Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to

Ruby Dee Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. She originated the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1 ...

, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame; were awarded the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and arts patrons ...

Lifetime Honors – National Medal of Arts
and were recipients of the

Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...

. He was inducted into the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

in 1994.

Early life

Raiford Chatman Davis was born in Cogdell, Georgia, the son of Kince Charles Davis, a railway construction engineer, and his wife Laura (''née'' Cooper; July 9, 1898 – June 6, 2004). He inadvertently became known as "Ossie" when his birth certificate was being filed and his mother's pronunciation of his name as "R. C. Davis" was misheard by the courthouse clerk in Clinch County, Ga. Davis experienced

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...

from an early age when the

KKK The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cath ...

threatened to shoot his father, whose job they felt was too advanced for a black man to have. His siblings included scientist William Conan Davis, social worker Essie Davis Morgan, pharmacist Kenneth Curtis Davis, and biology teacher James Davis. Following the wishes of his parents, he attended

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

but dropped out in 1939 to fulfill his desire for an acting career in New York after a recommendation by Alain Locke; he later attended Columbia University School of General Studies. His acting career began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Davis served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

in the Medical Corps. He made his film debut in 1950 in the

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

film '' No Way Out''.

Career

When Davis wanted to pursue a career in acting, he ran into the usual roadblocks that black people suffered at that time as they generally could only portray stereotypical characters such as Stepin Fetchit. Instead, he tried to follow the example of

and play more distinguished characters. When he found it necessary to play a Pullman porter or a butler, he played those characters realistically, not as a

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

. In addition to acting, Davis, along with

Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the 2000s. His feature film debut, '' The Story of a Three-Day Pass'' ...

and Gordon Parks, was one of the notable black directors of his generation: he directed movies such as '' Gordon's War'', ''

Black Girl Black women are women of sub-Saharan African and Afro-diasporic descent, as well as women of Australian Aboriginal and Melanesian descent. The term 'Black' is a racial classification of people, the definition of which has shifted over time and a ...

'' and ''

Cotton Comes to Harlem ''Cotton Comes to Harlem'' is a 1970 American neo-noir action comedy thriller film co-written and directed by Ossie Davis and starring Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, and Redd Foxx. The film, later cited as an early example of the bla ...

''. Along with

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

and Poitier, Davis was one of a handful of black actors able to find commercial success while avoiding stereotypical roles prior to 1970, which also included a significant role in the 1965 movie ''

The Hill ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' alongside

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...

plus roles in '' The Cardinal'' and ''

The Scalphunters ''The Scalphunters'' is a 1968 American Western film starring Burt Lancaster, Ossie Davis and Telly Savalas. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, with the score written by Elmer Bernstein. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Su ...

''. However, Davis never had the tremendous commercial or critical success that Cosby and Poitier enjoyed. As a

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, Davis wrote ''

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...

: All-American'', which is frequently performed in

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

programs for young audiences. In 1976, Davis appeared on

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...

's novelty album for children, ''

The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay ''The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay'' is a 1976 educational album by the American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. The album was recorded to raise awareness of tooth decay among children. The album features several notable perso ...

''. Davis found recognition late in his life by working in several of director

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

's films, including ''

Do The Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackso ...

'', ''

Jungle Fever ''Jungle Fever'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent ...

'', '' She Hate Me'' and '' Get on the Bus''. He also found work as a commercial

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...

artist and served as the narrator of the early-1990s CBS

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

'' Evening Shade'', starring

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

, where he also played one of the residents of a small southern town. In 1999, Davis appeared as a theater caretaker in the

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel ...

film ''

The Ghosts of Christmas Eve ''The Ghosts of Christmas Eve'' is a 1999 made-for-television film showcasing a Christmas music performance by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, starring Ossie Davis and Allie Sheridan. Guest performers included Michael Crawford and Jewel. Other perfo ...

'', which was released on DVD two years later. For many years, he hosted the annual National Memorial Day Concert from Washington, D.C. He voiced

Anansi Anansi ( ; literally translates to ''spider'') is an Akan folktale character and the Akan God of Stories, Wisdom, Knowledge, and possibly creation. The form of a spider is the most common depiction of Anansi. He is also, sometimes considered t ...

the spider on the PBS children's television series ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...

'' in its animation segments. Davis's last role was a several episode guest role on the Showtime drama series ''

The L Word ''The L Word'' is a television drama that aired on Showtime from January 18, 2004 to March 8, 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California. The premise originated with Ile ...

