Ossie Davis
Acting • Born 1917-12-18 – Died 2005-02-04
Biography
Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He may be best known for his roles in Spike Lee-directed films such as School Daze (1988) and Do the Right Thing (1989). Other films Davis acted in include The Hill (1965), A Man Called Adam (1966), Let's Do It Again (1975), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), Grumpy Old Men (1993), The Client (1994), Dr. Dolittle (1998), Dinosaur (2000), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002). He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, from 1948 until his death.
Filmography
146 credits
Do the Right Thing
Movie • 1989
Da Mayor
Doctor Dolittle
Movie • 1998
Archer Dolittle
Jungle Fever
Movie • 1991
Reverend Purify
Dinosaur
Movie • 2000
Yar (voice)
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
Movie • 2001
Narrator
Goin' Back to T-Town
Movie • 1993
Narrator
Joe Versus the Volcano
Movie • 1990
Marshall
Grumpy Old Men
Movie • 1993
Chuck
The Hill
Movie • 1965
Jacko King
Sam Whiskey
Movie • 1969
Jed Hooker
The Scalphunters
Movie • 1968
Joseph Lee
12 Angry Men
Movie • 1997
Juror 2
Bubba Ho-tep
Movie • 2002
John F. "Jack" Kennedy
Baadasssss!
Movie • 2004
Granddad
Let's Do It Again
Movie • 1975
Elder Johnson
I'm Not Rappaport
Movie • 1996
Midge Carter
Avenging Angel
Movie • 1985
Capt. Harry Moradian
Get on the Bus
Movie • 1996
Jeremiah / 'Pop'
The Secret Path
Movie • 1999
Too Tall
Harry & Son
Movie • 1984
Raymond
Feast of All Saints
Movie • 2001
Jean-Jacques
The House of God
Movie • 1984
Dr. Sanders
Hot Stuff
Movie • 1979
Captain John Geiberger
Finding Buck McHenry
Movie • 2000
Buck McHenry
Malcolm X
Movie • 1992
Eulogy Performer (voice)
Here's to Life!
Movie • 2000
Duncan Cox
The Peace!
Movie • 2005
Self
Miss Evers' Boys
Movie • 1997
Mr. Evers
John Brown's Raid
Movie • 1960
Dangerfield Newby
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
Movie • 2003
Self
The Red Shoes
Movie • 1990
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
Movie • 1977
Dr. Fredericks
A Man Called Adam
Movie • 1966
Nelson Davis
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
Movie • 2003
Narrator
Teacher, Teacher
Movie • 1969
Charles Carter
Gone Are the Days!
Movie • 1963
Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
The Tenth Level
Movie • 1976
Reed
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
Movie • 1968
Narrator
The Soul Collector
Movie • 1999
Mordecai
The Cardinal
Movie • 1963
Father Gillis
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
Movie • 1994
Narrator
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
Movie • 2005
Self
Unstoppable
Movie • 2005
Self
School Daze
Movie • 1988
Coach Odom
The Android Affair
Movie • 1995
Dr. Winston
Countdown at Kusini
Movie • 1976
Ernest Motapo
Deacons for Defense
Movie • 2005
Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
Movie • 1984
Narrator
Slaves
Movie • 1969
Luke
Fourteen Hours
Movie • 1951
Cab Driver (uncredited)
No Way Out
Movie • 1950
John Brooks (uncredited)
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
Movie • 1998
Self
The Outsider
Movie • 1967
Lt. Wagner
4 Little Girls
Movie • 1997
Self - Actor and Playwright
Malcolm X
Movie • 1972
Eulogy (voice)
The Fall
Movie • 1969
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
Movie • 1965
Jason King (archival footage)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
Movie • 1965
Jason King (archive footage)
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Movie • 1989
Self
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
Movie • 1985
Himself
All God's Children
Movie • 1980
Blaine Whitfield
Freedom Road
Movie • 1979
Narrator
Freedom Man
Movie • 1979
Benjamin Banneker
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
Movie • 2004
Self
The Ernest Green Story
Movie • 1993
Grandfather
Gladiator
Movie • 1992
Noah
Black Liberation
Movie • 1967
Narrator
