The world is mourning the death of film industry legend Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Academy Award for his performance in “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and an Emmy for the groundbreaking miniseries “Roots,” has died at age 87, according to a statement from his family.
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning. We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” the family’s statement, shared by Gossett’s longtime publicist, read.
Louis Gossett Jr. became the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982). But, people may not have known that Louis Cameron Gossett Jr., a giant among men, stood 6 feet-4, went from the basketball court to the stage and then to the big screen.
For a long time, Lou was one of the only African American faces we saw. He was an icon in the entertainment world, with more than 200 credits over a screen, stage, and television career that spanned more than 60 years. Gossett was the man many wanted to be.
Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, he was the only child of Louis Gossett, a porter, and Helen (Wray) Gossett, a nurse. He made his Broadway debut when he was 17. An article stated that he went to school on a basketball scholarship and studied pharmacy as a backup. However, after finishing school, he went back to the stage.
Gossett was in training to be a New York Knick when he got the call from Lorraine Hansberry to star in the original 1959 Broadway production of “A Raisin in the Sun.” “They said the part comes with $700 per diem, more money than most professional athletes had in the bank at the time. I put the basketball down, and the rest is history,” he told PEOPLE earlier this year.
**********
Thank you for reading an excerpt of Yanina Carter’s article on scoopusamedia.com. To read more of Philly Beat,” please subscribe to Scoop USA Media. Print subscriptions are $75.00 and online subscriptions (Print, Digital and Vizion) are $90. (52 weeks/1 year)