'', as a father struggling with the acceptance of his daughter Bette ( Jennifer Beals) parenting a child with her lesbian partner. In his final episodes, his character took ill and died. His wife Ruby Dee was present during the filming of his own death scene. That episode, which aired shortly after Davis's own death, aired with a dedication to the actor. After Davis's passing, actor Dennis Haysbert portrayed him in the 2015 film '' Experimenter''.

Honors

In 1989, Ossie Davis and his wife, actress/activist

, were named to the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. In 1995, they were awarded the

, the nation's highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the country and presented in a

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

ceremony by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

. In 2004, they were recipients of the prestigious

. According to the Kennedy Center Honors: :"The Honors recipients recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts— whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television — are selected by the Center's Board of Trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; the selection process, over the years, has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines." In 1994, Davis was inducted into the

Activism

Opera star Stacey Robinson (left) with Ossie Davis in 1998

Davis and Dee were well known as

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life ...

activists during the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the Unite ...

and were close friends of Malcolm X,

Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American political activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. senato ...

, Martin Luther King Jr. and other icons of the era. They were involved in organizing the 1963 civil rights

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, also known as simply the March on Washington or The Great March on Washington, was held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to advocate for the civil and economic rig ...

, and served as its emcees. Davis, alongside Ahmed Osman, delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Malcolm X. He re-read part of this eulogy at the end of Spike Lee's film '' Malcolm X''. He also delivered a stirring tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, at a memorial in New York's Central Park the day after King was assassinated in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...

Personal life

In 1948, Davis married actress

, whom he had met on the set of

Robert Ardrey Robert Ardrey (October 16, 1908 – January 14, 1980) was an American playwright, screenwriter and science writer perhaps best known for ''The Territorial Imperative'' (1966). After a Broadway and Hollywood career, he returned to his academic tr ...

's 1946 play '' Jeb''. In their joint autobiography ''With Ossie and Ruby,'' they described their decision to have an open marriage, later changing their minds. In the mid-1960s they moved to the New York suburb of

New Rochelle New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state o ...

, where they remained ever after. Their son Guy Davis is a blues musician and former actor, who appeared in the film '' Beat Street'' (1984) and the daytime soap opera ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

''. Their daughters are Nora Davis Day and Hasna Muhammad.

Death

Davis was found dead in a

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which ...

hotel room on February 4, 2005. He was 87 years old. An official cause of death was not released, but he was known to have had heart problems. His ashes were interred at

Ferncliff Cemetery Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is located at 280 Secor Road in the hamlet of Hartsdale, town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, United States, about north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian. Fernc ...

. Davis's funeral was held in New York City on February 12, 2005. The line to enter The Riverside Church, located on the edge of Harlem, stretched for several blocks, with a thousand or more members of the public unable to attend as the church filled to its 2,100 capacity. Speakers included Davis's children and grandchildren, as well as

Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor, screenwriter, and director. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the war come ...

Amiri Baraka Amiri Baraka (born Everett Leroy Jones; October 7, 1934 – January 9, 2014), previously known as LeRoi Jones and Imamu Amear Baraka, was an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays and music criticism. He was the author of numerous bo ...

Avery Brooks Avery Franklin Brooks (born October 2, 1948) is an American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', as Hawk on '' Spenser: For Hire'' ...

Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic '' What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...

, Attallah Shabazz, Tavis Smiley,

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

, Sonia Sanchez,

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internati ...

, and former president

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

, among many others.

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

performed a musical tribute. Burt Reynolds, who early in his career had worked with Davis, said "Ossie Davis took the bad parts of the South out of me.... I know what a man is because of Ossie Davis." Ms. Shabazz, oldest daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, spoke lovingly of the man she and her five sisters called Uncle Ossie, saying he had provided exceptional support to her and her sisters after her father's assassination. Bill Clinton arrived midway through the service, and said from the pulpit "I asked to be seated in the back. I would proudly ride on the back of Ossie Davis's bus any day," adding that Davis "would have made a great president." Delivering the eulogy, Harry Belafonte said: Ossie Davis "embraced the greatest forces of our times. Paul Robeson, Dr. W.E.B. DuBois, Eleanor Roosevelt, A. Philip Randolph, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and so many, many more. At the time of one of our most anxious and conflicted moments, when 'Our America' was torn apart by seething issues of race, Ossie paused, at the tomb of one of our noblest warriors, and in the eulogy he delivered, insured that history would clearly understand the voice of Black people, and what Malcolm X meant to us in the African-American struggle for freedom.... It is hard to fathom that we will no longer be able to call on his wisdom, his humor, his loyalty and his moral strength to guide us in the choices that are yet to be made and the battles that are yet to be fought. But how fortunate we were to have him as long as we did."

