Acting · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA · Born May 27, 1936
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.
MovieSin
2025
as Elijah
MovieIF
2024
as Lewis (voice)
MovieThe Color Purple
2023
as Ol' Mister
MovieOutlaw Johnny Black
2023
as Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
MovieSidney
2022
as Self
MovieThree Months
2022
as Benny
MovieNot to Forget
2021
as Pastor John
MovieI Forgive
2021
as God (voice)
MovieThe Reason
2020
as Pastor Jim
MovieThe Cuban
2020
as Luis Garcia
MovieMiracle in East Texas
2020
as Irving Tanner Jr.
TVWatchmen
2019
as Old Man / Will Reeves
MovieFoster Boy
2019
as Judge George Taylor
MovieSupervized
2019
as Pendle
The Gang Activists
2019
as Self
MovieHal
2019
as Self
MovieBreaking Brooklyn
2018
as Miles Bryant
MovieLorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart
2017
as Self
MovieUndercover Grandpa
2017
as Mother
TVThe Good Fight
2017
as Carl Reddick
MovieDouble Play
2017
as Coco
MovieKing of the Dancehall
2017
as The Bishop
MovieMaya Angelou: And Still I Rise
2016
as Self
MovieA.C. Green: Iron Virgin
2016
as Himself
MovieBoiling Pot
2015
as Detective Haven
TVThe Spoils Before Dying
2015
as Duke Webster
TVThe Book of Negroes
2015
as Daddy Moses
TVMadam Secretary
2014
as Laurent Vasseur
TVExtant
2014
as Quinn
MovieThe Dependables
2014
as Lou Jones
MovieA Fighting Man
2014
as Cubby
MovieMiracle at Gate 213
2013
as Roy Peddington
MovieBreaking at the Edge
2013
as Floyd
MovieSmitty
2012
as Mr. Smith
MovieThe Undershepherd
2012
as Bishop Redford
MovieDog Jack
2011
as Grown up Jed
MovieThe Grace Card
2011
as George Wright
TVHawaii Five-0
2010
as Lou's father
MovieWhy Did I Get Married Too?
2010
as Porter
MovieThe Perfect Game
2009
as Cool Papa Bell
TVCelebrity Ghost Stories
2009
as Self
MovieAmazing Racer
2009
as Max Donovan
The Least Among You
2009
as Samuel Benton
MovieWhy We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
2009
as Self
MovieDelgo
2008
as King Zahn (voice)
Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth
2008
as Self
MovieA Love Story of Today
2008
as Self
MovieA Special Kind of Love
2008
as Self
MovieThe Black List: Volume One
2008
as Self
MovieStories USA
2007
as Doc (segment "Club Soda")
MovieCover
2007
as Detective Hicks
MovieDaddy's Little Girls
2007
as Willie
MovieThe 50 Greatest Television Dramas
2007
as Self
MovieClub Soda
2006
as Doc
TVPsych
2006
as Lloyd Marr
MovieSolar Attack
2006
as President Ryan Gordon
MovieAll In
2006
as Caps
MovieLeft Behind: World at War
2005
as President Geral Fitzhugh
TVBlack in the 80s
2005
MovieLackawanna Blues
2005
as Ol'lem Taylor
TVThe Batman
2004
as Lucius Fox (voice)
MovieJasper, Texas
2003
as R.C. Horn
MovieMomentum
2003
as Raymond Addison
TVHalf & Half
2002
as Ray Willis
TVThe Dead Zone
2002
as Pastor David Lewis
MovieWhat About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away
2002
as Dr. Barnes
MovieDeceived
2002
as Col. David Garrett
MovieFor Love of Olivia
2001
as Daniel Stewart
MovieDr. Lucille
2001
MovieThe Color of Love: Jacey's Story
2000
as Lou Hastings
MovieThe Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence
2000
as Frank
MovieThe Highwayman
2000
as Phil Bishop
MovieStrange Justice
1999
as Vernon Jordan
MovieY2K
1999
as Morgan
MovieLove Songs
1999
as Reuben
TVFamily Guy
1999
as Drill Sargent (voice)
MovieThe Inspectors
1998
as Inspector Frank Hughes
TVHercules
1998
as Chiron (voice)
MovieThe Wall That Heals
1998
as Self - Host
MovieLegend of the Mummy
1998
as Corbeck
MovieSmall Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
1998
as Self
TVStargate SG-1
1997
as Gerak
MovieIn His Father's Shoes
1997
as Frank Crosby / Richard
MovieTo Dance with Olivia
1997
as Daniel Stewart
TVEarly Edition
1996
as Jim Matthews
TVPromised Land
1996
as Anderson Walker
MovieInside
1996
as Questioner
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
1996
as Bob Kersee
MovieCaptive Heart: The James Mink Story
1996
as James Mink
MovieManagua
1996
as Paul
MovieIron Eagle on the Attack
1995
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MovieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self
MovieRay Alexander: A Menu for Murder
1995
as Ray Alexander
MovieZooman
1995
as Rueben Tate
MovieA Father for Charlie
1995
as Walter Osgood
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
1995
as Narrator
TVTouched by an Angel
1994
as Anderson Walker
TVER
1994
as Leo Malcolm
MovieFlashfire
1994
as Ben Durand
MovieCurse of the Starving Class
1994
as Ellis
MovieA Good Man in Africa
1994
as Prof. Sam Adekunle
MovieRay Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
as Ray Alexander
TVEllen
1994
as Sgt. Timko
MovieBlue Chips
1994
as Father Dawkins (uncredited)
TVReturn to Lonesome Dove
1993
as Isom Pickett
MovieMonolith
1993
as Capt. MacCandless
MovieFather & Son: Dangerous Relations
1993
as Leonard Clay
Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II
1992
as Reader (voice)
TVPicket Fences
1992
as Rick Jennings
MovieGridiron Gang
1992
as Host
MovieDiggstown
1992
as "Honey" Roy Palmer
MovieIron Eagle III
1992
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MovieKeeper of the City
1991
as Det. James Dela
MovieCarolina Skeletons
1991
as James Bragg
MovieToy Soldiers
1991
as Dean Parker
MovieThe Josephine Baker Story
1991
as Sidney Williams
MovieCover-Up
1991
as Lou Jackson
TVCaptain Planet and the Planeteers
1990
as Commander Clash (voice)
MovieSudie and Simpson
1990
as Simpson
MovieEl Diablo
1990
as Van Leek
MovieZora is My Name!
