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Louis Gossett, Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Louis Gossett, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Louis Gossett Jr at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival |
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| Birth name | Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. |
| Born | May 27, 1936 Brooklyn, New York |
| Spouse(s) | Hattie Glascoe (annulled) Christina Mangosing (1973-1975) Cyndi James (1987-1992) |
Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. (born May 27, 1936) is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award winning American actor.
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Louis Gossett, Jr. was born in Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. He was raised by his mother Hellen Rebecca Wray Gossett and his father, Louis Gossett, Sr. A sports injury left Gossett, Jr. with no choice but to take an acting class, and at 16 he made his stage debut in the school's production of You Can't Take It with You.
After graduating high school, he attended New York University, on an athletic scholarship, where he was a star basketball player. The New York Knicks were so impressed with Gossett's athletic ability, that they made him an offer of a professional contract upon graduation. He played with them briefly in 1958, before choosing to focus completely on his acting career.
After leaving the New York Knicks, Gossett took a big step into the world of cinema in the Sidney Poitier vehicle A Raisin in the Sun in 1961.
Since his film debut, Gossett has continued working. He has starred in numerous film productions such as The Deep, An Officer and a Gentleman, Jaws 3-D (as SeaWorld manager Calvin Bouchard), Enemy Mine, the Iron Eagle series, Toy Soldiers and The Punisher. His role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman (opposite Richard Gere) showcased his talent and garnered him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1986, he starred in another role as a military man in the film Iron Eagle. It was followed by three sequels.
Gossett's Broadway theatre credits include A Raisin in the Sun (1959), Golden Boy (1964), and Chicago (2002).
He also has performed in other media, including television productions. In fact, it was his Emmy award-winning role of "Fiddler" in the 1977 groundbreaking television miniseries Roots that first gave Gossett audience's attention. In 1983, Gossett was cast in the title role in Sadat, a miniseries which chronicled the life and assassination of Anwar Sadat. While filming An Officer and a Gentleman, Gossett was also starring in the 1982–1983 science fiction series, The Powers of Matthew Star.
Gossett is the voice of the Vortigaunts in the video game Half-Life 2 (although he did not return for it's sequel Episode Two) and is also the Free Jaffa Leader (Gerak) in Season 9 of Stargate SG-1.
He also played the role of US President Gerald Fitzhugh in the movie Left Behind: World at War.
As of June 2007, Gossett has recorded several commercials for a (Nashville) based diabetic company, AmMed Direct, LLC.
Currently, Gossett provides the voice of Lucius Fox in The Batman.
In 2007, Lou Gossett, Jr., was the honored guest and keynote speaker for the alumni hall of fame gala benefiting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, St. Petersburg, Florida. Mr. Gossett has appeared every year supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He is an alumnus himself and has continued to work for and with the organization.
Interview with Louis Gossett, Jr. (8 min., free)
| Preceded by John Gielgud for Arthur |
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 1982 for An Officer and a Gentleman |
Succeeded by Jack Nicholson for Terms of Endearment |
Categories: 1936 births | Living people | African-American actors | American film actors | Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners | Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) | Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) | Daytime Emmy Award winners | Emmy Award winners | People from Brooklyn | Hollywood Walk of Fame