Filmography

Film

* '' No Way Out'' (1950) as John Brooks (uncredited) * ''

Fourteen Hours ''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel. The film won critical accla ...

'' (1951) as Cab Driver (uncredited) * '' The Joe Louis Story'' (1953) as Bob (uncredited) * '' Gone Are the Days!'' (aka ''Purlie Victorious'') (1963) as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson * '' The Cardinal'' (1963) as Father Gillis * '' Shock Treatment'' (1964) as Capshaw * ''

'' (1965) as Jacko King * '' A Man Called Adam'' (1966) as Nelson Davis * ''Silent Revolution'' (1967) * ''

'' (1968) as Joseph Lee * ''

Sam Whiskey ''Sam Whiskey'' is a 1969 American Western comedy film directed in DeLuxe Color by Arnold Laven and starring Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, Clint Walker and Ossie Davis. "Way ahead of its time," said Reynolds of the film. "I was playing light ...

'' (1969) as Jed Hooker * ''

Slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

'' (1969) as Luke * '' Wattstax'' (1973) as Himself (uncredited) * '' Let's Do It Again'' (1975) as Elder Johnson * '' Black Shadows on a Silver Screen'' (1975), a documentary * '' Countdown at Kusini'' (1976) as Ernest Motapo * '' Hot Stuff'' (1979) as Captain John Geiberger * ''

Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731October 19, 1806) was an African-American naturalist, mathematician, astronomer and almanac author. He was a landowner who also worked as a surveyor and farmer. Born in Baltimore County, Maryland, to a fr ...

: The Man Who Loved the Stars'' (1979) * '' Harry & Son'' (1984) as Raymond * ''

The House of God ''The House of God'' is a satirical novel by Samuel Shem (a pseudonym used by psychiatrist Stephen Bergman), published in 1978. The novel follows a group of medical interns at a fictionalized version of Beth Israel Hospital over the course of ...

'' (1984) as Dr. Sanders * '' Avenging Angel'' (1985) as Captain Harry Moradian * '' From Dreams To Reality: A Tribute to Minority Inventors'' (1986, Documentary) as Himself * ''

School Daze ''School Daze'' is a 1988 American musical comedy-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry Fishburne), Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell. Based in part on Spike Lee's experience ...

'' (1988) as Coach Odom * ''

Do the Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackso ...

'' (1989) as Da Mayor * ''

Joe Versus the Volcano ''Joe Versus the Volcano'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley and starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Hanks plays a man who, after being told he is dying of a rare disease, accepts a financial offe ...

'' (1990) as Marshall * ''

Preminger Preminger ( he, פרמינגר) is a surname of Jewish origin. Notable people with the surname include: *Eliezer Preminger (1920–2001), Israeli politician *Erik Lee Preminger (born 1944), American writer and actor *Ingo Preminger (1911–2006), A ...

: Anatomy of a Filmmaker'' (1991, Documentary) as Himself * ''

'' (1991) as The Good Reverend Doctor Purify * ''

Gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

'' (1992) as Noah * ''

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of I ...

'' (1992) as Eulogy Performer (voice) * ''

Cop and a Half ''Cop and a Half'' is a 1993 American family buddy cop- comedy film directed by Henry Winkler, and stars Burt Reynolds, Norman D. Golden II, and Ray Sharkey in his final role. Reynolds plays a veteran cop who reluctantly takes an eight-year-old ...

'' (1993) as Detective in Squad Room (uncredited) * '' Grumpy Old Men'' (1993) as Chuck * '' The Client'' (1994) as Harry Roosevelt * '' Get on the Bus'' (1996) as Jeremiah * ''

I'm Not Rappaport ''I'm Not Rappaport'' is a play by Herb Gardner, which originally ran on Broadway in 1985. Productions The play was originally staged by Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1984. The play premiered on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on November 19, 1985 ...

'' (1996) as Midge Carter * '' 4 Little Girls'' (1997, Documentary) as Himself - Actor and Playwright * '' Dr. Dolittle'' (1998) as Archer Dolittle * ''Alyson's Closet'' (1998, Short) as Postman Extraordinaire * ''The Unfinished Journey'' (1999, Documentary, Short) as Narration (voice) * ''The Gospel According to Mr. Allen'' (2000, Documentary) as Narrator * ''

Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...

