Ossie Davis

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

146

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.

Known For

  • Bonanza

    Bonanza

  • The Fugitive

    The Fugitive

  • JAG

    JAG

  • Tony Awards

    Tony Awards

  • Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

  • American Experience

    American Experience

  • Third Watch

    Third Watch

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Reading Rainbow

    Reading Rainbow

  • The Defenders

    The Defenders

  • The Defenders

    The Defenders

  • The Defenders

    The Defenders

  • The Defenders

    The Defenders

  • The Defenders

    The Defenders

  • The L Word

    The L Word

  • American Masters

    American Masters

  • Kraft Television Theatre

    Kraft Television Theatre

  • The Name of the Game

    The Name of the Game

  • Run for Your Life

    Run for Your Life

  • Run for Your Life

    Run for Your Life

  • Run for Your Life

    Run for Your Life

  • Evening Shade

    Evening Shade

  • Grumpy Old Men

    Grumpy Old Men

  • 12 O'Clock High

    12 O'Clock High

  • The Kennedy Center Honors

    The Kennedy Center Honors

  • Dinosaur

    Dinosaur

  • Malcolm X

    Malcolm X

  • The Stand

    The Stand

  • The Stand

    The Stand

  • Promised Land

    Promised Land

  • Promised Land

    Promised Land

  • The Great Adventure

    The Great Adventure

  • Baseball

    Baseball

  • Baseball

    Baseball

  • The Client

    The Client

  • Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

    Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

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

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

  • 12 Angry Men

    12 Angry Men

  • The Secret Path

    The Secret Path

  • Haiti: Killing the Dream

    Haiti: Killing the Dream

  • No Way Out

    No Way Out

  • The Ernest Green Story

    The Ernest Green Story

  • Doctor Dolittle

    Doctor Dolittle

  • Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

    Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

  • School Daze

    School Daze

  • The Cardinal

    The Cardinal

  • Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

    Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

  • Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

    Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

  • The Client

    The Client

  • Gladiator

    Gladiator

  • Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

    Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

  • Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice

    Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice

  • Wattstax

    Wattstax

  • Roots: The Next Generations

    Roots: The Next Generations

  • Death of a Prophet

    Death of a Prophet

  • The Scalphunters

    The Scalphunters

  • Countdown at Kusini

    Countdown at Kusini

  • I'm Not Rappaport

    I'm Not Rappaport

  • Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

    Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough

  • Shock Treatment

    Shock Treatment

  • Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder

    Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder

  • Cop & ½

    Cop & ½

  • The Tenth Level

    The Tenth Level

  • Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

    Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

  • Jungle Fever

    Jungle Fever

  • Joe Versus the Volcano

    Joe Versus the Volcano

  • Freedom Man

    Freedom Man

  • Bubba Ho-tep

    Bubba Ho-tep

  • B.L. Stryker

    B.L. Stryker

  • The Hill

    The Hill

  • Avenging Angel

    Avenging Angel

  • The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

    The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

  • Alex Haley's Queen

    Alex Haley's Queen

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

  • The Outsider

    The Outsider

  • The West

    The West

  • The West

    The West

  • Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

    Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

  • Feast of All Saints

    Feast of All Saints

  • Making 'Do the Right Thing'

    Making 'Do the Right Thing'

  • A Man Called Adam

    A Man Called Adam

  • Here's to Life!

    Here's to Life!

  • Harry & Son

    Harry & Son

  • Get on the Bus

    Get on the Bus

  • Lincoln

    Lincoln

  • The House of God

    The House of God

  • Freedom Road

    Freedom Road

  • Baadasssss!

    Baadasssss!

  • Do the Right Thing

    Do the Right Thing

  • Sam Whiskey

    Sam Whiskey

  • A Vow to Cherish

    A Vow to Cherish

  • The Unfinished Journey

    The Unfinished Journey

  • Unstoppable

    Unstoppable

  • All God's Children

    All God's Children

  • TV Revolution

    TV Revolution

  • The Sheriff

    The Sheriff

  • She Hate Me

    She Hate Me

  • Let's Do It Again

    Let's Do It Again

  • King

    King

  • Hot Stuff

    Hot Stuff

  • Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson

  • Proud

    Proud

  • The Legend of the Candy Cane

    The Legend of the Candy Cane

  • Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist

    Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist

  • The Soul Collector

    The Soul Collector

  • Miss Evers' Boys

    Miss Evers' Boys

  • Finding Buck McHenry

    Finding Buck McHenry

  • John Brown's Raid

    John Brown's Raid

  • Deacons for Defense

    Deacons for Defense

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

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

  • The Android Affair

    The Android Affair

  • Folk Britannia

    Folk Britannia

  • Christianity: The First 1000 Years

    Christianity: The First 1000 Years

  • Malcolm X

    Malcolm X

  • Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years

    Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years

  • The Peace!

    The Peace!

  • Night Gallery

    Night Gallery

  • Teacher, Teacher

    Teacher, Teacher

  • 4 Little Girls

    4 Little Girls

  • Black Liberation

    Black Liberation

  • Slaves

    Slaves

  • Malcolm X: Make It Plain

    Malcolm X: Make It Plain

  • The Real Malcolm X

    The Real Malcolm X

  • The Sun... the Sand... the Hill

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

  • The Sun... the Sand... the Hill

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

  • The Red Shoes

    The Red Shoes

  • Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property

    Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property

  • Fourteen Hours

    Fourteen Hours

  • Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood

    Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood

  • Gone Are the Days!

    Gone Are the Days!

  • Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers

    Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers

  • Kongi's Harvest

    Kongi's Harvest

  • The Fall

    The Fall

  • Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid

    Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid

  • Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World

    Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World

  • The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars

    The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars

  • Goin' Back to T-Town

    Goin' Back to T-Town

  • The History Makers: Success

    The History Makers: Success

  • Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

    Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories

  • Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore

    Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore

  • Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

    Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

  • Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

    Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

  • Tyler Texas Black Film Collection

    Tyler Texas Black Film Collection

  • Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class

    Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class

  • Hands of Inge

    Hands of Inge