Ossie Davis
50Movies
10.0 Best Rating
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.
Top Rated Movies
Complete Filmography & Verdicts
| Year | Movie | Character | Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues | Self (archive footage) | HIT | |
| 2005 | Deacons for Defense | Reverend 'Rev' Gregory | FLOP | |
| 2004 | Baadasssss! | Granddad | HIT | |
| 2003 | The Evolution of an American Filmmaker | Self | HIT | |
| 2003 | Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property | Himself | FLOP | |
| 2002 | Bubba Ho-tep | John F. "Jack" Kennedy | HIT | |
| 2000 | Dinosaur | Yar (voice) | HIT | |
| 1999 | The Unfinished Journey | Narrator (voice) | FLOP | |
| 1999 | Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve | Caretaker | HIT | |
| 1999 | The Soul Collector | Mordecai | HIT | |
| 1999 | The Secret Path | Too Tall | HIT | |
| 1999 | A Vow to Cherish | Alexander Billman | FLOP | |
| 1998 | Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist | Self | HIT | |
| 1997 | 12 Angry Men | Juror 2 | HIT | |
| 1997 | 4 Little Girls | Self - