Actor Richard Roundtree, who created history with his legendary portrayal in the Shaft movie trilogy, died on Tuesday following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Richard Roundtree held a variety of posts over the course of his patchwork five-decade career. However, his most well-known role is that of investigator John Shaft in the 1971 action thriller. In Shaft’s Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973), he reprised his role. Furthermore, Roundtree had a brief stint as the lead actor in the 1973 TV series Shaft.

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Here is the list of his top five movies–

  • Shaft (1971)

John Shaft, a private detective located in Harlem entrusted with solving the kidnapping of a wealthy man’s daughter, is Roundtree’s most renowned portrayal. Shaft embodies a persona that is fearless in facing the underworld and exudes cool confidence and incisive intelligence. The film was a financial and critical success, catapulting Roundtree to celebrity.

  • Earthquake (1974)

In this movie, Roundtree plays structural engineer Miles Quade, who has to take the enormous responsibility of saving his friends and family during a massive earthquake in Los Angeles. The film cemented its place as a timeless masterpiece in the genre with its innovative use of visual effects.

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  • Uptown Saturday Night (1974)

In this comedy-drama, Roundtree excels as Harlem’s Willie Dynamite, a part-time hustler with lofty goals. A charming and poignant depiction of life in the colorful streets of 1970s Harlem is provided by the movie.

  • City Heat (1984)

In this buddy cop action comedy, Roundtree appears alongside Clint Eastwood on screen. As committed police investigator Inspector Speer, Roundtree teams up with Eastwood’s renegade officer to stop a run of bank robberies. The strong chemistry between Roundtree and Eastwood drives an exciting and delightful action-comedy experience in the movie.

Also read | Who is Richard Roundtree’s ex-wife, Mary Jane Grant?

  • Inchon (1981)

In this expansive war epic, Roundtree plays Captain John “Buck” Waterbury. During the Korean War, the movie follows Marine Officer Waterbury as he leads a valiant raid on the North Korean port city of Inchon. The film presents an epic representation of military heroism with some amazing battle scenes.