Actor Lincoln Kilpatrick dead

Actor Lincoln Kilpatrick, who appeared in more than 40 movies and got his first break when he was cast in the theatrical production of A Raisin in the Sun, has died. He was 72.

Kilpatrick died of complications of lung cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles, said his agent, Tonia Lee.

Born in St Louis, Kilpatrick was an influential black actor during the 1960s when he co-starred with Sidney Poitier in the Broadway hit A Raisin in the Sun. He went on to roles in James Baldwin’s Blues for Mr Charlie, The Slave and The Blacks, which featured Louis Gossett Jr and Cicely Tyson.

He switched gears in the 1970s, appearing in films such as Cool Breeze, Soul Soldier and Uptown Saturday Night. He was also tapped for sci-fi flicks such as Omega Man, Soylent Green and Chosen Survivors.