| John Shaft | |
|---|---|
 Richard Roundtree as John Shaft in 1971 | |
| First appearance | Shaft (1970) |
| Last appearance | Shaft (2019) |
| Created by | Ernest Tidyman |
| Portrayed by | Richard Roundtree |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Private investigator |
| Family | John Quentin “Quick Johnny” Smith (father) Hazel Shaft (mother) John Shaft II (son) John "JJ" Shaft III (grandson) |
| Nationality | American |
John Shaft is a fictional private investigator created by author/screenwriter Ernest Tidyman for the 1970 novel of the same name. He was portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the original 1971 film and in its four sequels—Shaft's Big Score!, Shaft in Africa, Shaft (2000) and Shaft (2019)—as well as in the seven 1973–74 Shaft television films. Samuel L. Jackson portrayed his son (introduced as his nephew), named John Shaft II, in Shaft (2000) and Shaft (2019), and Jessie Usher portrayed the character's grandson (named John "J.J." Shaft Jr.) in Shaft (2019). The blurb on the paperback on which the original film is based states Shaft is "Hotter than Bond, cooler than Bullitt."[1]
- ^ Rea, Steven (2000-06-18). "Shaft's Big Lure: He May Not Be A Sex Machine Anymore, But We Can Still Dig Him. As 'Shaft' Goes The Major-motion-picture Route, Black Artists Reflect On His '70s 'blaxploitation' Roots". Articles.philly.com. Retrieved 2014-02-18.