Louis Gossett Jr.
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
- Born
- May 27, 1936
- Place of birth
- Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- Gender
- Male
- Credits
- 213 as cast · 10 as crew
- Best known for
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Date of death
- Mar 29, 2024
- Popularity
- 3.0
Sin
Elijah2025
IF
Lewis (voice)2024
The Color Purple
Ol' Mister2023
Outlaw Johnny Black
Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)2023
Sidney
Self2022
Three Months
Benny2022
African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey
Self2022
Not to Forget
Pastor John2021
I Forgive
God (voice)2021
The Reason
Pastor Jim2020
The Cuban
Luis Garcia2020
Miracle in East Texas
Irving Tanner Jr.2020
Watchmen
Old Man / Will Reeves2019
Foster Boy
Judge George Taylor2019
Supervized
Pendle2019
The Gang Activists
Self2019
Hal
Self2019
Breaking Brooklyn
Miles Bryant2018
Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart
Self2017
Undercover Grandpa
Mother2017
The Good Fight
Carl Reddick2017
Double Play
Coco2017
King of the Dancehall
The Bishop2017
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Self2016
A.C. Green: Iron Virgin
Himself2016
Boiling Pot
Detective Haven2015
The Spoils Before Dying
Duke Webster2015
The Book of Negroes
Daddy Moses2015
Madam Secretary
Laurent Vasseur2014
Extant
Quinn2014
The Dependables
Lou Jones2014
A Fighting Man
Cubby2014
Miracle at Gate 213
Roy Peddington2013
Breaking at the Edge
Floyd2013
Smitty
Mr. Smith2012
The Undershepherd
Bishop Redford2012
Dog Jack
Grown up Jed2011
The Grace Card
George Wright2011
Hawaii Five-0
Lou's father2010
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Porter2010
The Perfect Game
Cool Papa Bell2009
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self2009
Amazing Racer
Max Donovan2009
The Least Among You
Samuel Benton2009
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Self2009
Delgo
King Zahn (voice)2008
A Love Story of Today
Self2008
A Special Kind of Love
Self2008
Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth
Self2008
The Black List: Volume One
Self2008
Stories USA
Doc (segment "Club Soda")2007
Cover
Detective Hicks2007
Daddy's Little Girls
Willie2007
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Self2007
Club Soda
Doc2006
Psych
Lloyd Marr2006
Solar Attack
President Ryan Gordon2006
All In
Caps2006
Left Behind: World at War
President Geral Fitzhugh2005
Black in the 80s
Self2005
Lackawanna Blues
Ol'lem Taylor2005
The Batman
Lucius Fox (voice)2004
Jasper, Texas
R.C. Horn2003
Momentum
Raymond Addison2003
Half & Half
Ray Willis2002
The Dead Zone
Pastor David Lewis2002
What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away
Dr. Barnes2002
Deceived
Col. David Garrett2002
For Love of Olivia
Daniel Stewart2001
Dr. Lucille
2001
The Color of Love: Jacey's Story
Lou Hastings2000
The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence
Frank2000
The Highwayman
Phil Bishop2000
Strange Justice
Vernon Jordan1999
Y2K
Morgan1999
Love Songs
Reuben1999
Family Guy
Drill Sargent (voice)1999
The Inspectors
Inspector Frank Hughes1998
Hercules
Chiron (voice)1998
The Wall That Heals
Self - Host1998
Legend of the Mummy
Corbeck1998
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
Self1998
Stargate SG-1
Gerak1997
In His Father's Shoes
Frank Crosby / Richard1997
To Dance with Olivia
Daniel Stewart1997
Early Edition
Jim Matthews1996
Promised Land
Anderson Walker1996
Inside
Questioner1996
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
Bob Kersee1996
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
James Mink1996
Managua
Paul1996
Iron Eagle on the Attack
Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair1995
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self1995
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
Ray Alexander1995
Zooman
Rueben Tate1995
A Father for Charlie
Walter Osgood1995
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
Narrator1995
Touched by an Angel
Anderson Walker1994
ER
Leo Malcolm1994
Flashfire
Ben Durand1994
Curse of the Starving Class
Ellis1994
A Good Man in Africa
Prof. Sam Adekunle1994
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
Ray Alexander1994
Ellen
Sgt. Timko1994
Blue Chips
Father Dawkins (uncredited)1994
Return to Lonesome Dove
Isom Pickett1993
Monolith
Capt. MacCandless1993
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations
Leonard Clay1993
Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II
Reader (voice)1992
Picket Fences
Rick Jennings1992
Gridiron Gang
Host1992
Diggstown
"Honey" Roy Palmer1992
Iron Eagle III
Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair1992
Keeper of the City
Det. James Dela1991
A Party For Richard Pryor
Self1991
Carolina Skeletons
James Bragg1991
Toy Soldiers
Dean Parker1991
The Josephine Baker Story
Sidney Williams1991
Cover-Up
Lou Jackson1991
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Commander Clash (voice)1990
Sudie and Simpson
Simpson1990
El Diablo
Van Leek1990
Zora is My Name!
