Ossie Davis
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
Love in Exile
Love in Exile
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (archive footage)
The Peace!
as Self
The Peace!
as Self
Deacons for Defense
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
Deacons for Defense
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
The History Makers: Success
as Self
The History Makers: Success
as Self
Unstoppable
as Self
Unstoppable
as Self
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
as Self
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
as Self
She Hate Me
as Judge Buchanan
She Hate Me
as Judge Buchanan
Proud
as Lorenzo DuFau
Proud
as Lorenzo DuFau
Baadasssss!
as Granddad
Baadasssss!
as Granddad
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
as Self
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
as Self
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
as Self
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
as Self
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
as Narrator
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
as Narrator
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
as Himself
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
as Himself
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
as Self
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
as Self
Bubba Ho-tep
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
Bubba Ho-tep
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
Feast of All Saints
as Jean-Jacques
Feast of All Saints
as Jean-Jacques
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
as Narrator
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
as Narrator
The Legend of the Candy Cane
as Julius (voice)
The Legend of the Candy Cane
as Julius (voice)
Here's to Life!
as Duncan Cox
Here's to Life!
as Duncan Cox
Dinosaur
as Yar (voice)
Dinosaur
as Yar (voice)
Finding Buck McHenry
as Buck McHenry
Finding Buck McHenry
as Buck McHenry
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
as Caretaker
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
as Caretaker
The Soul Collector
as Mordecai
The Soul Collector
as Mordecai
The Secret Path
as Too Tall
The Secret Path
as Too Tall
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
as Self
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
as Self
A Vow to Cherish
as Alexander Billman
A Vow to Cherish
as Alexander Billman
Doctor Dolittle
as Archer Dolittle
Doctor Dolittle
as Archer Dolittle
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
as Self
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
as Self
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
as Self
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
as Self
12 Angry Men
as Juror 2
12 Angry Men
as Juror 2
4 Little Girls
as Self - Actor and Playwright
4 Little Girls
as Self - Actor and Playwright
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
as Narrator
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
as Narrator
Miss Evers' Boys
as Mr. Evers
Miss Evers' Boys
as Mr. Evers
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
as Self
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
as Self
I'm Not Rappaport
as Midge Carter
I'm Not Rappaport
as Midge Carter
Get on the Bus
as Jeremiah / 'Pop'
Get on the Bus
as Jeremiah / 'Pop'
The Android Affair
as Dr. Winston
The Android Affair
as Dr. Winston
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
as Uncle Phil
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
as Uncle Phil
The Client
as Harry Roosevelt
The Client
as Harry Roosevelt
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
as Uncle Phil
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
as Uncle Phil
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
as Self
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
as Self
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
as Narrator
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
as Narrator
Grumpy Old Men
as Chuck
Grumpy Old Men
as Chuck
Cop & ½
as Detective in Squad Room
Cop & ½
as Detective in Squad Room
Goin' Back to T-Town
as Narrator
Goin' Back to T-Town
as Narrator
The Ernest Green Story
as Grandfather
The Ernest Green Story
as Grandfather
Lincoln
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
Lincoln
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
The Real Malcolm X
The Real Malcolm X
Haiti: Killing the Dream
Haiti: Killing the Dream
Gladiator
as Noah
Gladiator
as Noah
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
as Self
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
as Self
Jungle Fever
as Reverend Purify
Jungle Fever
as Reverend Purify
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Marshall
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Marshall
The Red Shoes
The Red Shoes
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
Do the Right Thing
as Da Mayor
Do the Right Thing
as Da Mayor
School Daze
as Coach Odom
School Daze
as Coach Odom
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
Avenging Angel
as Capt. Harry Moradian
Avenging Angel
as Capt. Harry Moradian
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
as Himself
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
as Himself
Harry & Son
as Raymond
Harry & Son
as Raymond
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
as Narrator
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
as Narrator
The House of God
as Dr. Sanders
The House of God
as Dr. Sanders
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
as Chuffy Russell
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
as Chuffy Russell
Death of a Prophet
Death of a Prophet
All God's Children
as Blaine Whitfield
All God's Children
as Blaine Whitfield
Freedom Road
as Narrator
Freedom Road
as Narrator
Hot Stuff
as Captain John Geiberger
Hot Stuff
as Captain John Geiberger
Freedom Man
as Benjamin Banneker
Freedom Man
as Benjamin Banneker
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Dr. Fredericks
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Dr. Fredericks
The Tenth Level
as Reed
The Tenth Level
as Reed
Countdown at Kusini
as Ernest Motapo
Countdown at Kusini
as Ernest Motapo
Let's Do It Again
as Elder Johnson
Let's Do It Again
as Elder Johnson
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
as Narrator
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
as Narrator
Wattstax
as Self (uncredited)
Wattstax
as Self (uncredited)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy (voice)
Malcolm X
as Eulogy (voice)
The Sheriff
as James Lucas
The Sheriff
as James Lucas
Kongi's Harvest
as Narrator
Kongi's Harvest
as Narrator
Night Gallery
as Osmond Portifoy
Night Gallery
as Osmond Portifoy
Slaves
as Luke
Slaves
as Luke
Sam Whiskey
as Jed Hooker
Sam Whiskey
as Jed Hooker
Teacher, Teacher
as Charles Carter
Teacher, Teacher
as Charles Carter
The Fall
The Fall
The Scalphunters
as Joseph Lee
The Scalphunters
as Joseph Lee
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
as Narrator
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
as Narrator
The Outsider
as Lt. Wagner
The Outsider
as Lt. Wagner
Black Liberation
as Narrator
Black Liberation
as Narrator
Now is the Time
as Self
Now is the Time
as Self
A Man Called Adam
as Nelson Davis
A Man Called Adam
as Nelson Davis
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)
The Hill
as Jacko King
The Hill
as Jacko King
Shock Treatment
as Capshaw
Shock Treatment
as Capshaw
The Cardinal
as Father Gillis
The Cardinal
as Father Gillis
Gone Are the Days!
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
Gone Are the Days!
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
Hands of Inge
as Narrator (voice)
Hands of Inge
as Narrator (voice)
John Brown's Raid
as Dangerfield Newby
John Brown's Raid
as Dangerfield Newby
Fourteen Hours
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Fourteen Hours
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
No Way Out
as John Brooks (uncredited)
No Way Out
as John Brooks (uncredited)