ACTOR
Louis Gossett Jr.
Known for Family Guy · Stargate SG-1 · Hawaii Five-0
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.
Snapshot 2026-10-15
- Born
- May 27, 1936
- Died
- Mar 29, 2024
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
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.
Advertisement
Known For
TV
Family GuyDrill Sargent (voice) · 1999
★ 7.4
★ 7.4
TV
Stargate SG-1Gerak · 1997
★ 8.3
★ 8.3
TV
Hawaii Five-0Lou's father · 2010
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
TV
PsychLloyd Marr · 2006
★ 7.9
★ 7.9
TV
Little House on the PrairieHenry Hill · 1974
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
TV
ERLeo Malcolm · 1994
★ 7.8
★ 7.8
TV
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1975
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
TV
The BatmanLucius Fox (voice) · 2004
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
Filmography
Movies
TN
The New GirlMary's Brother
1960
A Raisin in the SunGeorge Murchison
1961
Companions in NightmareLt. Adam McKay
1968
The BushbabyTembo
1969
The LandlordCopee Johnson
1970
Skin GameJason O'Rourke
1971
Travels with My AuntWordsworth
1972
The Laughing PolicemanInsp. James Larrimore SFPD
1973
It's Good to Be AliveSam Brockington
1974
SidekicksJason O'Rourke
1974
The White DawnPortagee
1974
Black BartBlack Bart
1975
Delancey Street: The Crisis WithinOtis James
1975
J.D.'s RevengeRev. Elija Bliss
1976
The River NigerDr. Dudley Stanton
1976
FreemanRex
1977
Little Ladies of the NightRuss Garfield
1977
The ChoirboysCalvin Motts
1977
The DeepHenri Cloche
1977TS
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His RootsSelf
1978
To Kill a CopEverett Walker
1978
Lawman Without a GunTom Hayward
1979
The Lazarus SyndromeDr. MacArthur St. Clair
1979
It Rained All Night the Day I LeftLeo Garcia
1980
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" PaigeLeroy 'Satchel' Paige
1981
An Officer and a GentlemanSergeant Emil Foley
1982
Benny's PlaceBenny Moore
1982
I Love LibertySelf
1982
Jaws 3-DCalvin Bouchard
1983
The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Dienarrator
1983
Finders KeepersCentury
1984
The GuardianJohn Mack
1984
Enemy MineJeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
1985
FirewalkerLeo Porter
1986
Iron EagleCharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1986
A Gathering of Old MenMathu
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987
The Father Clements Story
1987
The PrincipalJake Phillips
1987
Goodbye, Miss 4th of JulyBig John Creed
1988
Iron Eagle IICharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1988
Roots: The GiftFiddler
1988
Sam Found Out: A Triple PlaySam
1988SU
Straight UpCosmo
1988
The PunisherJake Berkowitz
1989
El DiabloVan Leek
1990
Sudie and SimpsonSimpson
1990
Zora is My Name!
1990AP
A Party For Richard PryorSelf
1991
Carolina SkeletonsJames Bragg
1991
Cover-UpLou Jackson
1991
Keeper of the CityDet. James Dela
1991
The Josephine Baker StorySidney Williams
1991
Toy SoldiersDean Parker
1991
Diggstown"Honey" Roy Palmer
1992
Gridiron GangHost
1992
Iron Eagle IIICharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1992LF
Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War IIReader (voice)
1992
Father & Son: Dangerous RelationsLeonard Clay
1993
MonolithCapt. MacCandless
1993
A Good Man in AfricaProf. Sam Adekunle
1994
Blue ChipsFather Dawkins (uncredited)
1994
Curse of the Starving ClassEllis
1994
FlashfireBen Durand
1994
Ray Alexander: A Taste For JusticeRay Alexander
1994
A Father for CharlieWalter Osgood
1995A Father for CharlieExecutive Producer
1995
Iron Eagle on the AttackCharles 'Chappy' Sinclair
1995KO
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight BoxingNarrator
1995
Ray Alexander: A Menu for MurderRay Alexander
1995
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American MoviesSelf
1995
ZoomanRueben Tate
1995
Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryJames Mink
1996
InsideQuestioner
1996InsideExecutive Producer
1996
ManaguaPaul
1996RF
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers StoryBob Kersee
1996
In His Father's ShoesFrank Crosby / Richard
1997In His Father's ShoesExecutive Producer
1997
To Dance with OliviaDaniel Stewart
1997To Dance with OliviaExecutive Producer
1997
Legend of the MummyCorbeck
1998
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodSelf
1998
The InspectorsInspector Frank Hughes
1998
The Wall That HealsSelf - Host
1998
Love SongsReuben
1999Love SongsDirector
1999
Strange JusticeVernon Jordan
1999
Y2KMorgan
1999
The Color of Love: Jacey's StoryLou Hastings
2000The Color of Love: Jacey's StoryExecutive Producer
2000
The HighwaymanPhil Bishop
2000
The Inspectors 2: A Shred of EvidenceFrank
2000
Dr. Lucille
2001
For Love of OliviaDaniel Stewart
2001For Love of OliviaExecutive Producer
2001
DeceivedCol. David Garrett
2002
What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-AwayDr. Barnes
2002
Jasper, TexasR.C. Horn
2003
MomentumRaymond Addison
2003
Lackawanna BluesOl'lem Taylor
2005
Left Behind: World at WarPresident Geral Fitzhugh
2005
All InCaps
2006
Club SodaDoc
2006
Solar AttackPresident Ryan Gordon
2006
CoverDetective Hicks
2007
Daddy's Little GirlsWillie
2007
Stories USADoc (segment "Club Soda")
2007
The 50 Greatest Television DramasSelf
2007
A Love Story of TodaySelf
2008
A Special Kind of LoveSelf
2008
DelgoKing Zahn (voice)
2008SK
Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for TruthSelf
2008
The Black List: Volume OneSelf
2008
Amazing RacerMax Donovan
2009TL
The Least Among YouSamuel Benton
2009
The Perfect GameCool Papa Bell
2009
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black ComedySelf
2009
Why Did I Get Married Too?Porter
2010
Dog JackGrown up Jed
2011
The Grace CardGeorge Wright
2011
SmittyMr. Smith
2012
The UndershepherdBishop Redford
2012
Breaking at the EdgeFloyd
2013
Miracle at Gate 213Roy Peddington
2013
A Fighting ManCubby
2014
The DependablesLou Jones
2014
Boiling PotDetective Haven
2015
A.C. Green: Iron VirginHimself
2016
Maya Angelou: And Still I RiseSelf
2016
Double PlayCoco
2017
King of the DancehallThe Bishop
2017
Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling HeartSelf
2017
Undercover GrandpaMother
2017
Breaking BrooklynMiles Bryant
2018
Foster BoyJudge George Taylor
2019
HalSelf
2019
SupervizedPendle
2019TG
The Gang ActivistsSelf
2019
Miracle in East TexasIrving Tanner Jr.