1990
MovieThe Punisher
1989
as Jake Berkowitz
Gideon Oliver
1989
MovieRoots: The Gift
1988
as Fiddler
MovieGoodbye, Miss 4th of July
1988
as Big John Creed
MovieIron Eagle II
1988
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
TVAmerican Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
MovieSam Found Out: A Triple Play
1988
as Sam
Straight Up
1988
as Cosmo
MovieThe Father Clements Story
1987
MovieThe Principal
1987
as Jake Phillips
MovieHappy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
MovieA Gathering of Old Men
1987
as Mathu
MovieFirewalker
1986
as Leo Porter
MovieIron Eagle
1986
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MovieEnemy Mine
1985
as Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
MovieThe Guardian
1984
as John Mack
MovieFinders Keepers
1984
as Century
Sadat
1983
as Anwar al-Sadat
MovieJaws 3-D
1983
as Calvin Bouchard
MovieThe Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die
1983
as narrator
TVThe Powers of Matthew Star
1982
as Walter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)
MovieAn Officer and a Gentleman
1982
as Sergeant Emil Foley
MovieBenny's Place
1982
as Benny Moore
MovieI Love Liberty
1982
as Self
TVAmerican Playhouse
1982
MovieDon't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
1981
as Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
MovieIt Rained All Night the Day I Left
1980
as Leo Garcia
TVPalmerstown, U.S.A.
1980
MovieThe Lazarus Syndrome
1979
as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair
TVThe Lazarus Syndrome
1979
as MacArthur St. Clair
MovieLawman Without a Gun
1979
as Tom Hayward
TVBackstairs at the White House
1979
as Levi Mercer, Houseman
TVThe Critical List
1978
as Lem Harper
MovieTo Kill a Cop
1978
as Everett Walker
TVTo Kill a Cop
1978
as Everett Walker
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots
1978
as Self
MovieFreeman
1977
as Rex
MovieThe Choirboys
1977
as Calvin Motts
MovieThe Deep
1977
as Henri Cloche
Please Turn the Page
1977
as Self
TVRoots
1977
as Fiddler
MovieLittle Ladies of the Night
1977
as Russ Garfield
MovieJ.D.'s Revenge
1976
as Rev. Elija Bliss
MovieThe River Niger
1976
as Dr. Dudley Stanton
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
MovieDelancey Street: The Crisis Within
1975
as Otis James
TVThe Jeffersons
1975
MovieBlack Bart
1975
as Black Bart
TVThe Rockford Files
1974
as Marcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien
TVHarry O
1974
as Cleon Jackson
TVLittle House on the Prairie
1974
as Henry Hill
TVPetrocelli
1974
as Kurt Olson, DA
MovieThe White Dawn
1974
as Portagee
MovieSidekicks
1974
as Jason O'Rourke
MovieIt's Good to Be Alive
1974
as Sam Brockington
TVGood Times
1974
TVThe Six Million Dollar Man
1974
as O'Flaherty
MovieThe Laughing Policeman
1973
as Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
TVThe American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
TVPolice Story
1973
MovieTravels with My Aunt
1972
as Wordsworth
TVThe Rookies
1972
MovieSkin Game
1971
as Jason O'Rourke
TVOwen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Lt. Carl Fellows
TVAlias Smith and Jones
1971
TVThe Partridge Family
1970
as Sam Simon
TVThe Young Rebels
1970
MovieThe Landlord
1970
as Copee Johnson
TVMcCloud
1970
TVLove, American Style
1969
as Freddy
TVThe Bill Cosby Show
1969
as Hurricane Smith
TVThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
as Dr. Karnes
MovieThe Bushbaby
1969
as Tembo
MovieCompanions in Nightmare
1968
as Lt. Adam McKay
TVThe Mod Squad
1968
as Smitty
TVCowboy in Africa
1967
as Fulah
TVThe Invaders
1967
as Ollie
TVDaktari
1966
as Mkono
TVThe Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieA Raisin in the Sun
1961
as George Murchison
The New Girl
1960
as Mary's Brother
TVBonanza
1959
as Buck Walter
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
Crimes of Violence
as Self - Host
Forget to Remember
MovieUnplugged
as Amos Burton (voice)
