Richard Arnold Roundtree (July 9, 1942 – October 24, 2023) was an American actor. He is called "the first Black action hero" for his role as private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and its four sequels released between 1972 and 2019. For his role in the original film, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the category New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972.

Roundtree died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was cremated at the Chapel of the Pines crematory. His family held a memorial service at St. Catherine's African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Rochelle, New York, on February 17, 2024.