View source for John Shaft

{{Short description|Fictional private investigator}}
{{Infobox character
| name               = John Shaft
| image              = Richard Roundtree 1973.JPG
| image_size         = 200px
| caption            = [[Richard Roundtree]] as John Shaft in 1971
| first              = [[Shaft (novel)|''Shaft'']] (1970)
| last               = [[Shaft (2019 film)|''Shaft'']] (2019)
| creator            = [[Ernest Tidyman]]
| portrayer          = [[Richard Roundtree]]
| voice              =
| occupation         = [[Private investigator]]
| gender             = Male
| family             = John Quentin “Quick Johnny” Smith <small>(father)</small> <br> Hazel Shaft <small>(mother)</small> <br>
John Shaft II <small>(son)</small> <br>John "JJ" Shaft III <small>(grandson)</small>
| nationality        = [[United States|American]]
}}
'''John Shaft''' is a fictional private investigator created by author/screenwriter [[Ernest Tidyman]] for the [[Shaft (novel)|1970 novel of the same name]]. He was portrayed by [[Richard Roundtree]] in the original [[Shaft (1971 film)|1971 film]] and in its four sequels—''[[Shaft's Big Score!]]'' (1972), ''[[Shaft in Africa]]'' (1973), ''[[Shaft (2000 film)|Shaft]]'' (2000) and ''[[Shaft (2019 film)|Shaft]]'' (2019)—as well as in the seven 1973–74 [[Shaft (TV series)|''Shaft'']] [[television film]]s. [[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 [[James Bond|Bond]], cooler than [[Bullitt]]."<ref>{{cite web|last=Rea |first=Steven |url=http://articles.philly.com/2000-06-18/entertainment/25600651_1_blaxploitation-john-shaft-black-private-dick |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109161058/http://articles.philly.com/2000-06-18/entertainment/25600651_1_blaxploitation-john-shaft-black-private-dick |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |title=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 |publisher=Articles.philly.com |date=2000-06-18 |access-date=2014-02-18}}</ref>

==Fictional biography==
{{expand section|date=February 2019}}

===Abilities===
John Shaft's weapon of choice is a [[Smith & Wesson Model 36]], [[Beretta 92FS]] or an [[M1911 pistol]]. Shaft is also a practitioner of several styles of martial arts that includes [[Boxing|western Boxing]], [[Wing Chun]], [[Judo]], [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu|Jujitsu]], [[Shotokan]], and [[Kyokushin]] Karate.

== Shaft franchise ==

===Novel series===
The franchise began with the novel ''[[Shaft (novel)|Shaft]]'', which provides a much more detailed backstory for John Shaft than the one seen in the film series. All of the books in the original 1970s series are credited solely to Shaft creator [[Ernest Tidyman]], but from ''Shaft's Big Score'' onward Tidyman wrote them with assistance from [[ghostwriter]]s Robert Turner and Philip Rock.<ref name=RetFan10>{{cite journal |last=Walker |first=David F. |date=August 2020|title=Fifty Years of Shaft|journal=RetroFan|publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] |location=United States|issue=10|pages=3–10}}</ref>

* ''[[Shaft (novel)|Shaft]]'' (1970)
* ''Shaft Among the Jews'' (1972)
* ''Shaft's Big Score'' (1972)
* ''Shaft Has a Ball'' (1973)
* ''Goodbye, Mr. Shaft'' (1973)
* ''Shaft's Carnival of Killers'' (1974)
* ''The Last Shaft'' (1975) - published only in England<ref name=RetFan10/>
* ''Shaft's Revenge'' (2016)<ref>{{cite web | author=Posted on | title=Shaft's Revenge - Preview Of The Prose Novel By David F. Walker | website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors | date=2014-12-03 | url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/shafts-revenge-preview-prose-novel-david-f-walker/ | access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comiclist.com/index.php/news/new-shaft-series-and-shaft-s-revenge-novel-to-be-released-february-2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509041924/http://www.comiclist.com/index.php/news/new-shaft-series-and-shaft-s-revenge-novel-to-be-released-february-2016|archive-date=2016-05-09|title=New SHAFT series and SHAFT'S REVENGE novel to be released February 2016|website=www.comiclist.com}}</ref> (written by [[David F. Walker]])

====Recurring relationships in the novels and films====
* Vic Anderozzi: A lieutenant of detectives with the New York Police Department, and Shaft's contact.
* Rollie Nickerson: Owner of the ''No Name Bar'' which Shaft frequents, and a part-time actor.
* Mrs. Klonsky: Shaft's Polish-American housekeeper.
* Mildred: The phone operator who handles Shaft's answering service.
* Ben Buford: A black revolutionary who grew up with Shaft.
* Marvin Green: Shaft's accountant.
* Helen Green: Wife of Shaft's accountant.
* Bumpy Jonas: A mobster turned ally.
* John Shaft II: Shaft's son. A brash, headstrong, and sharp NYPD detective who quits the force and becomes a private investigator after growing tired of corruption in the legal system. Appears in the 2000 and 2019 films.
* John Shaft III, a.k.a. "J.J." : Shaft's grandson. A nerdy, well-mannered FBI agent and computer expert who eventually opts to join his father and grandfather in their private investigations. Only appears in the 2019 film.

===Comic strip===
Between the release of the first ''Shaft'' film and the novel ''Shaft Among the Jews'', Tidyman began developing a ''Shaft'' daily syndicated [[newspaper comic strip]].<ref name=RetFan10/> He commissioned artist [[Don Rico]], with whom he produced 24 sample strips, but despite the character's popularity in both novels and films he was unable to find a [[Comic strip syndication|syndicate]] interested in distributing the ''Shaft'' strip, which remains unpublished.<ref name=RetFan10/>

===Comic book series===
The '''''Shaft!''''' comic book was published by [[Dynamite Entertainment]], written by David F. Walker and illustrated by Bilquis Evely, beginning in December 2014. New stories following young John Shaft's earliest adventures were adapted closely from the Ernest Tidyman novels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=55560 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Walker Promises A "More Badass" Shaft in The Character's Comics Debut|last=Ching|first=Albert |work=comicbookresources.com|date=September 16, 2014|access-date=January 27, 2015}}</ref>

* ''Shaft: A Complicated Man'' (2014) (writer: David F. Walker, artist: Bilquis Evely)
* ''Shaft: Imitation of Life'' (2016) (writer: David F. Walker, artist: Dietrich Smith)

===Film and television franchise===
====Film series====
{{Main|Shaft (film series)}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Starring
|-
| [[1971 in film|1971]]
| ''[[Shaft (1971 film)|Shaft]]''
|rowspan="3"| '''[[Richard Roundtree]]''' as John Shaft
|-
| [[1972 in film|1972]]
| ''[[Shaft's Big Score!]]''
|-
| [[1973 in film|1973]]
| ''[[Shaft in Africa]]''
|-
| [[2000 in film|2000]]
| ''[[Shaft (2000 film)|Shaft]]''
| '''[[Samuel L. Jackson]]''' as John Shaft (John Shaft II)
----
'''[[Richard Roundtree]]''' as (Uncle) John Shaft (John Shaft I)
|-
| [[2019 in film|2019]]
| ''[[Shaft (2019 film)|Shaft]]''
| '''[[Jessie Usher]]''' as J.J. Shaft (estranged son of John Shaft and grandson of John Shaft Sr., John Shaft III)
----
'''[[Richard Roundtree]]''' as John Shaft Sr. (John Shaft I)
----
'''[[Samuel L. Jackson]]''' as John Shaft (son of John Shaft Sr., retcon, John Shaft II)
|}

====Television films====
{{Main|Shaft (TV series)}}
The [[Shaft (TV series)|television show]] ran from 1973 to 1974, with Richard Roundtree reprising the role of John Shaft. There were seven 90-minute movies, part of the ''New CBS Tuesday Night Movies'', rotating with ''[[Hawkins (TV series)|Hawkins]]'', which starred [[James Stewart]].

====Cast and characters====
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* A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=100%
! rowspan="3" width="7%" | Character
! colspan="5" | Film
! colspan="2" | Television
|-
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft (1971 film)|Shaft]]''
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft's Big Score!]]''
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft in Africa]]''
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft (2000 film)|Shaft]]''
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft (2019 film)|Shaft]]''
! width="7%" | ''[[Shaft (TV series)|Shaft]]''
|-
! {{small|'''1971'''}}
! {{small|'''1972'''}}
! {{small|'''1973'''}}
! {{small|'''2000'''}}
! {{small|'''2019'''}}
! {{small|'''1973–1974'''}}
|-
! John Shaft<br><small>(a.k.a. John Shaft Sr., John Shaft I)</small>
| colspan="6" | [[Richard Roundtree]]
|-
! Bumpy Jonas
| colspan="2" | [[Moses Gunn]]
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|-
! John Shaft<br><small>(a.k.a. John Shaft II)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
| colspan="2" | [[Samuel L. Jackson]]
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|-
! J.J. Shaft<br><small>(a.k.a. John Shaft III)</small>
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
| [[Jessie Usher]]
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;" |
|}

