Ossie Davis

Ossie Davis

Acting
Born 1917-12-18 - Died 2005-02-04Cogdell, Georgia, USA

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.

Movies (102)

Dinosaur
6.6

Dinosaur

2000Movie6.6
Doctor Dolittle
5.7

Doctor Dolittle

1998Movie5.7
The Client
6.7

The Client

1994Movie6.7
Do the Right Thing
7.8

Do the Right Thing

1989Movie7.8
Gladiator
7.6

Gladiator

1992Movie7.6
12 Angry Men
7.7

12 Angry Men

1997Movie7.7
Malcolm X
7.6

Malcolm X

1992Movie7.6
Grumpy Old Men
6.7

Grumpy Old Men

1993Movie6.7
Bubba Ho-tep
6.5

Bubba Ho-tep

2002Movie6.5
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
6.7

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

2022Movie6.7
Miss Evers' Boys
6.5

Miss Evers' Boys

1997Movie6.5
Jungle Fever
6.4

Jungle Fever

1991Movie6.4
She Hate Me
5.1

She Hate Me

2004Movie5.1
The Cardinal
6.5

The Cardinal

1963Movie6.5
Cop & ½
4.6

Cop & ½

1993Movie4.6
The Scalphunters
6.4

The Scalphunters

1968Movie6.4
Joe Versus the Volcano
5.8

Joe Versus the Volcano

1990Movie5.8
No Way Out
6.9

No Way Out

1950Movie6.9
The Hill
7.5

The Hill

1965Movie7.5
Night Gallery
6.7

Night Gallery

1969Movie6.7
The Secret Path
7.6

The Secret Path

1999Movie7.6
Fourteen Hours
7.3

Fourteen Hours

1951Movie7.3
Baadasssss!
6.5

Baadasssss!

2004Movie6.5
School Daze
5.7

School Daze

1988Movie5.7
Get on the Bus
6.4

Get on the Bus

1996Movie6.4
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
7.0

Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class

1968Movie7.0
Wattstax
6.7

Wattstax

1973Movie6.7
Death of a Prophet
4.8

Death of a Prophet

1981Movie4.8
Avenging Angel
5.2

Avenging Angel

1985Movie5.2
The Sheriff
6.0

The Sheriff

1971Movie6.0
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
8.3

Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist

1998Movie8.3
Feast of All Saints
4.8

Feast of All Saints

2001Movie4.8
Harry & Son
5.9

Harry & Son

1984Movie5.9
Sam Whiskey
5.8

Sam Whiskey

1969Movie5.8
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
7.0

Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder

1995Movie7.0
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
6.4

Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property

2003Movie6.4
Lincoln
7.3

Lincoln

1992Movie7.3
The Outsider
8.0

The Outsider

1967Movie8.0
I'm Not Rappaport
5.7

I'm Not Rappaport

1996Movie5.7
Proud
4.7

Proud

2004Movie4.7
4 Little Girls
7.1

4 Little Girls

1997Movie7.1
Hot Stuff
7.0

Hot Stuff

1979Movie7.0
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
5.2

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

2003Movie5.2
Slaves
6.3

Slaves

1969Movie6.3
Let's Do It Again
7.0

Let's Do It Again

1975Movie7.0
A Man Called Adam
6.5

A Man Called Adam

1966Movie6.5
The Unfinished Journey
6.5

The Unfinished Journey

1999Movie6.5
John Brown's Raid

John Brown's Raid

1960Movie
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
8.0

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

1991Movie8.0
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
7.3

The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

2003Movie7.3
The Peace!
5.0

The Peace!

2005Movie5.0
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
6.9

Making 'Do the Right Thing'

1989Movie6.9
Gone Are the Days!
7.5

Gone Are the Days!

1963Movie7.5
The House of God
3.2

The House of God

1984Movie3.2
Teacher, Teacher
10.0

Teacher, Teacher

1969Movie10.0
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
6.0

By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'

2005Movie6.0
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
8.0

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

1999Movie8.0
Deacons for Defense
6.4

Deacons for Defense

2005Movie6.4
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
10.0

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice

1994Movie10.0
Shock Treatment
6.8

Shock Treatment

1964Movie6.8
Here's to Life!
10.0

Here's to Life!

