American actor Louis Gossett Jr. passed away on Thursday in Santa Monica, California, but no cause of death has been given. He is best known for his role as the tough instructor Sergeant Foley who gives Richard Gere a hard time in An Officer and a Gentleman.
For that role, he received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He also became the first black man to win that award, and the third black actor to win an Oscar overall. During his long career, he also won an Emmy for his role in the series Roots. Louis Gossett Jr. was 87 years old.