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Louis Gossett Jr., Roots and An Officer and a Gentleman Oscar Winner, Dead at 87

Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr., best known for his celebrated work in Roots and An Officer and a Gentleman, has died. He was 87.

The Associated Press confirmed news of Gossett's death after the actor's nephew told the outlet that he died Thursday night in Santa Monica, California. No cause of death has yet been revealed.

Born in New York City, Gossett got his acting start on Broadway inTake a Giant Step in 1953 — when he was still a student at Abraham Lincoln High School. As he explained in a 1991 conversation with Bob Costas, he had "a pretty promising career in high school."

https://people.com/louis-gossett-jr-an- ... 87-8550059

I saw him just a couple of months ago in the remake of The Color Purple. Although he died in California, Gossett had moved to Atlanta several years ago and was involved in supporting local theater. He was often seen dining in local restaurants as well. An interesting. albeit scary, anecdote was that he was at a party in Hollywood in 1969 when he was invited to Sharon Tate's house. He went home to shower and change clothes and, while there, got the news flash about the killings. If he had gone directly to Tate's house when he got the invite, he might have been one of the victims.

I especially like him in "Skin Game," with James Garner.