[1][2] Considered as "the first black action hero",[3][5] Roundtree was credited with having an impact on the rise of African American leading actors in Hollywood projects, thanks to his successful performances in the genre.

[3] In 1981, he appeared opposite Laurence Olivier and Ben Gazzara in the epic war film Inchon, directed by Terence Young.

[2][13] In 1984, he starred again as a private detective, Diehl Swift, in the buddy-crime comedy movie City Heat, acting alongside Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds.

[17] In 1995, he acted in David Fincher's critically-acclaimed movie Seven;[2][4] in 2000, he starred again as John Shaft in a new, eponymous sequel of the original 1971 film, with Samuel L. Jackson playing the title character.

[20][21] In 2004, Roundtree guest-starred in several episodes of the first season of Desperate Housewives as an amoral private detective;[2][18] in 2005, he played the assistant vice principal of a high school in the neo-noir mystery film Brick.

[2] He then appeared as Eddie Sutton's father-in-law in several episodes of family drama series Lincoln Heights,[a] before playing a supporting role in the 2008 film Speed Racer, a live-action adaptation of the eponymous Japanese manga.

[23] During the same year, he also appeared in the TV series Knight Rider as the father of FBI agent Carrie Ravai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier).