Biography: Gordon Roger Parks, Jr. (December 7, 1934 – April 3, 1979) was an American film director best known for the film Super Fly. Parks was the son of Sally Alvis and late photographer and director Gordon Parks. The younger Parks followed in his father's footsteps after his father had success with the blaxploitation hit Shaft. He was killed with three others when their small airplane crashed on takeoff near Nairobi, Kenya.