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
Movie • 2003
Himself
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
Movie • 1999
Caretaker
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Movie • 2003
A Vow to Cherish
Movie • 1999
Alexander Billman
Night Gallery
Movie • 1969
Osmond Portifoy
The Sheriff
Movie • 1971
James Lucas
Death of a Prophet
Movie • 1981
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
Movie • 2002
Self
The Client
Movie • 1994
Harry Roosevelt
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
Movie • 1997
Narrator
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
Movie • 1991
Self
The History Makers: Success
Movie • 2005
Self
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
Movie • 1981
Chuffy Russell
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
Movie • 1975
Narrator
Proud
Movie • 2004
Lorenzo DuFau
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
Movie • 1994
Self
The Legend of the Candy Cane
Movie • 2001
Julius (voice)
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
Movie • 1997
Self
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
Movie • 1986
Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
Hands of Inge
Movie • 1962
Narrator (voice)
She Hate Me
Movie • 2004
Judge Buchanan
Kongi's Harvest
Movie • 1970
Narrator
Shock Treatment
Movie • 1964
Capshaw
The Unfinished Journey
Movie • 1999
Narrator (voice)
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Movie • 1999
Self
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
Movie • 1995
Uncle Phil
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
Movie • 1994
Uncle Phil
Cop & ½
Movie • 1993
Detective in Squad Room
Lincoln
Movie • 1992
Frederick Douglas (voice)
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
Movie • 1998
Self
Wattstax
Movie • 1973
Self (uncredited)
Haiti: Killing the Dream
Movie
The Real Malcolm X
Movie • 1992
Now is the Time
Movie • 1967
Self
Third Watch
TV • 1999
Mr. Parker
Evening Shade
TV • 1990
Ponder Blue
The Great Adventure
TV • 1963
John Ross
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Gabriel
Hawaii Five-O
TV • 1968
Ramon Borelle
The L Word
TV • 2004
Melvin Porter
JAG
TV • 1995
Terrence Minnerly
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV • 1951
Charles Carter
The Stand
TV • 1994
Judge Richard Farris
Run for Your Life
TV • 1965
Frankie Morton
The Fugitive
TV • 1963
Lt. Johnny Gaines
Promised Land
TV • 1996
TV Revolution
TV • 2004
Alex Haley's Queen
TV • 1993
Parson Dick
The Defenders
TV • 1961
Nixie
The Defenders
TV • 1961
Officer Bond
The Defenders
TV • 1961
District Attorney
The Defenders
TV • 1961
Assistant District Attorney
The Defenders
TV • 1961
District Attorney Daniel Jackson
The Kennedy Center Honors
TV • 1978
Self
The West
TV • 1996
Self
The Client
TV • 1995
Judge Harry Roosevelt
Thomas Jefferson
TV • 1997
Narrator (voice)
B.L. Stryker
TV • 1989
Oz Jackson
Folk Britannia
TV • 2006
Self (archival footage)
Kraft Television Theatre
TV • 1947
The Emperor Jones
Reading Rainbow
TV • 1983
Self - Narrator (voice)
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
TV • 1998
Himself - Narrator
The Name of the Game
TV • 1968
Kubani
King
TV • 1978
Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.
Run for Your Life
TV • 1965
Dave Corbett
Run for Your Life
TV • 1965
Sgt. Dave Corbett
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Erasmus Jones
Promised Land
TV • 1996
Erasmus Jones
Baseball
TV • 1994
Various (voice)
The West
TV • 1996
Self / John R. Gills (voice)
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Sam Davis
American Masters
TV • 1986
Self
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
TV • 2002
Narrator
The Stand
TV • 1994
Judge Richard Farris (credit only)
Baseball
TV • 1994
(voice)
American Experience
TV • 1988
Self - Harlem Resident
12 O'Clock High
TV • 1964
Major Glenn Luke
Roots: The Next Generations
TV • 1979
'Dad' Jones