Louis Gossett Jr.

Known for: Acting

Born: 1936-05-27 – 2024-03-29 (aged 87)

From: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

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.

Filmography (211)

MOVIE
Sin
2025
as Elijah
MOVIE★ 6.9
IF
2024
as Lewis (voice)
MOVIE★ 7.0
The Color Purple
2023
as Ol' Mister
MOVIE★ 5.4
Outlaw Johnny Black
2023
as Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
MOVIE★ 7.0
Sidney
2022
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.1
Three Months
2022
as Benny
MOVIE★ 6.8
Not to Forget
2021
as Pastor John
MOVIE★ 4.7
I Forgive
2021
as God (voice)
MOVIE★ 7.8
The Reason
2020
as Pastor Jim
MOVIE★ 5.1
The Cuban
2020
as Luis Garcia
MOVIE★ 4.0
Miracle in East Texas
2020
as Irving Tanner Jr.
TV★ 7.6
Watchmen
2019
as Old Man / Will Reeves
MOVIE★ 6.7
Foster Boy
2019
as Judge George Taylor
MOVIE★ 5.2
Supervized
2019
as Pendle
MOVIE
The Gang Activists
2019
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.6
Hal
2019
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.8
Breaking Brooklyn
2018
as Miles Bryant
MOVIE★ 6.2
Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart
2017
as Self
MOVIE★ 5.6
Undercover Grandpa
2017
as Mother
TV★ 7.5
The Good Fight
2017
as Carl Reddick
MOVIE★ 3.5
Double Play
2017
as Coco
MOVIE★ 7.6
King of the Dancehall
2017
as The Bishop
MOVIE★ 8.0
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
2016
as Self
MOVIE
A.C. Green: Iron Virgin
2016
as Himself
MOVIE★ 5.2
Boiling Pot
2015
as Detective Haven
TV★ 6.0
The Spoils Before Dying
2015
as Duke Webster
TV★ 6.5
The Book of Negroes
2015
as Daddy Moses
TV★ 7.0
Madam Secretary
2014
as Laurent Vasseur
TV★ 6.3
Extant
2014
as Quinn
MOVIE★ 3.1
The Dependables
2014
as Lou Jones
MOVIE★ 5.5
A Fighting Man
2014
as Cubby
MOVIE★ 6.0
Miracle at Gate 213
2013
as Roy Peddington
MOVIE★ 4.7
Breaking at the Edge
2013
as Floyd
MOVIE★ 5.9
Smitty
2012
as Mr. Smith
MOVIE★ 2.0
The Undershepherd
2012
as Bishop Redford
MOVIE★ 4.0
Dog Jack
2011
as Grown up Jed
MOVIE★ 7.3
The Grace Card
2011
as George Wright
TV★ 7.7
Hawaii Five-0
2010
as Lou's father
MOVIE★ 6.5
Why Did I Get Married Too?
2010
as Porter
MOVIE★ 7.1
The Perfect Game
2009
as Cool Papa Bell
TV★ 7.3
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.2
Amazing Racer
2009
as Max Donovan
MOVIE★ 5.0
The Least Among You
2009
as Samuel Benton
MOVIE★ 8.0
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
2009
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.6
Delgo
2008
as King Zahn (voice)
MOVIE
Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth
2008
as Self
MOVIE
A Love Story of Today
2008
as Self
MOVIE
A Special Kind of Love
2008
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.5
The Black List: Volume One
2008
as Self
MOVIE★ 3.9
Stories USA
2007
as Doc (segment "Club Soda")
MOVIE★ 5.1
Cover
2007
as Detective Hicks
MOVIE★ 6.9
Daddy's Little Girls
2007
as Willie
MOVIE
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
2007
as Self
MOVIE
Club Soda
2006
as Doc
TV★ 7.9
Psych
2006
as Lloyd Marr
MOVIE★ 5.3
Solar Attack
2006
as President Ryan Gordon
MOVIE★ 4.5
All In
2006
as Caps
MOVIE★ 4.2
Left Behind: World at War
2005
as President Geral Fitzhugh
TV
Black in the 80s
2005
MOVIE★ 5.9
Lackawanna Blues
2005
as Ol'lem Taylor
TV★ 8.0
The Batman
2004
as Lucius Fox (voice)
MOVIE★ 6.0
Jasper, Texas
2003
as R.C. Horn
MOVIE★ 5.1
Momentum
2003
as Raymond Addison
TV★ 8.3
Half & Half
2002
as Ray Willis
TV★ 7.3
The Dead Zone
2002
as Pastor David Lewis
MOVIE★ 7.5
What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away
2002
as Dr. Barnes
MOVIE★ 5.0
Deceived
2002
as Col. David Garrett
MOVIE★ 5.0
For Love of Olivia
2001
as Daniel Stewart
MOVIE★ 7.0
Dr. Lucille
2001
MOVIE★ 7.0
The Color of Love: Jacey's Story
2000
as Lou Hastings
MOVIE★ 6.0
