Louis Gossett Jr.’s Cause of Death Released With Death Certificate

Actor Louis Gossett Jr. died of a lung condition, according to his death certificate obtained by TMZ. The Oscar winner passed away in Santa Monica on March 29 at 87. The report indicated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the main cause of death and that heart failure and atrial fibrillation were also contributing factors, according to TMZ. 

COPD refers to a group of diseases that lead to breathing problems and blockage of airflow, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Gossett’s cause of death was unknown when he passed away last month.

A statement released by his family on March 29 announced his death: “It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning.” It continued, “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

A native of Brooklyn, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, and became the first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar. His most notable roles include An Officer and a Gentleman, for which he won an Academy Award, Roots, for which he won an Emmy, and other prominent roles on stage and screen.

After a basketball injury knocked him off the team, he joined a production of You Can’t Take It With You in his senior year of high school. He would follow this up with his Broadway debut in 1953 when he was 16 years old. As a Broadway actor, he would shortly replace Billy Daniels in Golden Boy with Sammy Davis Jr. He made his Hollywood debut in 1961 with the film version of A Raisin in the Sun.

When he returned to Hollywood later in his career, he appeared on shows such as Bonanza, The Rockford Files, The Mod Squad, and The Partridge Family. However, his most impressive and iconic TV role came in 1977, when he portrayed Fiddler in the widely acclaimed and influential series Roots. With this performance, he won an Emmy, solidifying a television career that would last uninterrupted until 2019, when he starred in a regular role on Watchmen. Gossett’s performance resulted in him receiving his seventh Emmy nomination.

Among his movie credits are The Landlord, The Deep, The Choirboys, and Jaws 3-D. However, it was his performance as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley opposite Richard Gere’s new recruit Zack Mayo in An Officer and a Gentleman that earned him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, as well as a Golden Globe.