Ossie Davis
American actor, director, poet, playwright, writer, and social activist (1917-2005) · United States · On the map · Actors · Died at 87
Ossie Davis was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, from 1948 until his death.
Ossie Davis is read about 835 times a day, in 29 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 8 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 113 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
The L WordSeries, 2004Melvin Porter2003
Nat Turner: A Troublesome PropertyFilm, Himself2001NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesAwardScreen Actors Guild Life Achievement AwardAward2000
DinosaurFilm, Yar (voice)1999NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesAward1998
Doctor DolittleFilm, Archer Dolittle1996
Promised LandSeries, Erasmus Jones
Get on the BusFilm, 1996Jeremiah / 'Pop'1994
BaseballSeries, Various (voice)1992
GladiatorFilm, Noah1990
Joe Versus the VolcanoFilm, Marshall1989NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion PictureAward1988
School DazeFilm, Coach Odom1987NAACP Image Award - Hall of Fame AwardAward1986
American MastersSeries1984
Harry & SonFilm, Raymond1982
American PlayhouseSeries, Writer1979Coretta Scott King AwardAward1978
The Kennedy Center HonorsSeries1975Paul Robeson AwardAward
Let's Do It AgainFilm, 1975Elder Johnson1970
Cotton Comes to HarlemFilm, Director, Writer1968
The Name of the GameSeries, Kubani
The ScalphuntersFilm, 1968Joseph Lee1963
The FugitiveSeries, Lt. Johnny Gaines
The CardinalFilm, 1963Father Gillis1959
BonanzaSeries, Sam Davis1950
No Way OutFilm, John Brooks (uncredited)1947
Kraft Television TheatreSeries, The Emperor Jones1917Born18 December 1917People around Ossie
Spike Lee Directed Malcolm X and School Daze- Monty Ross Produced Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing
Terence Blanchard Wrote Malcolm X, Jungle Fever and She Hate Me
Albert Hall Ossie directed Cotton Comes to Harlem (1972)
Joie Lee Also in Do the Right Thing and School Daze
Arthur Gardner Produced The Scalphunters and Sam Whiskey
Roger Guenveur Smith Also in Malcolm X and School Daze- Arnold Laven Produced The Scalphunters (1968)
Erik Dellums Also in Do the Right Thing and Dr. Dolittle
Morgan Freeman Also in Harry & Son and A Man Called Adam
Sidney Poitier Directed Let's Do It Again (1975)
Samuel L. Jackson Also in Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever
Burt Reynolds Also in Sam Whiskey, Evening Shade and Cop & ½
Richard Schiff Also in Malcolm X and Dr. Dolittle
John Turturro Also in Do the Right Thing and She Hate Me
Giancarlo Esposito Also in Malcolm X and School Daze
Peter Boyle Also in Malcolm X and Dr. Dolittle
Betty Thomas Directed Dr. Dolittle (1998)
Calvin Lockhart Ossie directed Cotton Comes to Harlem (1972)
Peter Medak Directed The Feast of All Saints (2001)
Lonette McKee Also in Malcolm X, She Hate Me and Jungle Fever
Kristen Wilson Also in Dr. Dolittle and Get on the Bus
Frederick O'Neal Ossie directed Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)
Rick Aiello Also in Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever
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Correct this familyKnown for
View all 40 titles
Do the Right Thing 1989
12 Angry Men 1997
Malcolm X 1992
Gladiator 1992
The Hill 1965
Filmography 40
164 credits on file
Television 24
Media & music
Awards
About this person
He received numerous accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy and a Writers Guild of America Award as well as nominations for four additional 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, then Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.