The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence
2000
as Frank
MOVIE★ 4.3
The Highwayman
2000
as Phil Bishop
MOVIE★ 7.0
Strange Justice
1999
as Vernon Jordan
MOVIE★ 5.2
Y2K
1999
as Morgan
MOVIE★ 8.7
Love Songs
1999
as Reuben
TV★ 7.4
Family Guy
1999
as Drill Sargent (voice)
MOVIE★ 5.9
The Inspectors
1998
as Inspector Frank Hughes
TV★ 6.9
Hercules
1998
as Chiron (voice)
MOVIE★ 8.0
The Wall That Heals
1998
as Self - Host
MOVIE★ 4.2
Legend of the Mummy
1998
as Corbeck
MOVIE★ 9.0
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
1998
as Self
TV★ 8.3
Stargate SG-1
1997
as Gerak
MOVIE★ 6.0
In His Father's Shoes
1997
as Frank Crosby / Richard
MOVIE★ 8.0
To Dance with Olivia
1997
as Daniel Stewart
TV★ 7.4
Early Edition
1996
as Jim Matthews
TV★ 6.5
Promised Land
1996
as Anderson Walker
MOVIE★ 4.8
Inside
1996
as Questioner
MOVIE★ 8.0
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
1996
as Bob Kersee
MOVIE★ 5.1
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
1996
as James Mink
MOVIE★ 5.0
Managua
1996
as Paul
MOVIE★ 3.9
Iron Eagle on the Attack
1995
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MOVIE★ 8.0
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.0
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
1995
as Ray Alexander
MOVIE★ 6.3
Zooman
1995
as Rueben Tate
MOVIE★ 6.8
A Father for Charlie
1995
as Walter Osgood
MOVIE★ 8.0
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
1995
as Narrator
TV★ 7.2
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Anderson Walker
TV★ 7.8
ER
1994
as Leo Malcolm
MOVIE★ 4.5
Flashfire
1994
as Ben Durand
MOVIE★ 4.6
Curse of the Starving Class
1994
as Ellis
MOVIE★ 5.0
A Good Man in Africa
1994
as Prof. Sam Adekunle
MOVIE★ 10.0
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
as Ray Alexander
TV★ 6.1
Ellen
1994
as Sgt. Timko
MOVIE★ 6.1
Blue Chips
1994
as Father Dawkins (uncredited)
TV★ 7.0
Return to Lonesome Dove
1993
as Isom Pickett
MOVIE★ 4.6
Monolith
1993
as Capt. MacCandless
MOVIE★ 6.2
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations
1993
as Leonard Clay
MOVIE★ 7.5
Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II
1992
as Reader (voice)
TV★ 7.5
Picket Fences
1992
as Rick Jennings
MOVIE
Gridiron Gang
1992
as Host
MOVIE★ 6.3
Diggstown
1992
as "Honey" Roy Palmer
MOVIE★ 4.2
Iron Eagle III
1992
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MOVIE★ 5.2
Keeper of the City
1991
as Det. James Dela
MOVIE★ 7.2
Carolina Skeletons
1991
as James Bragg
MOVIE★ 6.5
Toy Soldiers
1991
as Dean Parker
MOVIE★ 6.0
The Josephine Baker Story
1991
as Sidney Williams
MOVIE★ 4.0
Cover-Up
1991
as Lou Jackson
TV★ 6.9
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
1990
as Commander Clash (voice)
MOVIE★ 6.9
Sudie and Simpson
1990
as Simpson
MOVIE★ 5.6
El Diablo
1990
as Van Leek
MOVIE★ 10.0
Zora is My Name!
1990
MOVIE★ 5.8
The Punisher
1989
as Jake Berkowitz
TV★ 7.0
Gideon Oliver
1989
MOVIE★ 7.1
Roots: The Gift
1988
as Fiddler
MOVIE★ 9.0
Goodbye, Miss 4th of July
1988
as Big John Creed
MOVIE★ 4.5
Iron Eagle II
1988
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
TV★ 6.5
American Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
MOVIE★ 10.0
Sam Found Out: A Triple Play
1988
as Sam
MOVIE
Straight Up
1988
as Cosmo
MOVIE★ 9.0
The Father Clements Story
1987
MOVIE★ 6.5
The Principal
1987
as Jake Phillips
MOVIE★ 6.0
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.2
A Gathering of Old Men
1987
as Mathu
MOVIE★ 5.4
Firewalker
1986
as Leo Porter
MOVIE★ 5.6
Iron Eagle
1986
as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
MOVIE★ 7.0
Enemy Mine
1985
as Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
MOVIE★ 5.5
The Guardian
1984
as John Mack
MOVIE★ 5.4
Finders Keepers
1984
as Century
TV★ 7.0
Sadat
1983
as Anwar al-Sadat
