Louis Gossett, Jr. is one of the most sought after and busiest actors working in theatrical feature films and
television today.

Mr. Gossett' s current production, “The Inspectors,” tells the story of a seasoned postal inspector who is
teamed with a young investigator on a case involving a fatal letter bombing. Executive Produced by Gossett
and his production company, Logo Entertainment, this original drama premiered on the Showtime Network
in the fall of 1998.

Another recent Logo production, “In His Father 's Shoes,” aired on Showtime in June 1997. Also Executive
Produced by Gossett and Logo Entertainment, this original family film deals with a young boy's journey
into his father's past by using a pair of magical shoes that enable him to inhabit his father's body.

The film was nominated for an Achievement in Cable Excellence (ACE) Award and was honored with the
Parents' Choice Gold Award. “In His Father 's Shoes” also recently received an Emmy Award for Best
Children's Special.

Mr. Gossett has also appeared in numerous network television films including the CBS movie of the week
“To Dance with Olivia.” In addition to starring in the project, Gossett served as Executive Producer with
Logo Entertainment. The story centers on a lawyer, husband and father whose wife has become a recluse
after the shooting death of their young son. This family movie aired on CBS in March 1997.

Just before “To Dance with Olivia,” Mr. Gossett completed an original film for Showtime entitled “Run for
the Dream: The Gail Dever's story.” This film is based on the actual story of coach Bob Kersee who helped
his star runner, Gail Devers, overcome a crippling disease in time to win a gold medal at the 1994
Olympics. Gossett's production company, Logo Entertainment, Co-Executive Produced the film. “Run for
the Dream” aired on Showtime and the USA Network in the summer of 1996.

Only a few weeks prior to beginning production on “Run for the Dream,” Gossett had just completed
shooting and Executive Producing the feature film “Inside.” This taut and engrossing drama recounts the
treatment of political prisoners in South Africa during Apartheid. Mr. Gossett co-starred along with Nigel
Hawthorne and Eric Stoltz in this film directed by Arthur Penn. The film was presented at the Cannes Film
Festival in 1997 and Gossett was nominated for an Achievement in Cable Excellence (ACE) award for his
role as "The Questioner."

In 1995, Gossett starred in “Zooman,” written by Charles Fuller for Showtime. Fuller adapted the
screenplay from his award winning Broadway play, “Zooman and the Sign.” That same year, Gossett
filmed the CBS movie “Captive Heart: The James Mink Story.” As well as starring in the lead role, Gossett
served as Executive Consultant on the film, which aired on the network in April, 1996.

In the fall of 1994, Gossett shot “Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder,” the second film in a series of
movies for NBC. The series was Co-Produced by Dean Hargrove and Logo Entertainment. Prior to this, he
starred in “A Father for Charlie,” which was also Executive Produced by Logo Entertainment. This film
aired in January of 1995 on CBS.

Gossett portrayed the character of Walter Osgood, a man who insists on remaining on his family farm in
the Depression-era Ozarks despite long, ongoing attempts by bigoted locals to drive him out. The story
revolves around Osgood forming an unlikely bond with Charlie Cantwell, a ten-year-old boy who has been
abandoned by his racist, abusive father.

At the beginning of the year, Gossett completed filming “Curse of the Starving Class,” co-starring James
Woods and Kathy Bates. In this movie written by Sam Shepard, he plays the owner of a club who comes to
the aid of a farmer about to lose his land.

Also in 1994, Gossett was seen in a starring role in the mini-series “Return to Lonesome Dove,” a
continuation of the critically acclaimed “Lonesome Dove.” In “Return to Lonesome Dove,” Gossett played
Isom Dart, a trail-wise cowboy who, together with his brother, is enlisted to lead a trail of mustangs cross
country to Lonesome Dove. The show also starred Jon Voight, Rick Schroeder, Oliver Reed and Barbara
Hershey.

Early in 1993, Gossett traveled to South Africa where he co-starred with Sean Connery in “A Goodman in
Africa.” In this film, Gossett plays a U.S. educated politician who is running what seems to be a victorious
campaign for the presidency of South Africa. The film was released in 1994.

In March 1993, another Logo Entertainment production for NBC, “Father & Son; Dangerous Relations”
premiered to top ratings in its time slot and was one of the highest rated shows of the week. Also starring
Blair Underwood, the story was of a father and son who have not seen each other in twenty years and meet
again in jail. They are then pardoned into each other's custody.

The physical demands of playing a tough, hardened con in “Father & Son” was tempered somewhat by
Gossett's top notch physical condition. Just prior to shooting, Gossett completed a most physically
demanding role as "Honey Roy Palmer" in the MGM feature film, “Diggstown.” It was a role that sent
Gossett back into the gym for the first time in years where he lost more than 35 pounds. For eight weeks, he
trained six hours a day, six days a week. Equally important to this training was a cutting diet, which
consisted of very little solid food and high quantities of special vitamins.

Gossett has received critical acclaim and commercial success over the years for his body of work. He won a
Los Angeles Drama Critic Award for his performance in the play “Murderous Angles.” In 1977, Gossett
won an Emmy, television's highest honor, for his portrayal of "Fiddler" in the historic television miniseries,
“Roots.” His great grandmother, a strong willed former slave who lived to be 117, provided him
with part of the inspiration for his role.

In 1982, he electrified the world when he won an Oscar for his role of "Sergeant Foley" in the hit film, “An
Officer and a Gentleman.” In 1992, he won a Golden Globe award for his role in HBO's The Josephine
Baker Story. In 1998, he was awarded the NAACP Image Award for his guest-starring role in the critically
acclaimed and popular CBS series, “Touched by an Angel.”

