

Ossie Davis
Ozzie Davis | Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis | Raiford Chatman Davis
About the person
Career:
Acting
Date of birth:1917-12-18
Place of birth:Cogdell, Georgia, USA
Gender:Male
Popularity:1
Date of death2005-02-04
87Biography
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.
Filmography
Rating by year
- Louis Armstrong's Black & BluesSelf (archive footage)2022-09-086.528
- The Peace!Self2005-09-205.02
- Deacons for DefenseReverend 'Rev' Gregory2005-04-056.411
- The History Makers: SuccessSelf2005-02-150.00
- UnstoppableSelf2005-02-130.00
- By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'Self2005-02-086.02
- She Hate MeJudge Buchanan2004-07-305.2123
- ProudLorenzo DuFau2004-07-024.710
- Baadasssss!Granddad2004-05-286.562
- TV Revolution2004-05-230.00
- Beah: A Black Woman SpeaksSelf2004-02-250.00
- The Evolution of an American FilmmakerSelf2003-05-207.34
- The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two WarsNarrator2003-02-280.00
- Nat Turner: A Troublesome PropertyHimself2003-02-166.312
- Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives2003-02-105.28
- Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'Self2002-06-140.00
- Bubba Ho-tepJohn F. "Jack" Kennedy2002-06-096.5704
- Christianity: The First Two Thousand YearsNarrator2002-06-016.01
- Feast of All SaintsJean-Jacques2001-11-114.812
- Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The FillmoreNarrator2001-06-1110.01
- The Legend of the Candy CaneJulius (voice)2001-06-019.01
- DinosaurYar (voice)2000-05-196.62,754
- Finding Buck McHenryBuck McHenry2000-04-167.01
- The Unfinished JourneyNarrator (voice)1999-12-316.54
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas EveCaretaker1999-12-147.97
- The Soul CollectorMordecai1999-10-247.312
- Third WatchMr. Parker1999-09-237.9234
- The Secret PathToo Tall1999-04-027.524
- Paul Robeson: Here I StandSelf1999-02-248.01
- A Vow to CherishAlexander Billman1999-01-016.07
- Christianity: The First 1000 YearsHimself - Narrator1998-11-290.00
- Doctor DolittleArcher Dolittle1998-06-265.73,302
- Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodSelf1998-02-109.01
- Scandalize My Name: Stories from the BlacklistSelf1998-01-018.34
- 12 Angry MenJuror 21997-08-177.7450
- 4 Little GirlsSelf - Actor and Playwright1997-07-097.252
- Miss Evers' BoysMr. Evers1997-02-226.522
- Thomas JeffersonNarrator (voice)1997-02-187.511
- Walter Matthau: Diamond in the RoughSelf1997-01-016.52
- I'm Not RappaportMidge Carter1996-12-245.734
- Get on the BusJeremiah / 'Pop'1996-10-166.478
- Promised Land1996-09-176.57
- Promised LandErasmus Jones1996-09-176.57
- The WestSelf1996-09-158.419
- The WestSelf / John R. Gills (voice)1996-09-158.419
- JAGTerrence Minnerly1995-09-237.3391
- The ClientJudge Harry Roosevelt1995-09-177.07
- The Android AffairDr. Winston1995-04-125.37
- Ray Alexander: A Menu for MurderUncle Phil1995-03-207.01
- Touched by an AngelGabriel1994-09-217.2182
- Touched by an AngelErasmus Jones1994-09-217.2182
- BaseballVarious (voice)1994-09-187.544
- Baseball(voice)1994-09-187.544
- The ClientHarry Roosevelt1994-07-206.71,389
- Ray Alexander: A Taste For JusticeUncle Phil1994-05-1310.01
- The StandJudge Richard Farris1994-05-086.8519
- The StandJudge Richard Farris (credit only)1994-05-086.8519
- Malcolm X: Make It PlainSelf1994-01-269.02
- Grumpy Old MenChuck1993-12-256.7756
- Cop & ½Detective in Squad Room1993-04-024.6166
- Goin' Back to T-TownNarrator1993-03-010.00
- Alex Haley's QueenParson Dick1993-02-147.023
- The Ernest Green StoryGrandfather1993-01-177.17
- LincolnFrederick Douglas (voice)1992-12-267.36
