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Moses Gunn was an American actor of stage and screen, known for his roles in Shaft, Roots, and Little House on the Prairie. He won Obie and NAACP Image Awards and was nominated for Tony and Emmy Awards.
Moses Gunn was an American actor who starred in Shaft, Rollerball and Heartbreak Ridge. He was born in 1929, married in 1966 and died in 1993. See his awards, trivia, photos and videos on IMDb.
- January 1, 1
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- January 1, 1
- Guilford, Connecticut, USA
Moses Gunn was born on October 2, 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Shaft (1971), Rollerball (1975) and Heartbreak Ridge (1986). He was married to Gwendolyn Mumma Landes. He died on December 16, 1993 in Guilford, Connecticut, USA.
- October 2, 1929
- December 16, 1993
Nov 3, 2005 · Cofounder of the Negro Ensemble Company, Gunn, the oldest of seven children of a St. Louis, Missouri, laborer, made his off-Broadway debut in the legendary New York premiere of Jean...
- Bumpy Jonas in “Shaft”
- Kintango in “Roots”
- Isaac Montola in “Kung Fu”
- Booker T. Washington in “Ragtime”
- Dr. Lotus on “The Cosby Show”
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In the first two Shaftmovies, Gunn portrayed gang leader Ellsworth “Bumpy” Jonas. Based on real-life mob boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, Jonas was the thorn in the side of the iconic private detective, John Shaft.
Appearing in two episodes of the acclaimed miniseriesRoots, Gunn played Kintango, the leader of a sect in Africa that performed and preserved the rites of manhood. Gunn was nominated for an Emmy for his powerful performance.
In the Kung Fu episode “The Stone,” Gunn played Isaac Montola, a freed slave from Brazil. Montola introduced a new fighting style to Kung Fu’shero, Caine, played by David Carradine.
The 1981 movie musical featured several real-life characters, among them J.P. Morgan, Harry Houdini, and Booker T. Washington, played by Gunn. He won an NAACP Image Award for his performance—the only award won by a film that was heavily nominated for Oscars, Golden Globes and more.
Gunn played a lot of very serious characters over the years, but his career had its light moments as well. One came when he appeared on The Cosby Showas a “spiritual scientist” who charged a bundle for his dubious services.
Learn about the life and career of Moses Gunn, an award-winning actor who co-founded the Negro Ensemble Company and played iconic roles in Shaft, Roots, Kung Fu, and more. See clips, photos, and trivia of his memorable performances.
Dec 20, 1993 · Moses Gunn, an actor whose career of more than three decades included roles ranging from Othello to Booker T. Washington, died on Friday at his home in Guilford, Conn. He was 64.
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Moses Gunn was a versatile and acclaimed actor who performed in theater, film and TV, and advocated for more roles for black actors. He starred in Roots, Ragtime, The Neverending Story and many Shakespeare plays, and won several awards and nominations.