'' (2000) as Yar (voice) * ''

Here's to Life! ''Here's to Life!'' is a Canadian comedy-drama film by Arne Olsen, released in 2000. Plot The film stars Eric McCormack as Owen Rinard, an uptight retirement home administrator in Spokane, who is caught cheating on the company's taxes by a resid ...

'' (2000) as Duncan Cox * ''Voice of the Voiceless'' (2001, Documentary) as Himself * '' Why Can't We Be a Family Again?'' (2002, Documentary, Short) as Narrator (voice) * '' Bubba Ho-Tep'' (2002) as Jack * ''

Unchained Memories ''Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives'' is a 2003 American documentary film about the stories of former slaves interviewed during the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers' Project and preserved in the WPA Slave Narrative Colle ...

'' (2003, Documentary) as Reader #6 * ''

Nat Turner Nat Turner's Rebellion, historically known as the Southampton Insurrection, was a rebellion of enslaved Virginians that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, in August 1831.Schwarz, Frederic D.1831 Nat Turner's Rebellion" ''American Heri ...

: A Troublesome Property'' (2003, Documentary) as Himself * '' Beah: A Black Woman Speaks'' (2003, Documentary) as Himself * '' BAADASSSSS!'' (2003) as Granddad * '' She Hate Me'' (2004) as Judge Buchanan * ''

Proud Proud may refer to: Music * ''Proud'' (Heather Small album), the debut album by Heather Small ** "Proud" (Heather Small song), a song by Heather Small that was the official song for the London 2012 Olympic bid * ''Proud'' (compilation album), ...

'' (2004) as Lorenzo DuFau * ''A Trumpet at the Walls of Jericho'' (2005, Documentary)

Television

* ''

The Emperor Jones ''The Emperor Jones'' is a 1920 tragic play by American dramatist Eugene O'Neill that tells the tale of Brutus Jones, a resourceful, self-assured African American and a former Pullman porter, who kills another black man in a dice game, is jailed, ...

'' (1955, TV Movie) as Brutus Jones * ''Seven Times Monday'' (1962, TV Movie) as Will * ''

Car 54 Where Are You? ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City po ...

'' (1962-1963) as Officer Omar Anderson * '' The Fugitive'' (1966) as Lieutenant Johnny Gaines * ''12 O'Clock High'' (1967) as Major Glenn Luke * ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

: The Wish'' (1969) as Sam Davis * '' Night Gallery'' (1969) as Osmund Portifoy * '' Hawaii Five-O'' (1974) as Ramon Borelle * ''The Sheriff'' (1971, TV Movie) as Sheriff James Lucas * '' The Tenth Level'' (1976, TV Movie) as Reed * ''Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid'' (1977, TV Movie) as Dr. Fredericks * ''

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) as Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. * '' Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979, TV Mini-Series) as Dad Jones * ''Freedom Road'' (1979, TV Movie) as Narrator * ''All God's Children'' (1980, TV Movie) as Blaine Whitfield * ''Ossie and Ruby!'' (1980) as Co-host (1980-1981) * ''Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige'' (1981, TV Movie) as Chuffy Russell * ''

Death of a Prophet ''Death of a Prophet'' is a 1981 television film, written and directed by Woodie King Jr., and starring Morgan Freeman as Malcolm X. Cast * Morgan Freeman as Malcolm X * Yolanda King as Betty Shabazz * Ossie Davis as himself * Yuri Kochiyama ...

'' (1981, TV Movie) as Himself * ''Benjamin Banneker: The Man Who Loved the Stars'' (1989) * ''

B.L. Stryker ''B.L. Stryker'' is an American detective drama that aired on ABC from February 13, 1989, to May 5, 1990, as part of the '' ABC Mystery Movie'' umbrella group, along with '' Columbo'', and ''Kojak''. Tom Selleck was one of the series' executive p ...

'' (1989–1990) as 'Oz' Jackson * ''We'll Take Manhattan'' (1990, TV Movie) as Man in Subway * '' Evening Shade'' (1990–1994) as Ponder Blue * ''

Alex Haley's Queen ''Alex Haley's Queen'' (also known as ''Queen'') is a 1993 American television miniseries that aired in three installments on February 14, 16, and 18 on CBS. The miniseries is an adaptation of the 1993 novel '' Queen: The Story of an American ...

