maid. An uncle served in a US Army division that helped to liberate German concentration camps and Gossett later narrated a documentary about the soldiers’ experiences.
At school, he excelled in sports until an injury forced his transfer into an acting class, which in turn landed him a role in the 1953 Broadway play Take a Giant Step. More stage appearances followed during his studies at New York University, though after service as a ranger in the US Army he dreamt of playing basketball professionally.
That was abandoned when he played George Murchison in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway with Poitier; later he reminisced about matinee-day poker games with Poitier and Paul Newman. He reprieved the role for Daniel Petrie’s 1961 film of the same name, for which Poitier and Claudia McNeil both received Bafta and Golden Globe nominations.
His Roots co-star LeVar Burton remembered his late colleague and friend on a social media post.
“One of the best to ever do it!,” Burton posted on X/Twitter. “Thank you, Lou… for everything!”