Ossie Davis
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1917-12-18
Day of Death
2005-02-04 (87 years old)
Place of Birth
Cogdell, Georgia, USA
Ossie Davis
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.
Acting
(2022)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (archive footage)
(2005)
(2005)
Deacons for Defense
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
(2005)
Unstoppable
as Self
(2005)
The Peace!
as Self
(2005)
The History Makers: Success
as Self
(2004)
Baadasssss!
as Granddad
(2004)
She Hate Me
as Judge Buchanan
(2004)
Proud
as Lorenzo DuFau
(2004)
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
as Self
(2003)
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
as Himself
(2003)
(2003)
(2003)
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
as Narrator
(2002)
Bubba Ho-tep
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
(2002)
(2001)
Feast of All Saints
as Jean-Jacques
(2001)
The Legend of the Candy Cane
as Julius (voice)
(2001)
(2000)
Dinosaur
as Yar (voice)
(2000)
Here's to Life!
as Duncan Cox
(2000)
Finding Buck McHenry
as Buck McHenry
(1999)
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
as Self
(1999)
The Secret Path
as Too Tall
(1999)
(1999)
A Vow to Cherish
as Alexander Billman
(1999)
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
(1999)
The Soul Collector
as Mordecai
(1998)
Doctor Dolittle
as Archer Dolittle
(1998)
(1998)
(1997)
12 Angry Men
as Juror 2
(1997)
(1997)
Miss Evers' Boys
as Mr. Evers
(1997)
4 Little Girls
as Self - Actor and Playwright
(1997)
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
as Narrator
(1996)
I'm Not Rappaport
as Midge Carter
(1996)
Get on the Bus
as Jeremiah
(1995)
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
as Uncle Phil
(1995)
The Android Affair
as Dr. Winston
(1994)
The Client
as Harry Roosevelt
(1994)
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
as Uncle Phil
(1994)
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
as Self
(1994)
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
as Narrator
(1993)
Grumpy Old Men
as Chuck
(1993)
The Ernest Green Story
as Grandfather
(1993)
Cop & ½
as Detective in Squad Room
(1993)
Goin' Back to T-Town
as Narrator
(1992)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
(1992)
Lincoln
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
(1992)
Gladiator
as Noah
(1992)
(1991)
(1991)
Jungle Fever
as Reverend Purify
(1990)
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Marshall
(1990)
(1989)
Do the Right Thing
as Da Mayor
(1989)
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
(1988)
School Daze
as Coach Odom
(1986)
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
(1985)
Avenging Angel
as Capt. Harry Moradian
(1985)
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
as Himself
(1984)
Harry & Son
as Raymond
(1984)
The House of God
as Dr. Sanders
(1984)
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
as Narrator
(1981)
(1981)
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
as Chuffy Russell
(1980)
All God's Children
as Blaine Whitfield
(1979)
Freedom Road
as Narrator
(1979)
Freedom Man
as Benjamin Banneker
(1979)
Hot Stuff
as Captain John Geiberger
(1977)
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Dr. Fredericks
(1976)
The Tenth Level
as Reed
(1976)
Countdown at Kusini
as Ernest Motapo
(1975)
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
as Narrator
(1975)
Let's Do It Again
as Elder Johnson
(1973)
Wattstax
as Self (uncredited)
(1972)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy (voice)
(1971)
The Sheriff
as James Lucas
(1970)
Kongi's Harvest
as Narrator
(1969)
(1969)
Sam Whiskey
as Jed Hooker
(1969)
Slaves
as Luke
(1969)
Teacher, Teacher
as Charles Carter
(1969)
Night Gallery
as Osmond Portifoy
(1968)
The Scalphunters
as Joseph Lee
(1968)
(1967)
The Outsider
as Lt. Wagner
(1967)
Black Liberation
as Narrator
(1966)
A Man Called Adam
as Nelson Davis
(1965)
The Hill
as Jacko King
(1965)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)
(1965)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archival footage)
(1964)
Shock Treatment
as Capshaw
(1963)
The Cardinal
as Father Gillis
(1963)
Gone Are the Days!
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
(1962)
Hands of Inge
as Narrator (voice)
(1960)
John Brown's Raid
as Dangerfield Newby
(1951)
Fourteen Hours
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
(1950)
No Way Out
as John Brooks (uncredited)
Crew
(2024)
(1998)
(1983)
(1981)
Purlie
Musical
(1976)
Countdown at Kusini
Director, Screenplay
(1973)
Gordon's War
Director
(1972)
Black Girl
Director
(1970)
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Director, Screenplay
(1970)
Kongi's Harvest
Director
(1963)
Gone Are the Days!
Writer