Ossie Davis
88 movies · 28 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 18, 1917
- Died
- Feb 4, 2005 (age 87)
- Place of birth
- Cogdell, Georgia, USA
- Also known as
- Ozzie Davis · Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis · Raiford Chatman 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.
Profiles IMDb
Known for
Ossie Davis: movies and TV shows
Acting (108)
- 2026
- 2005 Deacons for Defense
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
- 2004 She Hate Me
as Judge Buchanan
- 2004 Proud
as Lorenzo DuFau
- 2004 Baadasssss!
as Granddad
- 2004
- 2004
- 2003 The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
as Narrator
- 2003
- 2002 Bubba Ho-tep
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
- 2002
- 2001 Feast of All Saints
as Jean-Jacques
- 2001
- 2001 The Legend of the Candy Cane
as Julius (voice)
- 2000 Here's to Life!
as Duncan Cox
- 2000 Dinosaur
as Yar (voice)
- 2000 Finding Buck McHenry
as Buck McHenry
- 1999 The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
- 1999
- 1999 The Soul Collector
as Mordecai
- 1999
- 1999 The Secret Path
as Too Tall
- 1999 A Vow to Cherish
as Alexander Billman
- 1998 Doctor Dolittle
as Archer Dolittle
- 1997 12 Angry Men
as Juror 2
- 1997 Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
as Narrator
- 1997 Miss Evers' Boys
as Mr. Evers
- 1997
- 1996 I'm Not Rappaport
as Midge Carter
- 1996 Get on the Bus
as Jeremiah / 'Pop'
- 1996
- 1995
- 1995
- 1995 The Android Affair
as Dr. Winston
- 1995 Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
as Uncle Phil
- 1994
- 1994
- 1994 The Client
as Harry Roosevelt
- 1994 Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
as Uncle Phil
- 1994
- 1994 Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
as Narrator
- 1993 Grumpy Old Men
as Chuck
- 1993 Cop & ½
as Detective in Squad Room
- 1993 Goin' Back to T-Town
as Narrator
- 1993
- 1993 The Ernest Green Story
as Grandfather
- 1992 Lincoln
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
- 1992 Malcolm X
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
- 1992
- 1992
- 1992 Gladiator
as Noah
- 1991 Jungle Fever
as Reverend Purify
- 1990
- 1990 Joe Versus the Volcano
as Marshall
- 1990
- 1989 Do the Right Thing
as Da Mayor
- 1989
- 1988 School Daze
as Coach Odom
- 1986 Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
- 1985 Avenging Angel
as Capt. Harry Moradian
- 1984 Harry & Son
as Raymond
- 1984 Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
as Narrator
- 1984 The House of God
as Dr. Sanders
- 1981 Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
as Chuffy Russell
- 1981
- 1980 All God's Children
as Blaine Whitfield
- 1979 Freedom Road
as Narrator
- 1979 Hot Stuff
as Captain John Geiberger
- 1979
- 1979 Freedom Man
as Benjamin Banneker
- 1978
- 1977 Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Dr. Fredericks
- 1976 The Tenth Level
as Reed
- 1976 Countdown at Kusini
as Ernest Motapo
- 1975 Let's Do It Again
as Elder Johnson
- 1975 Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
as Narrator
- 1972 Malcolm X
as Eulogy (voice)
- 1971 The Sheriff
as James Lucas
- 1970 Kongi's Harvest
as Narrator
- 1969 Night Gallery
as Osmond Portifoy
- 1969 Slaves
as Luke
- 1969
- 1969 Sam Whiskey
as Jed Hooker
- 1969 Teacher, Teacher
as Charles Carter
- 1969
- 1968
- 1968 The Scalphunters
as Joseph Lee
- 1968 Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
as Narrator
- 1967 The Outsider
as Lt. Wagner
- 1967 Black Liberation
as Narrator
- 1966 A Man Called Adam
as Nelson Davis
- 1965
- 1965 The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
as Jason King (archival footage) / Jason King (archive footage)
- 1965 The Hill
as Jacko King
- 1964
- 1964 Shock Treatment
as Capshaw
- 1963 The Cardinal
as Father Gillis
- 1963
- 1963
- 1963 Gone Are the Days!
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
- 1962 Hands of Inge
as Narrator (voice)
- 1961 The Defenders · TV
as Nixie / Officer Bond / District Attorney / Assistant District Attorney / District Attorney Daniel Jackson · 8 episodes
- 1960 John Brown's Raid
as Dangerfield Newby
- 1959
- 1951
- 1951 Fourteen Hours
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
- 1950 No Way Out
as John Brooks (uncredited)
- 1947
Behind the camera (13)
- 2026 Love in Exile
Writer
- 2024 Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Writer, Original Story
- 1998
- 1983
- 1982
- 1981 Purlie
Musical
- 1976 Countdown at Kusini
Director, Screenplay
- 1973 Gordon's War
Director
- 1972 Black Girl
Director
- 1970 Cotton Comes to Harlem
Director, Screenplay
- 1970 Kongi's Harvest
Director
- 1963
- 1963 Gone Are the Days!
Writer
Talk shows and appearances (27)
- 2022
- 2006 Folk Britannia
1 episode
- 2005
- 2005
- 2005
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2003
- 2002
- 1999
- 1998 Christianity: The First 1000 Years
4 episodes
- 1998
- 1997
- 1997
- 1996 The West
10 episodes
- 1994
- 1991
- 1989
- 1988 American Experience
1 episode
- 1986 American Masters
1 episode
- 1985
- 1983 Reading Rainbow
1 episode
- 1978 The Kennedy Center Honors
1 episode
- 1973
- 1967
- 1956 Tony Awards
1 episode