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Louis Gossett, Jr.

️Fri Mar 29 2024

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Louis Gossett, Jr. (1936-2024) talks about his early life, and his early interest in sports and performing. He recalls taking classes at the Actors Studio, and early television roles on The Nurses and East Side/West Side. He recalls appearing both on stage and in the feature film version of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and alongside James Garner in Skin Game. He details playing the role of “Fiddler” in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, and speaks of finding the character, and improvising a line in a key scene, which was kept in with the permission of Alex Haley. Gossett discusses the impact of Roots, and what it was like to win the Emmy Award for his work on the series. He chronicles his Oscar-winning role in An Officer and a Gentleman, and other roles in features like The Cuban and Enemy Mine. He recalls playing “Anwar al-Sadat” in the critically acclaimed Sadat, and opines about race relations in America. Jenni Matz conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on July 9, 2018 in Malibu, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Roots was a phenomenon for African American actors. Finally they’re telling the truth on national television, thank God. African Americans already kinda knew the story. We'd talked about it in our kitchens and our bathrooms and our living rooms, but now it was on national television. The entire world stopped what they were doing to finally hear this story."

Highlights

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with Sidney Poitier in the feature film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun"

03:19

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the time "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:07

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the decision to air Roots on consecutive nights, and on the phenomenon the show became

01:41

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Anwar al-Sadat" in Sadat

05:49

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Sgt. Emil Foley" in "An Officer and a Gentleman," directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Richard Gere

03:43

Louis Gossett, Jr. on how he would like to be remembered

00:22

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood, and his best friend growing up, Stanley Ralph Ross; on his early interest in sports and in performing; on being cast in the Broadway show "Take a Giant Step" at age 17

On what he learned from studying at the Actors Studio; on early television appearances on shows like The Nurses and East Side/West Side; on making the transition from stage to television and features; on appearing with Sidney Poitier in the feature film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," and on Norman Lear

On being cast as "Fiddler" in Roots, and on his initial disappointment with the role; on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process; on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the lime "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

On the decision to air Roots on consecutive nights, and on the phenomenon the show became; on winning an Emmy Award for his role as "Fiddler" in Roots; on the legacy of Roots

Chapter 2

On playing "Dr. MacArthur St. Clair" on The Lazarus Syndrome; on playing "Sgt. Emil Foley" in "An Officer and a Gentleman," directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Richard Gere; on the role of the actor in society, and how the arts can help or harm

On being the second black actor to win an Oscar, and on what it meant to his career; on the value of storytelling; on playing "Anwar al-Sadat" in Sadat

On appearing in the feature films "The Cuban" and "Enemy Mine" with Dennis Quaid; on overcoming creative differences with other actors and on the importance of doing research on characters; on the then-current state of race relations in America

On what he loves about acting; on his then-future plans, what he looks for in a role, and on his production company; on the many mentors in his life

On how the industry has changed since he started; on career achievements and regrets; on how he would like to be remembered

Shows

Companions in Nightmare

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing in the television movie Companions in Nightmare, and on facing discrimination during filming and coming to terms with racism in the industry

05:00

East Side/West Side

Louis Gossett, Jr. on early television appearances on shows like The Nurses and East Side/West Side

02:46

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Louis Gossett, Jr. on winning an Emmy for his role as "Fiddler" in Roots

00:47

Lazarus Syndrome, The

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Dr. MacArthur St. Clair" on The Lazarus Syndrome

01:44

Nurses, The

Louis Gossett, Jr. on early television appearances on shows like The Nurses and East Side/West Side

02:46

Roots

Louis Gossett, Jr. on being cast as "Fiddler" in Roots, and on his initial disappointment with the role

03:08

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:07

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the decision to air Roots on consecutive nights, and on the phenomenon the show became

01:39

Louis Gossett, Jr. on winning an Emmy Award for his role as "Fiddler" in Roots

00:47

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the legacy of Roots

03:13

Sadat

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Anwar al-Sadat" in Sadat

05:49

Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Fiddler" on Roots,

07:14

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the many mentors in his life