2020
The CubanLuis Garcia
2020
The ReasonPastor Jim
2020
I ForgiveGod (voice)
2021
Not to ForgetPastor John
2021
African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus GarveySelf
2022
SidneySelf
2022
Three MonthsBenny
2022
Outlaw Johnny BlackReverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
2023
The Color PurpleOl' Mister
2023
IFLewis (voice)
2024IFIn Memory Of
2024
SinElijah
2025CO
Crimes of ViolenceSelf - Host
FT
Forget to Remember
UnpluggedAmos Burton (voice)
Television
Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee · 1 eps
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Audience Member · 2 eps
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter · 2 eps
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Host · 1 eps
1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee / Presenter · 1 eps
1944
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 1 eps
1948
The OscarsSelf · 2 eps
1953
BonanzaBuck Walter · 1 eps
1959
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 1 eps
1961
The Merv Griffin ShowSelf · 1 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 2 eps
1962
DaktariMkono · 1 eps
1966
Cowboy in AfricaJoseph Hemera · 1 eps
1967Cowboy in AfricaFulah · 1 eps
1967
The InvadersOllie · 1 eps
1967
The Mod SquadSmitty · 1 eps
1968The Mod SquadCharley Jameson · 1 eps
1968The Mod SquadLloyd · 1 eps
1968
Love, American StyleFreddy · 1 eps
1969
The Bill Cosby ShowHurricane Smith · 1 eps
1969
The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsDr. Karnes · 1 eps
1969
McCloud1 eps
1970
The Partridge FamilySam Simon · 1 eps
1970
The Young Rebels15 eps
1970
Alias Smith and Jones1 eps
1971
Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawLt. Carl Fellows · 1 eps
1971
The Rookies1 eps
1972
Police Story2 eps
1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...Self · 1 eps
1973
Good Times2 eps
1974
Harry OCleon Jackson · 1 eps
1974
Little House on the PrairieHenry Hill · 1 eps
1974
PetrocelliDistrict Attorney Kurt Olson · 1 eps
1974PetrocelliKurt Olson, DA · 1 eps
1974
The Rockford FilesMarcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien · 1 eps
1974The Rockford FilesMarcus Aurelius 'Gabby' Hayes · 1 eps
1974
The Six Million Dollar ManO'Flaherty · 1 eps
1974
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
The Jeffersons1 eps
1975PT
Please Turn the PageSelf · 1 eps
1977
RootsFiddler · 3 eps
1977
The Critical ListLem Harper · 2 eps
1978
To Kill a CopEverett Walker · 2 eps
1978
Backstairs at the White HouseLevi Mercer, Houseman · 4 eps
1979
The Lazarus SyndromeMacArthur St. Clair · 10 eps
1979
Palmerstown, U.S.A.1 eps
1980
American Playhouse1 eps
1982
The Powers of Matthew StarWalter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai) · 22 eps
1982The Powers of Matthew StarDirector
1982S
SadatAnwar al-Sadat · 2 eps
1983
American ExperienceNarrator (voice) · 1 eps
1988
Gideon Oliver5 eps
1989
Captain Planet and the PlaneteersCommander Clash (voice) · 2 eps
1990
Picket FencesRick Jennings · 1 eps
1992
Return to Lonesome DoveIsom Pickett · 4 eps
1993
EllenSgt. Timko · 1 eps
1994
ERLeo Malcolm · 1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelAnderson Walker · 1 eps
1994
Early EditionJim Matthews · 1 eps
1996
Promised LandAnderson Walker · 1 eps
1996
Stargate SG-1Gerak · 5 eps
1997
HerculesChiron (voice) · 1 eps
1998
Family GuyDrill Sargent (voice) · 1 eps
1999
Half & HalfRay Willis · 2 eps
2002
The Dead ZonePastor David Lewis · 1 eps
2002
The BatmanLucius Fox (voice) · 3 eps
2004
Black in the 80sSelf · 3 eps
2005
PsychLloyd Marr · 1 eps
2006
Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelf · 1 eps
2009
For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black PatriotsExecutive Producer
2010
Hawaii Five-0Lou's father · 1 eps
2010
ExtantQuinn · 4 eps
2014
Madam SecretaryLaurent Vasseur · 1 eps
2014
The Book of NegroesDaddy Moses · 6 eps
2015
The Spoils Before DyingDuke Webster · 6 eps
2015
The Good FightCarl Reddick · 1 eps
2017
WatchmenOld Man / Will Reeves · 7 eps
2019Photos
Advertisement
Catalog data and artwork by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.