role.
  • Quotes
    If a role isn't different, it's not worth doing.
    • Deep, commanding voice.

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