An Actor And A Gentleman Part 1 of 3
Academy Award Winner
20 Prestigious Acting Nominations & 13 Wins
You will find great value in reading Actor And A Gentleman by Louis Gossett Jr. He is a great humanitarian with and outstanding story! Please enjoy a snapshot reading of his book in the 1-minute video below.
https://youtu.be/doGDl8c4KH0
Lou is a very down to earth, grounded fun-loving man with a heart of gold and you will feel his energy as you read each and every page of the life of such a dynamic man!
Louis Gossett Jr. is an amazing human being, born May 27, 1936 in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn, NY, Lou has a flair for projecting quiet authority, mixed with rare emotional intelligence and an authentic character.
I met Lou in the Dominican Republic in 2005 where I was fortunate enough to present him a ‘life time achievement award’ for his extraordinary film and theater vocation. Lou has scored well personally in a string of diverse and occasionally challenging roles.
Lou was a member of the drama club at Abraham Lincoln High School and encouraged by his high school English teacher, Mr. Blum to pursue acting. His first role was a play called, ‘You Can’t Take It With You’. The aspiring actor caught a break at his first Broadway audition for “Take A Giant Step” (1953), where, beating out 400 other candidates, the then 16-year-old landed the lead.
His acting career soon flourished and his work in the stage and film versions of the groundbreaking drama about African-American family life in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” (1961) proved a watershed. This led to numerous appearances on network series in the 1960s and 70s culminating in 1977, when he picked up an Emmy for his eloquent portrayal of Fiddler in the landmark ABC miniseries “Roots”.
Meanwhile, his big screen reputation grew with critically acclaimed work in such comedies as “The Landlord” (1970) ”The Skin Game”(1971) with James Garner, “Travels with My Aunt” (1972) and the film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning drama “The River Niger” (1975). A riveting performance as a drug-dealing cutthroat stalking Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset in “The Deep” (1977) catapulted him to wider popularity, but the tough by-the-book drill sergeant in “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982) won him a Best Supporting Oscar that consolidated his place in the Hollywood hierarchy.
Following his Oscar, he made numerous big screen and television appearances ,being singled out for his work as Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in “Sadat”(1983), the sci-fi adventure “Enemy Mine” (1985) where his lizard-like makeup won kudos, and in the action adventure series “Iron Eagle” (1985,1986,1992,1995) which introduced him to a whole new generation of moviegoers.
A few prestigious nominations and awards for Lou
Academy Awards, USA
1983
Won
Oscar
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Golden Globes, USA
1992
Won
Golden Globe
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
The Josephine Baker Story (1991)
1984
Nominated
Golden Globe
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Sadat (1983)
1983
Won
Golden Globe
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Primetime Emmy Awards
1997
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Touched by an Angel (1994)
For playing “Anderson Walker”. For multiple episodes.
1987
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
A Gathering of Old Men (1987)
For playing “Mathu”.
1984
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
Sadat (1983)
For playing “Anwar al-Sadat”.
1981
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980)
For playing “Bessie’s Father”. For episode “Future City”.
1979
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
Backstairs at the White House (1979)
For playing: “Levi Mercer”.
1978
Nominated
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots (1978)
1977
Won
Primetime Emmy
Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series
Roots (1977)
For playing “Fiddler”.
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
1986
Nominated
Saturn Award
Best Actor
Enemy Mine (1985)
Black Reel Awards
2013
Nominated
Black Reel
Network/Cable – Best Supporting Actor
Smitty (2012)
2000
Won
Black Reel
Network/Cable – Best Director
Love Songs (1999)
Nominated
Black Reel
Network/Cable – Best Actor
Love Songs (1999)
CableACE Awards
1997
Nominated
CableACE
Children’s Special – 7 and Older
In His Father’s Shoes (1997)
Shared with:
Hillard Elkins (executive producer)
Dan Redler (producer)
Patrick Whitley (producer)
Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
Inside (1996)
1985
Nominated
ACE
Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
The Guardian (1984)
Daytime Emmy Awards
2003
Nominated
Daytime Emmy
Outstanding Special Class Special
Opening Ceremony Salt Lake Paralympic Winter Games (2002)
Shared with:
Joedy Lister (executive producer)
Heather Boyd-Meugniot (coordinating producer)
Christopher Laue (producer)
1998
Won
Daytime Emmy
Outstanding Children’s Special
In His Father’s Shoes (1997)
Shared with:
•Hillard Elkins (executive producer)
•Dan Redler
•Patrick Whitley
Nominated
Daytime Emmy
Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Special
In His Father’s Shoes (1997)
For playing “Frank Crosby and Richard Crosby”.
Image Awards
2012
Nominated
Image Award
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
The Least Among You (2009)
2004
Nominated
Image Award
Outstanding Actor in a TV Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special
Jasper, Texas (2003)
1998
Won
Image Award
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Touched by an Angel (1994)
1997
Nominated
Image Award
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story (1996)
1982
Won
Image Award
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Razzie Awards
1984
Nominated
Razzie Award
Worst Supporting Actor
Jaws 3-D (1983)
Satellite Awards
2001
Nominated
Golden Satellite Award
Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television
The Color of Love: Jacey’s Story (2000)
ShoWest Convention, USA
1983
Won
Special Award
Best Supporting Actor
TV Land Awards
2007
Won
Anniversary Award
Roots (1977)
Shared with:
•LeVar Burton
•Leslie Uggams
•John Amos
•Ben Vereen
•Todd Bridges
•Cicely Tyson
•Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
•Georg Stanford Brown
•Olivia Cole
For its 30th anniversary.
Taos Talking Picture Festival
1997
Won
Maverick Award
Temecula Valley International Film Festival
2004
Won
Lifetime Achievement Award
Walk of Fame
1992
Won
Star on the Walk of Fame
Motion Picture
On 20 May 1992. At 7000 Hollywood Blvd.
Please stay tuned for part 2 of this 3 part series and incredible life changing stories shared by Lou in his first class book An An Actor And A Gentleman.