MOVIE★ 4.5
Jaws 3-D
1983
as Calvin Bouchard
MOVIE★ 5.0
The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die
1983
as narrator
TV★ 5.7
The Powers of Matthew Star
1982
as Walter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)
MOVIE★ 7.0
An Officer and a Gentleman
1982
as Sergeant Emil Foley
MOVIE★ 10.0
Benny's Place
1982
as Benny Moore
MOVIE
I Love Liberty
1982
as Self
TV★ 6.6
American Playhouse
1982
MOVIE★ 6.6
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
1981
as Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
MOVIE★ 5.2
It Rained All Night the Day I Left
1980
as Leo Garcia
TV★ 6.3
Palmerstown, U.S.A.
1980
MOVIE★ 4.9
The Lazarus Syndrome
1979
as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair
TV★ 7.0
The Lazarus Syndrome
1979
as MacArthur St. Clair
MOVIE★ 9.0
Lawman Without a Gun
1979
as Tom Hayward
TV★ 6.1
Backstairs at the White House
1979
as Levi Mercer, Houseman
TV★ 9.0
The Critical List
1978
as Lem Harper
MOVIE
To Kill a Cop
1978
as Everett Walker
TV★ 8.0
To Kill a Cop
1978
as Everett Walker
MOVIE★ 10.0
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots
1978
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.0
Freeman
1977
as Rex
MOVIE★ 5.5
The Choirboys
1977
as Calvin Motts
MOVIE★ 6.1
The Deep
1977
as Henri Cloche
TV★ 6.0
Please Turn the Page
1977
as Self
TV★ 7.3
Roots
1977
as Fiddler
MOVIE★ 4.2
Little Ladies of the Night
1977
as Russ Garfield
MOVIE★ 5.9
J.D.'s Revenge
1976
as Rev. Elija Bliss
MOVIE★ 7.4
The River Niger
1976
as Dr. Dudley Stanton
TV★ 6.9
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
MOVIE★ 10.0
Delancey Street: The Crisis Within
1975
as Otis James
TV★ 7.3
The Jeffersons
1975
MOVIE★ 3.8
Black Bart
1975
as Black Bart
TV★ 7.6
The Rockford Files
1974
as Marcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien
TV★ 5.2
Harry O
1974
as Cleon Jackson
TV★ 7.9
Little House on the Prairie
1974
as Henry Hill
TV★ 7.2
Petrocelli
1974
as District Attorney Kurt Olson
MOVIE★ 6.7
The White Dawn
1974
as Portagee
MOVIE★ 6.5
Sidekicks
1974
as Jason O'Rourke
MOVIE★ 7.3
It's Good to Be Alive
1974
as Sam Brockington
TV★ 8.0
Good Times
1974
TV★ 7.3
The Six Million Dollar Man
1974
as O'Flaherty
MOVIE★ 6.2
The Laughing Policeman
1973
as Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
TV★ 6.3
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
TV★ 7.0
Police Story
1973
MOVIE★ 6.0
Travels with My Aunt
1972
as Wordsworth
TV★ 6.9
The Rookies
1972
MOVIE★ 6.6
Skin Game
1971
as Jason O'Rourke
TV★ 6.5
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Lt. Carl Fellows
TV★ 7.0
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
TV★ 6.8
The Partridge Family
1970
as Sam Simon
TV★ 5.7
The Young Rebels
1970
MOVIE★ 6.0
The Landlord
1970
as Copee Johnson
TV★ 7.2
McCloud
1970
TV★ 6.2
Love, American Style
1969
as Freddy
TV★ 5.5
The Bill Cosby Show
1969
as Hurricane Smith
TV★ 4.8
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
as Dr. Karnes
MOVIE★ 6.5
The Bushbaby
1969
as Tembo
MOVIE★ 5.3
Companions in Nightmare
1968
as Lt. Adam McKay
TV★ 6.1
The Mod Squad
1968
as Smitty
TV★ 6.0
Cowboy in Africa
1967
as Joseph Hemera
TV★ 6.9
The Invaders
1967
as Ollie
TV★ 7.3
Daktari
1966
as Mkono
TV★ 6.6
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TV★ 7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TV★ 5.8
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.7
A Raisin in the Sun
1961
as George Murchison
MOVIE
The New Girl
1960
as Mary's Brother
TV★ 7.5
Bonanza
1959
as Buck Walter
TV★ 7.0
The Oscars
1953
as Self
TV★ 6.8
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
TV★ 7.0
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
MOVIE
Unplugged
—
as Amos Burton (voice)
MOVIE★ 8.0
Crimes of Violence
—
as Self - Host
MOVIE
Forget to Remember
—