- Malcolm XEulogy Performer (voice)1992-11-187.61,921
- The Real Malcolm X1992-11-188.01
- GladiatorNoah1992-03-067.6404
- Preminger: Anatomy of a FilmmakerSelf1991-10-288.07
- Jungle FeverReverend Purify1991-06-076.4322
- Evening ShadePonder Blue1990-09-215.815
- Joe Versus the VolcanoMarshall1990-03-095.8584
- The Red Shoes1990-02-0710.01
- Making 'Do the Right Thing'Self1989-11-036.98
- Do the Right ThingDa Mayor1989-06-147.82,011
- B.L. StrykerOz Jackson1989-02-136.19
- American ExperienceSelf - Harlem Resident1988-10-046.548
- School DazeCoach Odom1988-02-125.7114
- American MastersSelf1986-06-237.025
- Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & StoriesAnansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)1986-01-010.00
- Avenging AngelCapt. Harry Moradian1985-01-115.258
- Harry & SonRaymond1984-03-025.870
- Marcus Garvey: Toward Black NationhoodNarrator1984-02-070.00
- The House of GodDr. Sanders1984-01-013.25
- Reading RainbowSelf - Narrator (voice)1983-06-068.348
- Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" PaigeChuffy Russell1981-05-316.65
- Death of a Prophet1981-01-014.514
- All God's ChildrenBlaine Whitfield1980-04-286.52
- Freedom RoadNarrator1979-10-295.28
- Hot StuffCaptain John Geiberger1979-08-107.018
- Roots: The Next Generations'Dad' Jones1979-02-187.435
- Freedom ManBenjamin Banneker1979-01-010.00
- KingRev. Martin Luther King Sr.1978-02-126.613
- Billy: Portrait of a Street KidDr. Fredericks1977-09-128.01
- The Tenth LevelReed1976-08-265.87
- Countdown at KusiniErnest Motapo1976-04-167.01
- Let's Do It AgainElder Johnson1975-10-117.023
- Black Shadows on a Silver ScreenNarrator1975-04-190.00
- WattstaxSelf (uncredited)1973-02-046.919
- Malcolm XEulogy (voice)1972-05-246.715
- The SheriffJames Lucas1971-03-306.07
- Kongi's HarvestNarrator1970-05-017.52
- Night GalleryOsmond Portifoy1969-11-086.523
- SlavesLuke1969-07-026.37
- Sam WhiskeyJed Hooker1969-04-015.631
- Teacher, TeacherCharles Carter1969-02-0510.01
- The Fall1969-01-157.25
- Hawaii Five-ORamon Borelle1968-09-207.2158
- The Name of the GameKubani1968-09-207.013
- The ScalphuntersJoseph Lee1968-02-296.4120
- Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle ClassNarrator1968-01-027.01
- The OutsiderLt. Wagner1967-11-218.02
- Black LiberationNarrator1967-01-010.00
- Now is the TimeSelf1967-01-010.00
- A Man Called AdamNelson Davis1966-03-166.517
- Run for Your LifeFrankie Morton1965-09-137.17
- Run for Your LifeSgt. Dave Corbett1965-09-137.17
- Run for Your LifeDave Corbett1965-09-137.17
- The Sun... the Sand... the HillJason King (archival footage)1965-07-012.73
- The Sun... the Sand... the HillJason King (archive footage)1965-07-012.73
- The HillJacko King1965-06-117.5253
- 12 O'Clock HighMajor Glenn Luke1964-09-187.221
- Shock TreatmentCapshaw1964-07-226.88
- The CardinalFather Gillis1963-12-126.649
- The Great AdventureJohn Ross1963-09-2710.01
- The FugitiveLt. Johnny Gaines1963-09-177.362
- Gone Are the Days!Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson1963-08-097.54
- Hands of IngeNarrator (voice)1962-01-010.00
- The DefendersNixie1961-09-166.311
- The DefendersOfficer Bond1961-09-166.311
- The DefendersDistrict Attorney1961-09-166.311
- The DefendersAssistant District Attorney1961-09-166.311
- The DefendersDistrict Attorney Daniel Jackson1961-09-166.311
- John Brown's RaidDangerfield Newby1960-10-250.00
- BonanzaSam Davis1959-09-127.5480
- Hallmark Hall of FameCharles Carter1951-12-248.88
- Fourteen HoursCab Driver (uncredited)1951-04-017.352
- No Way OutJohn Brooks (uncredited)1950-08-166.9106
- Kraft Television TheatreThe Emperor Jones1947-05-077.85