Encore Encore Original Shaft Richard Roundtree chats with G. Keith Alexander

What’s Hot! HarlemAmerica with G. Keith Alexander

G. Keith Alexander chats with Richard Roundtree about his iconic career beginning while attending Southern Illinois University where he was on a football scholarship. After being spotted working as a salesman in Barney's clothing store in NYC, Richard signed with Johnson Publications to model in their Ebony Fashion Fair, touring 79 cities in 90 days. But rather than returning to school, Roundtree took the advice of Bill Cosby, star of I Spy, and headed back to New York to begin acting lessons. He soon was asked to become a member of New York's acclaimed Negro Ensemble Company. A succession of Off-Broadway roles resulted in his starring as Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope. Richard's life would change forever when he was cast in the role of private detective John Shaft in the legendary Shaft movie franchise. This film immediately thrust Richard into the international spotlight, not only making him a worldwide household name but one of Hollywood's hottest young actors.