2000Movie10.0
The Legend of the Candy Cane
9.0

The Legend of the Candy Cane

2001Movie9.0
The Soul Collector
7.3

The Soul Collector

1999Movie7.3
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
6.6

Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige

1981Movie6.6
The Android Affair
5.3

The Android Affair

1995Movie5.3
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

2002Movie
Freedom Road
5.2

Freedom Road

1979Movie5.2
The Real Malcolm X
8.0

The Real Malcolm X

1992Movie8.0
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
9.0

Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

1998Movie9.0
Malcolm X
6.7

Malcolm X

1972Movie6.7
The Ernest Green Story
6.8

The Ernest Green Story

1993Movie6.8
Goin' Back to T-Town

Goin' Back to T-Town

1993Movie
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
2.7

The Sun... the Sand... the Hill

1965Movie2.7
A Vow to Cherish
6.0

A Vow to Cherish

1999Movie6.0
The Tenth Level
5.3

The Tenth Level

1976Movie5.3
Love in Exile

Love in Exile

2026Movie
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

2004Movie
Black Liberation

Black Liberation

1967Movie
The Red Shoes
10.0

The Red Shoes

1990Movie10.0
Kongi's Harvest
7.5

Kongi's Harvest

1970Movie7.5
The History Makers: Success

The History Makers: Success

2005Movie
All God's Children
6.5

All God's Children

1980Movie6.5
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
9.0

Malcolm X: Make It Plain

1994Movie9.0
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
8.0

Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid

1977Movie8.0
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood

Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood

1984Movie
Now is the Time

Now is the Time

1967Movie
Finding Buck McHenry
7.0

Finding Buck McHenry

2000Movie7.0
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

1986Movie
Hands of Inge

Hands of Inge

1962Movie
The Fall
7.2

The Fall

1969Movie7.2
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
9.0

Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World

1994Movie9.0
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
6.5

Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

1997Movie6.5
Countdown at Kusini
7.0

Countdown at Kusini

1976Movie7.0
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
7.9

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

1999Movie7.9
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

1975Movie
Unstoppable

Unstoppable

2005Movie
Haiti: Killing the Dream
9.0

Haiti: Killing the Dream

1992Movie9.0
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
10.0

Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore

2001Movie10.0
Freedom Man

Freedom Man

1979Movie
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
10.0

Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers

1997Movie10.0
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars

The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars

2003Movie
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
7.0

Tyler Texas Black Film Collection

1985Movie7.0

TV Shows (34)

JAG
7.3

JAG

1995Series7.3
Bonanza
7.5

Bonanza

1959Series7.5
Hawaii Five-O
7.2

Hawaii Five-O

1968Series7.2
Third Watch
7.9

Third Watch

1999Series7.9
American Experience
6.5

American Experience

1988Series6.5
The Fugitive
7.3

The Fugitive

1963Series7.3
Touched by an Angel
7.2

Touched by an Angel

1994Series7.2
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956Series
American Masters
7.0

American Masters

1986Series7.0
Run for Your Life
7.1

Run for Your Life

1965Series7.1
The L Word
7.7

The L Word

2004Series7.7
The Defenders
6.3

The Defenders

1961Series6.3
The Name of the Game
7.0

The Name of the Game

1968Series7.0
12 O'Clock High
7.2

12 O'Clock High

1964Series7.2
Kraft Television Theatre
7.8

Kraft Television Theatre

1947Series7.8
The Stand
6.8

The Stand

1994Series6.8
Reading Rainbow
8.4

Reading Rainbow

1983Series8.4
The Kennedy Center Honors
7.4

The Kennedy Center Honors

1978Series7.4
Evening Shade
5.8

Evening Shade

1990Series5.8
Promised Land
6.5

Promised Land

1996Series6.5
Baseball
7.5

Baseball

1994Series7.5
The Great Adventure
10.0

The Great Adventure

1963Series10.0
B.L. Stryker
6.1

B.L. Stryker

1989Series6.1
Roots: The Next Generations
7.5

Roots: The Next Generations

1979Series7.5
Alex Haley's Queen
7.0

Alex Haley's Queen

1993Series7.0
The Client
7.0

The Client

1995Series7.0
TV Revolution

TV Revolution

2004Series
The West
8.4

The West

1996Series8.4
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8
King
6.6

King

1978Series6.6
Thomas Jefferson
7.5

Thomas Jefferson

1997Series7.5
Christianity: The First 1000 Years

Christianity: The First 1000 Years

1998Series
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
6.0

Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years

2002Series6.0
Folk Britannia

Folk Britannia

2006Series