1990
The Punisher
Jake Berkowitz1989
Gideon Oliver
1989
Roots: The Gift
Fiddler1988
Goodbye, Miss 4th of July
Big John Creed1988
Iron Eagle II
Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair1988
American Experience
Narrator (voice)1988
Sam Found Out: A Triple Play
Sam1988
Straight Up
Cosmo1988
The Father Clements Story
1987
The Principal
Jake Phillips1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self1987
A Gathering of Old Men
Mathu1987
Firewalker
Leo Porter1986
Iron Eagle
Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair1986
Enemy Mine
Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan1985
The Guardian
John Mack1984
Finders Keepers
Century1984
Sadat
Anwar al-Sadat1983
Jaws 3-D
Calvin Bouchard1983
The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die
narrator1983
The Powers of Matthew Star
Walter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)1982
An Officer and a Gentleman
Sergeant Emil Foley1982
Benny's Place
Benny Moore1982
I Love Liberty
Self1982
American Playhouse
1982
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
Leroy 'Satchel' Paige1981
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
Leo Garcia1980
Palmerstown, U.S.A.
1980
The Lazarus Syndrome
MacArthur St. Clair1979
The Lazarus Syndrome
Dr. MacArthur St. Clair1979
Lawman Without a Gun
Tom Hayward1979
Backstairs at the White House
Levi Mercer, Houseman1979
The Critical List
Lem Harper1978
To Kill a Cop
Everett Walker1978
To Kill a Cop
Everett Walker1978
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots
Self1978
Freeman
Rex1977
The Choirboys
Calvin Motts1977
The Deep
Henri Cloche1977
Please Turn the Page
Self1977
Roots
Fiddler1977
Little Ladies of the Night
Russ Garfield1977
J.D.'s Revenge
Rev. Elija Bliss1976
The River Niger
Dr. Dudley Stanton1976
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host1975
Delancey Street: The Crisis Within
Otis James1975
The Jeffersons
1975
Black Bart
Black Bart1975
The Rockford Files
Marcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien1974
Harry O
Cleon Jackson1974
Little House on the Prairie
Henry Hill1974
Petrocelli
Kurt Olson, DA1974
The White Dawn
Portagee1974
Sidekicks
Jason O'Rourke1974
It's Good to Be Alive
Sam Brockington1974
Good Times
1974
The Six Million Dollar Man
O'Flaherty1974
The Laughing Policeman
Insp. James Larrimore SFPD1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self1973
Police Story
1973
Travels with My Aunt
Wordsworth1972
The Rookies
1972
Skin Game
Jason O'Rourke1971
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Lt. Carl Fellows1971
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
The Partridge Family
Sam Simon1970
The Young Rebels
1970
The Landlord
Copee Johnson1970
McCloud
1970
Love, American Style
Freddy1969
The Bill Cosby Show
Hurricane Smith1969
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
Dr. Karnes1969
The Bushbaby
Tembo1969
Companions in Nightmare
Lt. Adam McKay1968
The Mod Squad
Smitty1968
Cowboy in Africa
Fulah1967
The Invaders
Ollie1967
Daktari
Mkono1966
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Self1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self1961
A Raisin in the Sun
George Murchison1961
The New Girl
Mary's Brother1960
Bonanza
Buck Walter1959
The Oscars
Self1953
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self1948
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee1944
Unplugged
Amos Burton (voice)
Forget to Remember
Crimes of Violence
Self - Host