Ossie Davis

Ossie Davis

🎂 18th December 1917 (108 yrs) 📍 Cogdell, Georgia, USA

Known For

Doctor Dolittle

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.

Ossie Davis

Movies Featuring Ossie Davis

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues (2022)

as Self (archive footage)
No Image

The Peace! (2005)

as Self
Deacons for Defense

Deacons for Defense (2005)

as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
The History Makers: Success

The History Makers: Success (2005)

as Self
No Image

Unstoppable (2005)

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

By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' (2005)

as Self
She Hate Me

She Hate Me (2004)

as Judge Buchanan
Proud

Proud (2004)

as Lorenzo DuFau
Baadasssss!

Baadasssss! (2004)

as Granddad
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks (2004)

as Self
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

The Evolution of an American Filmmaker (2003)

as Self
No Image

The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars (2003)

as Narrator
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property

Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property (2003)

as Himself
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives (2003)

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun' (2002)

as Self
Bubba Ho-tep

Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints (2001)

as Jean-Jacques
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore

Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore (2001)

as Narrator
The Legend of the Candy Cane

The Legend of the Candy Cane (2001)

as Julius (voice)
Here's to Life!

Here's to Life! (2000)

as Duncan Cox
Dinosaur

Dinosaur (2000)

as Yar (voice)
Finding Buck McHenry

Finding Buck McHenry (2000)

as Buck McHenry
The Unfinished Journey

The Unfinished Journey (1999)

as Narrator (voice)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (1999)

as Caretaker
The Soul Collector

The Soul Collector (1999)

as Mordecai
The Secret Path

The Secret Path (1999)

as Too Tall
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999)

as Self
A Vow to Cherish

A Vow to Cherish (1999)

as Alexander Billman
Doctor Dolittle

Doctor Dolittle (1998)

as Archer Dolittle
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood (1998)

as Self
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist

Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist (1998)

as Self
12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men (1997)

as Juror 2
4 Little Girls

4 Little Girls (1997)

as Self - Actor and Playwright
No Image

Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers (1997)

as Narrator
Miss Evers' Boys

Miss Evers' Boys (1997)

as Mr. Evers
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough (1997)

as Self
I'm Not Rappaport

I'm Not Rappaport (1996)

as Midge Carter
Get on the Bus

Get on the Bus (1996)

as Jeremiah
The Android Affair

The Android Affair (1995)

as Dr. Winston
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder

Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder (1995)

as Uncle Phil
The Client

The Client (1994)

as Harry Roosevelt
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice (1994)

as Uncle Phil
Malcolm X: Make It Plain

Malcolm X: Make It Plain (1994)

as Self
No Image

Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World (1994)

as Narrator
Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

as Chuck
Cop & ½

Cop & ½ (1993)

as Detective in Squad Room
Goin' Back to T-Town

Goin' Back to T-Town (1993)

as Narrator
The Ernest Green Story

The Ernest Green Story (1993)

as Grandfather
No Image

Lincoln (1992)

as Frederick Douglas (voice)
Malcolm X

Malcolm X (1992)

as Eulogy Performer (voice)
The Real Malcolm X

The Real Malcolm X (1992)

Gladiator

Gladiator (1992)

as Noah
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker (1991)

as Self
Jungle Fever

Jungle Fever (1991)

as Reverend Purify
Joe Versus the Volcano

Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)

as Marshall
The Red Shoes

The Red Shoes (1990)

No Image

Making 'Do the Right Thing' (1989)

as Self
Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing (1989)

as Da Mayor
School Daze

School Daze (1988)

as Coach Odom
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories (1986)

as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
Avenging Angel

Avenging Angel (1985)

as Capt. Harry Moradian
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection

Tyler Texas Black Film Collection (1985)

as Himself
Harry & Son

Harry & Son (1984)

as Raymond
No Image

Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood (1984)

as Narrator
The House of God

The House of God (1984)

as Dr. Sanders
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige

Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige (1981)

as Chuffy Russell
Death of a Prophet

Death of a Prophet (1981)

All God's Children

All God's Children (1980)

as Blaine Whitfield
Freedom Road

Freedom Road (1979)

as Narrator
Hot Stuff

Hot Stuff (1979)

as Captain John Geiberger
No Image

Freedom Man (1979)

as Benjamin Banneker
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid

Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid (1977)

as Dr. Fredericks
The Tenth Level

The Tenth Level (1976)

as Reed
Countdown at Kusini

Countdown at Kusini (1976)

as Ernest Motapo
Let's Do It Again

Let's Do It Again (1975)

as Elder Johnson
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen (1975)

as Narrator
Wattstax

Wattstax (1973)

as Self (uncredited)
Malcolm X

Malcolm X (1972)

as Eulogy (voice)
The Sheriff

The Sheriff (1971)

as James Lucas
Kongi's Harvest

Kongi's Harvest (1970)

as Narrator
Night Gallery

Night Gallery (1969)

as Osmond Portifoy
Slaves

Slaves (1969)

as Luke
Sam Whiskey

Sam Whiskey (1969)

as Jed Hooker
Teacher, Teacher

Teacher, Teacher (1969)

as Charles Carter
The Fall

The Fall (1969)

The Scalphunters

The Scalphunters (1968)

as Joseph Lee
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class

Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class (1968)

as Narrator
The Outsider

The Outsider (1967)

as Lt. Wagner
Black Liberation

Black Liberation (1967)

as Narrator
No Image

Now is the Time (1967)

as Self
A Man Called Adam

A Man Called Adam (1966)

as Nelson Davis
No Image

The Sun... the Sand... the Hill (1965)

as Jason King (archival footage)
No Image

The Sun... the Sand... the Hill (1965)

as Jason King (archive footage)
The Hill

The Hill (1965)

as Jacko King
Shock Treatment

Shock Treatment (1964)

as Capshaw
The Cardinal

The Cardinal (1963)

as Father Gillis
Gone Are the Days!

Gone Are the Days! (1963)

as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
Hands of Inge

Hands of Inge (1962)

as Narrator (voice)
John Brown's Raid

John Brown's Raid (1960)

as Dangerfield Newby
Fourteen Hours

Fourteen Hours (1951)

as Cab Driver (uncredited)
No Way Out

No Way Out (1950)

as John Brooks (uncredited)
Haiti: Killing the Dream

Haiti: Killing the Dream (N/A)