Richard Roundtree, the first protagonist of the Shaft saga, died this Tuesday at the age of 81. Roundtree had been battling pancreatic cancer for several months. According to a statement reported by the media, Roundtree died at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his loved ones.

Richard Roundtree already had breast cancer in 1993, which forced him to undergo a double mastectomy. A good number of actors and celebrities wanted to say their last goodbye to the actor through social networks, among them Samuel L. Jackson.

Roundtree rose to fame when he obtained the role of John Shaft, a film noir hero of the 70s, a pioneering franchise in productions with a renewed funk style for action films. The saga included several productions for the big screen and television. More recently, Samuel L. Jackson reprized the lead role in the final installments.

Along with his role in Shaft, he also shared the stage with Peter O'Toole in I, Friday, the film adaptation of the Robinson Crusoe novel. He participated in feature films such as Se7en, Inchon, and City Heat. Until 2022, he did not put aside his acting career to be able to rest due to his illness.