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