'' (1993, TV Mini-Series) as Parson Dick * ''

The Ernest Green Story ''The Ernest Green Story'' is a 1993 American made-for-television biographical film which follows the true story of Ernest Green (Morris Chestnut) and eight other African-American high-school students (dubbed the "Little Rock Nine") as they embar ...

'' (1993, TV Movie) as Grandfather * '' The Stand'' (1994, TV Mini-Series) as Judge Richard Farris * ''Ray Alexander'' (1995, TV Movie) as Uncle Phil * ''The Android Affair'' (1995, TV Movie) as Dr. Winston * '' The Client'' (1995–1996) as Judge Harry Roosevelt * ''Home of the Brave'' (1996, TV Movie) as Erasmus Jones * ''

Promised Land The Promised Land ( he, הארץ המובטחת, translit.: ''ha'aretz hamuvtakhat''; ar, أرض الميعاد, translit.: ''ard al-mi'ad; also known as "The Land of Milk and Honey"'') is the land which, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew ...

'' (1996–1998) as Erasmus Jones * '' Touched By An Angel'' (1996–2002) as Erasmus Jones / Gabriel / Gabe * ''

Miss Evers' Boys ''Miss Evers' Boys'' is an American made-for-television drama starring Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne that first aired on February 22, 1997, and is based on the true story of the four-decade-long Tuskegee Syphilis Study. It was directed by ...

'' (1997, TV Movie) as Mr. Evers * ''

12 Angry Men ''Twelve Angry Men'' is an American courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose concerning the jury of a homicide trial. It was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. The following year it was adapted for the stage. It was adapted for a ...

'' (1997, TV Movie) as Juror #2 * ''The Secret Path'' (1999, TV Movie) as 'Too Tall' * '' The Soul Collector'' (1999, TV Movie) as Mordecai * ''

'' (1999, TV Movie) as The Caretaker * ''A Vow to Cherish'' (1999, TV Movie) as Alexander Billman * ''

Between the Lions ''Between the Lions'' is an American animated/live-action/puppet children's television series designed to promote reading. The show was a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Mis ...

'' (1999–2005) * ''Finding Buck McHenry'' (2000, TV Movie) as Buck McHenry * ''Legend of the Candy Cane'' (2001, TV Movie) as Julius (voice) * '' The Feast of All Saints'' (2001, TV Movie) as Jean-Jacques * ''Persidio Med'' (2002) as Otis Clayton * '' Deacons for Defense'' (2003, TV Movie) as Reverend Gregory * '' JAG'' (2003) as Terrence Minnerly * ''

'' (2004–2005) as Melvin Porter (final appearance)

Video game

* '' Ripper'' (1996) as Ben Dodds

Directing

* ''

'' (1970) * ''

'' (1972) * '' Gordon's War'' (1973) * ''

Kongi's Harvest ''Kongi's Harvest'' is a 1965 play written by Wole Soyinka. It premiered in Dakar, Senegal, at the first Negro Arts Festival in April 1966.Berry, Poyd M. (1980). Kongi's Harvest (a review). Gibbs, James (ed.). In ''Critical Perspectives on Wole ...

'' (1973) * '' Countdown at Kusini'' (1976) * '' Crown Dick'' (1987 TV movie)

Theatre

Discography

* ''Autobiography of

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

, Vol. 1:'' (

Folkways Records Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987 and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways. History The Folkways Records & Service ...

, 1966) * ''Autobiography of Frederick Douglass, Vol. 2:'' (Folkways, 1966) * ''Frederick Douglass' The Meaning of July 4 for the Negro:'' (Folkways, 1975) * ''Frederick Douglass' Speeches inc. The Dred Scott Decision:'' (Folkways, 1976)

Books

* * * * * * *

References

External links

The official site of Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
* * * * *

Ossie Davis' oral history video excerpts
at The National Visionary Leadership Project
Ossie Davis
at

Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fo ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Ossie 1917 births 2005 deaths African-American activists 21st-century American male actors 20th-century American male actors Activists for African-American civil rights Activists from New York (state) African-American male actors African-American film directors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors United States Army personnel of World War II Caedmon Records artists Columbia University School of General Studies alumni Daytime Emmy Award winners Grammy Award winners Howard University alumni Kennedy Center honorees People from Clinch County, Georgia Male actors from New Rochelle, New York People from Waycross, Georgia Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award United States National Medal of Arts recipients Film directors from Georgia (U.S. state) African-American history of Westchester County, New York