04:52

Emmy Awards

Louis Gossett, Jr. on winning an Emmy for his role as "Fiddler" in Roots

00:47

Historic Events and Social Change

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with James Garner in the feature film "Skin Game," and on appearing in socially-conscious projects

02:07

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the impact producer Norman Lear had on opportunities for African-American actors in television

00:24

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the legacy of Roots

03:12

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the role of the actor in society, and how the arts can help or harm

04:37

Louis Gossett, Jr. on being the second black actor to win an Oscar, and on what it meant to his career

04:18

Louis Gossett, Jr. on how things have changed for African-American actors since he started

01:17

Pivotal Career Moments

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the many mentors in his life

04:52

Pop Culture

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Fiddler" in Roots

07:14

Representation on Television

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with James Garner in the feature film "Skin Game," and on appearing in socially-conscious projects

02:07

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the impact producer Norman Lear had on opportunities for African-American actors in television

00:24

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the legacy of Roots

03:12

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the role of the actor in society, and how the arts can help or harm

04:37

Louis Gossett, Jr. on being the second black actor to win an Oscar, and on what it meant to his career

04:18

Louis Gossett, Jr. on how things have changed for African-American actors since he started

01:17

Television Industry

Louis Gossett, Jr. on how the industry has changed since he started

01:07

Underrepresented Voices

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with James Garner in the feature film "Skin Game," and on appearing in socially-conscious projects

02:07

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the impact producer Norman Lear had on opportunities for African-American actors in television

00:24

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the legacy of Roots

03:12

Louis Gossett, Jr. on the role of the actor in society, and how the arts can help or harm

04:37

Louis Gossett, Jr. on being the second black actor to win an Oscar, and on what it meant to his career

04:18

Louis Gossett, Jr. on how things have changed for African-American actors since he started

01:17

Professions

Actor

View Profession

Louis Gossett, Jr. on making the transition from stage to television and features

00:45

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on overcoming creative differences with other actors and on the importance of doing research on characters

04:03

Louis Gossett, Jr. on what he loves about acting

02:57

Performers

View Profession

Louis Gossett, Jr. on making the transition from stage to television and features

00:45

Louis Gossett, Jr. on doing research to play "Fiddler" in Roots, and why the character was a breakthrough for him in terms of his acting process

04:06

Louis Gossett, Jr. on overcoming creative differences with other actors and on the importance of doing research on characters

04:03

Louis Gossett, Jr. on what he loves about acting

02:57

Genres

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Louis Gossett, Jr. on early television appearances on shows like The Nurses and East Side/West Side

02:46

Medical Dramas

Louis Gossett, Jr. on early television appearances on shows like The Nurses and East Side/West Side

02:46

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Louis Gossett, Jr. on being cast as "Fiddler" in Roots, and on his initial disappointment with the role

16:03

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Dr. MacArthur St. Clair" on The Lazarus Syndrome

01:44

Louis Gossett, Jr. on playing "Anwar al-Sadat" in Sadat

05:49

People

Alex Haley

View Person Page

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:06

Dennis Quaid

View Person Page

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing in the feature films "The Cuban" and "Enemy Mine" with Dennis Quaid

03:46

James Garner

View Interview Page

Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with James Garner in the feature film "Skin Game," and on appearing in socially-conscious projects

02:07

LeVar Burton

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Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene (with LeVar Burton and Vic Morrow) in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:06

Marilyn Monroe

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Louis Gossett, Jr. on an encounter with Marilyn Monroe at the Actors Studio

01:18

Norman Lear

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Louis Gossett, Jr. on the impact producer Norman Lear had on opportunities for African-American actors in television

00:24

Sidney Poitier

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Louis Gossett, Jr. on appearing with Sidney Poitier in the feature film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun"

08:19

Stanley Ralph Ross

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Louis Gossett, Jr. on his childhood, and his best friend growing up, Stanley Ralph Ross

02:13

Vic Morrow

View Person Page

Louis Gossett, Jr. on filming the "my name is Toby" scene (with LeVar Burton and Vic Morrow) in Roots, and on using the line "there's gonna be another day" (which he improvised) with Alex Haley's permission

03:07