==John Shaft in other media==
* [[Burger King]] utilized the Shaft character for promotion, and even somewhat parodied Shaft utilizing [[Shaquille O'Neal]].
* The [[USA Network]]'s promo for their series ''[[Monk (TV series)|Monk]]'' was modeled after the Shaft remake in 2000.
* [[Geena Davis]] parodied the Shaft remake/sequel in promos for her short-lived television series, ''[[The Geena Davis Show]]''.
* In Season 2's episode  "Ants in Pants!", ''[[The Tick (animated series)|The Tick]]'' featured the Tick meeting "Taft." On confirming that it is he, the man says "Darn right." This would be reprised in the Season 3 episode, "That Moustache Feeling".
* A song entitled "Shaft in Greenland" appeared on [[The Dead Milkmen]]'s album ''[[Soul Rotation]]''.
* In the TV series ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'', [[Will Smith]] frequently references Shaft as one of his favorite film characters, believing the character to be a real person ([[Richard Roundtree]] himself guest-starred in two episodes of the show, playing two different characters.)
* In the anime TV series ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' episode "[[List of Cowboy Bebop episodes#ep17|Mushroom Samba]]", he is the namesake of one of the Shaft brothers, hoping to avenge his brother's death. He is voiced by [[Hōchū Ōtsuka]] in the 1999 Japanese version and by [[Beau Billingslea]] in the 2001 English dub.
* Broomhilda Von Shaft, a character in [[Quentin Tarantino]]'s ''[[Django Unchained]]'', was named to suggest a relationship to John Shaft. Stated Tarantino: "Her and Django will eventually have a baby, and then that baby will have a baby, and that baby will have a baby, and that baby will have a baby, and that baby will have a baby ... and one of these days, John Shaft will be born".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vulture.com/2012/07/django-unchained-shaft-quentin-tarantino-comic-con.html|title=Comic-Con: Quentin Tarantino Thinks Django Unchained Could Be a Shaft Prequel|last=Buchanan|first=Kyle|work=vulture.com|date=July 14, 2012|access-date=January 27, 2013}}</ref>
*In the video game Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense, the character John Torque was modelled after John Shaft.<ref>{{cite web | title=Three for 64 | date=March 2000 | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/01/three-for-64 }}</ref> The line "shut your mouth", heard in the main theme song of the game, is also a reference to the main theme of the movie Shaft, in which the eponymous character stars in.

==Parodies in other films==
* ''[[Good Burger]]''
* ''[[I'm Gonna Git You Sucka]]''
* ''[[I Got the Hook-Up]]''
* ''[[Black Dynamite]]''
* ''[[The Hebrew Hammer (film)|The Hebrew Hammer]]''

==Reception==
The character has had a mostly positive response.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/03/12/archives/shaft-a-black-man-who-is-for-once-a-winner.html?sq=john%2520shaft&scp=3&st=cse | work=[[The New York Times]] | first=Judy | last=Klemesrud | title=Shaft -- 'A Black Man Who Is For Once a Winner' | date=1972-03-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/30/movies/summer-films-blaxploitation-a-black-gumshoe-who-built-a-genre-is-back-on-the-job.html?scp=18&sq=john%20shaft&st=cse | work=The New York Times | first=Elvis | last=Mitchell | title=SUMMER FILMS: BLAXPLOITATION; A Black Gumshoe Who Built a Genre Is Back on the Job | date=2000-04-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/07/25/archives/a-black-movie-for-white-audiences-a-black-critics-view-of-shaft.html?sq=john%2520shaft&scp=30&st=cse | work=The New York Times | first=Clayton | last=Riley | title=A Black Movie for White Audiences?; A Black Critic's View of 'Shaft' | date=1971-07-25}}</ref> Shaft had an enormous impact on the way Black men were portrayed in American film. Prior to Shaft many depictions of Black men showed them as servile, mild-mannered, and in positions of low status such as servants or janitors. The way Richard Roundtree portrayed Shaft created a Black male style that was so distinct and pervasive it became known as “swag”. After Shaft the representation of Black masculinity in American films was dramatically changed. It became the norm to see black men in roles that before would have been filled by white men.<ref name="CNN_Shaft">{{cite web |last1=Fulwood III |first1=Sam |title=Opinion: After 'Shaft,' Black Americans in film were never portrayed the same way |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/28/opinions/richard-roundtree-shaft-black-actors-hollywood-fulwood/index.html |website=CNN |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Company |access-date=29 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029013816/https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/28/opinions/richard-roundtree-shaft-black-actors-hollywood-fulwood/index.html |archive-date=29 October 2023 |url-status=live |language=en |date=28 October 2023}}</ref>

==Literary references==
* {{cite book | first=Jon | last=Tuska | title=The Detective in Hollywood | year=1978 | isbn=0385120931 | publisher=Doubleday }}
* {{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TLCzCgAAQBAJ | title=The World of Shaft: A Complete Guide to the Novels, Comic Strip, Films and Television Series | first=Steve | last=Aldous | year=2015 | publisher=McFarland | isbn=9781476622231 }}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.thrillingdetective.com/shaft.html Page from 'Thrilling Detectives']
* [http://www.stevealdous.co.uk/shaft/ Steve Aldous' Guide to Shaft]

{{John Shaft}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaft, John}}
[[Category:Film characters introduced in 1970]]
[[Category:Fictional private investigators]]
[[Category:Fictional shotokan practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional kyokushin kaikan practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional Wing Chun practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional Shaolin kung fu practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional judoka]]
[[Category:Characters in American novels of the 20th century]]
[[Category:Male characters in film]]
[[Category:Book series]]
[[Category:African-American characters in literature]]
[[Category:Black characters in films]]
[[Category:Shaft (franchise)| ]]
[[Category:African-American characters in films]]