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Ossie Davis

Actor / Film Director / Screenwriter / Writer / Film Producer / Playwright | * 12/18/1917 († 87, 02/04/2005) | Miami Beach, Florida (United States of America (USA))
Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He received numerous accolades including a Grammy Award and a Writers Guild of America Award as well as nominations for five Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and Tony Award. Davis was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the National Medal of Arts in 1995, Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 Davis started his career in theatre acting with the Ross McClendon Players in the 1940s. He made his Broadway debut acting in the post-World War II play Jeb (1946). He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in Jamaica (1958). He wrote and starred as the title character in the satirical farce Purlie Victorious (1961) which was adapted into a 1963 film and 1970 musical. Davis's credits as a film director include Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), Black Girl (1972), and ()
Photo of Ossie Davis
Most frequent genres for this person: Drama | Documentaries | Comedies

Known for these Movies & Shows

Awards & Nominations for Ossie Davis

National Medal of Arts Marian Anderson Award Daytime Emmy Awards James Parks Morton Interfaith Award NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture 2x NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award Kennedy Center Honors Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording Paul Robeson Award Coretta Scott King Award Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Tony Award for Best Musical Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture 3x NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series) NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording
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Movies with Ossie Davis as Actor(87)

as Judge Richard Farris2023 The Stand
as himself2005 The Peace!
as himself2005 Unstoppable
as Granddad2004 Baadasssss!
as Lorenzo DuFau2004 Proud
as Judge Buchanan2004 She Hate Me
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory2003 Deacons for Defense
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy2002 Bubba Ho-tep
as Julius (voice)2001 The Legend of the Candy Cane
as Jean-Jacques2001 Feast of All Saints
as Yar (voice)2000 Dinosaur
as Buck McHenry2000 Finding Buck McHenry
as Alexander Billman1999 A Vow To Cherish
as Mordecai1999 The Soul Collector
as Too Tall1999 The Secret Path
as Archer Dolittle1998 Doctor Dolittle
as Juror 21997 12 Angry Men
as Self - Actor and Playwright1997 4 Little Girls
as Mr. Evers1997 Miss Evers' Boys
as Midge Carter1996 I'm Not Rappaport
as Jeremiah1996 Get on the Bus
as Dr. Winston1995 The Android Affair
as Harry Roosevelt1994 The Client
as Grandfather1993 The Ernest Green Story
as Detective in Squad Room1993 Cop and ½
as Chuck1993 Grumpy Old Men
as Narrator1993 Goin' Back to T-Town
as Noah1992 Gladiator
as Frederick Douglas (voice)1992 Lincoln
as Eulogy Performer (voice)1992 Malcolm X
as Reverend Purify1991 Jungle Fever
as Marshall1990 Joe Versus the Volcano
as Da Mayor1989 Do the Right Thing
as Coach Odom1988 School Daze
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)1986 Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
as Capt. Harry Moradian1985 Avenging Angel
as Raymond1984 Harry & Son
as Dr. Sanders1984 The House of God
as Blaine Whitfield1980 All God's Children
as Captain John Geiberger1979 Hot Stuff
as Narrator1979 Freedom Road
as Dr. Fredericks1977 Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Reed1976 The Tenth Level
as Ernest Motapo1976 Countdown at Kusini
as Elder Johnson1975 Let's Do It Again
as Eulogy (voice)1972 Malcolm X
as James Lucas1971 The Sheriff
as Narrator1970 Kongi's Harvest
as Luke1969 Slaves
as Jed Hooker1969 Sam Whiskey
as Charles Carter1969 Teacher, Teacher
as Osmond Portifoy1969 Night Gallery
as Joseph Lee1968 The Scalphunters
as Lt. Wagner1967 The Outsider
as Nelson Davis1966 A Man Called Adam
as Jacko King1965 The Hill
as Jason King (archival footage)1965 The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archive footage)1965 The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Capshaw1964 Shock Treatment
as Father Gillis1963 The Cardinal
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson1963 Gone Are the Days!
as Cab Driver (uncredited)1951 Fourteen Hours
as John Brooks (uncredited)1950 No Way Out

TV Shows/Series with Ossie Davis as Actor(32)

as Melvin Porter2004 The L Word
as Narrator (voice)1997 Thomas Jefferson
as Erasmus Jones1996 Promised Land
as himself1996 The West
as Terrence Minnerly1995 JAG
as Gabriel1994 Touched by an Angel
as Erasmus Jones1994 Touched by an Angel
as Various (voice)1994 Baseball
as Parson Dick1993 Alex Haley's Queen
as Ponder Blue1990 Evening Shade
as himself1986 American Masters
as Dad Jones1979 Roots: The Next Generations
as Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.1978 King
as Osmund Portifoy1970 Night Gallery
as Kubani1968 The Name of the Game
as Ramon Borelle1968 Hawaii Five-O
as Frankie Morton1965 Run for Your Life
as Dave Corbett1965 Run for Your Life
as Sgt. Dave Corbett1965 Run for Your Life
as John Ross1963 The Great Adventure
as Lt. Johnny Gaines1963 The Fugitive
as Nixie1961 The Defenders
as Officer Bond1961 The Defenders
as District Attorney1961 The Defenders
as Assistant District Attorney1961 The Defenders
as District Attorney Daniel Jackson1961 The Defenders
as Charles Carter1951 Hallmark Hall of Fame

Movies with Ossie Davis as Crew(10)

Writing/Musical1981 Purlie
Directing/Director1976 Countdown at Kusini
Writing/Screenplay1976 Countdown at Kusini
Directing/Director1973 Gordon's War
Directing/Director1972 Black Girl
Directing/Director1970 Cotton Comes to Harlem
Writing/Screenplay1970 Cotton Comes to Harlem
Directing/Director1970 Kongi's Harvest
Writing/Writer1963 Gone Are the Days!

TV Shows/Series with Ossie Davis as Crew(1)

Writing/Writer1963 East Side/West Side

Full Name: Raiford Chatman Davis
Born: Tuesday, 12/18 1917 (December) in Miami Beach, Florida (United States of America (USA))
Died: Friday, 02/04 2005 (February) in Miami (aged: 87)
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius (Chinese zodiac sign: Snake)
Languages: English (EN, native language), French (FR)
Educated at: Howard University, Columbia University School of General Studies
Spouses (current/former): Ruby Dee
Children: Guy Davis
Other names for Ossie Davis (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Ozzie Davis"
Ossie Davis frequently works together with these people:
Spike Lee (27x, Crew)
Ruby Dee (17x, Actress)
Julie Harris (15x, Actress)
Maurice Evans (12x, Actor)
Murray Hamilton (11x, Actor)
Milton Selzer (11x, Actor)
Ed Asner (10x, Actor)
Andrew Duggan (10x, Actor)
Ricardo Montalban (10x, Actor)
Soon-Tek Oh (10x, Actor)
Richard Thomas (10x, Actor)
Val Avery (10x, Actor)
WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:2395, Added: 03/23/2018, Last updated: 03/11/2024