Louis Gossett Jr. is dead: The Oscar winner made film history – 2024-03-29 15:53:02
In 1983, Louis Gossett Jr. was the first black actor to win an Oscar for a supporting role – now the film star has died.
The film “An Officer and a Gentleman” changed the life of Louis Gossett Jr.: For the project he took on the role of instructor Emil Foley, who drove Richard Gere’s film character to the brink of collapse in a Navy flight school. His acting performance not only thrilled the cinema audience, but also the Oscar jury: in 1983, the American was the first black actor to be awarded a Golden Boy in the Best Supporting Actor category.
Now Robert Gossett, the film star’s nephew, turned to the public with a sad message: “We are deeply sorry that our beloved father has passed away. We would like to thank everyone who sends us their condolences at this time. Please “Respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time,” he confirmed his uncle’s death to the Associated Press.
No further details on the cause of death
As the US portal “TMZ” reports, Louis Gossett Jr. died on Thursday evening in Santa Monica. The cause of death is not yet known. The film and television actor was 87 years old – and can look back on an eventful career.
Louis Gossett Jr. was born on May 27, 1936 in Sheepshead Bay, New York. He made his stage debut at the age of 17 in a school production of “You Can’t Take It With You.” A sports injury led the passionate basketball player to take an acting course. Although he had no professional training, he made his Broadway debut in 1953. Before he came to film and television, he appeared on stage in numerous plays.
Over the course of his career, Louis Gossett Jr. appeared in numerous military and action films as well as various TV series. His Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was accompanied by other awards: He was honored with an Emmy in 1977 for his performance in the television series “Roots”, and in 1991 he received a Golden Globe for his supporting role in the drama “The Josephine Baker Story”.
Louis Gossett Jr. was married three times. After his first marriage to Hattie Glascoe was annulled, he tied the knot with Christina Mangosing. The two had a child together. But this relationship also failed. He then walked down the aisle with actress Cyndi James Gossett. Five years after their wedding, the couple announced their separation. In addition to his son Satie, the movie star is also survived by his adopted son Sharron and his nephew Robert.