Gossett has also received seven additional Emmy nominations for his performances in “Sadat” (Operation
Prime Time Network), “A Gathering of Old Men” (CBS), “Palmer 's Town” (CBS), “The Century
Collection Presents Ben Vereen-His Roots” (ARC), “Backstage at the White House” (NBC) the CB S
drama “Touched by an Angel” and, most recently, for “In His Father 's Shoes” (SHOWTIME. ) He has also
received Achievement in Cable Excellence (ACE) award nominations for his performances in “Sudie &
Simpson,” “Inside and In His Father 's Shoes.” In addition, he has given critically acclaimed performances
in many other films including “The Deep,” “The River Niger,” “The Landlord,” “The Laughing
Policeman,” “Enemy Mine,” the “Iron Eagle” films, “The Principle,” “Toy Soldiers,” “Diggstown” and
“Tucker & Flynn.”

Gossett has also starred in the acclaimed television movies “Roots: The Gift” (ABC), “The Father
Clements Story” (NBC), “Goodbye Miss Fourth of July” (DisneyChannel), “El Diablo” (HBO), “Zora is
My Name” (PBS), “The Guardian” (HBO), “Carolina Skeletons” (NBC) and “Keeper of the City”
(Showtime). He appeared on television in “Don't Look Back” as the legendary baseball pitcher, Satchel
Paige. He has also starred in NBC's “Gideon Oliver,” a two-hour wheel produced by the Emmy winner,
William Sackheim.

Born in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York, Gossett attended Abraham Lincoln High School
where he was a top student and class president, as well as an athlete who won letters in three sports,
including basketball, where he won all-city honors.

While sidelined from high school sports with an injury, a Lincoln High drama teacher suggested that
Gossett take a stab at acting in a school production of “You Can't Take It With You.” He proved to be so
riveting on stage that the same teacher suggested he try out for an open casting call on Broadway. It was for
the production of “Take a Giant Step.” At 16 years old, Gossett won the role over 400 others.
His performance won for him the Donaldson award as "Best Newcomer in the Theatre" and got him
thinking about his priorities: basketball or acting? He decided on both.

He went to New York University on a basketball and drama scholarship. He starred not only on the court
but also in dozens of theatrical productions including The Desk Set opposite Shirley Booth, Kurt Wiell ' s
Lost in The Stars and a musical version of Golden Boy.

At an age when most young men are just starting out, Gossett was well on his way towards making his
mark. Being the star basketball player in college, he was invited to try out for the New York Knicks. At the
same time, he won a coveted Broadway role opposite Sidney Poitier in “A Raisin In The Sun.”

Gossett reported to the Knicks but decided to pursue Broadway after catching several shots in the mouth
under the basket hoop. "I knew right then I wasn't hungry enough and I had an option, " he says.
Following his acclaimed Broadway performance, he came to California to recreate his role in “Raisin In
The Sun” for the film version directed by Dan Petrie. He has alternated between film and television ever
since, going back to the stage whenever he can.

Besides being one of the most talented and versatile actors working in Hollywood, Gossett maintains a
strong commitment to helping others by giving back to the community both as a spokesperson and as a
behind-the-scenes leader of a number of organizations.

One of Gossett's community projects is "The Family Tree," geared to bonding youngsters throughout the
U.S. who do not have a very solid family foundation. This project is very close to Gossett because it relates
to his experiences growing up in Brooklyn where he had a childhood filled with love as well as discipline
and strong community morals.

Mr. Gossett's father was a hard working man who rose from being a porter to becoming the head of the
billing department of the local gas company. His mother worked as a domestic and then went on to
complete her education. As a result, she could not always be there for him. Neighbors took him in to make
sure he was fed and looked after until his parents came home from their jobs. Through his efforts, Gossett
hopes to instill the same kind of family/neighbor bonding in cities across America.

He was also very active in United Way's past fund-raising campaigns, including television appeals
nationwide. In 1991, he starred in “Something to Believe In,” United Way' s campaign film, which outlined
how the organization continues to work for all of us.

Additionally, Gossett has given his time and energy to help The Muscular Dystrophy Association, The
United Negro College Fund, the United Nations "World Summit for Children, " The Creative Community
for N on- Violence, Boy's Hope, Housing Now, Brothers Against Drugs, The End Hunger Network, Shaka
Franklin Foundation, National Rainbow Coalition, Theatre Authority, Inc., Artists for a Free South Africa,
Coalition to Stop the Violence and he serves on the Board of Trustees for the Challengers Boys and Girls
Clubs of Los Angeles.

He has been garnered with similar acclaim for his work on behalf of the less fortunate including the Wings
ofHope Ant-Drug Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Alumni Award, an Honorary Big Brother Award and
Indiana state's Senator Carolina Mosby's Above and Beyond Award.

Nearly fifteen years ago while watching ABC's “Good Morning, America,” he saw a segment about the
children in America who are victims of poverty. One boy, age seven, who lived in St. Louis, Missouri
caught his eye. With the help of the segment producer from Good Morning, America, Gossett tracked down
the youngster and his family and offered to adopt him. Today, this young man has a promising future and
continues to see his natural family on a regular basis. Mr. Gossett's first son also lives in the Los Angeles
area.

Louis Gossett, Jr. has had an extraordinary career by any standards but he is not resting on his laurels. If
anything, he's out looking for the next mountain to climb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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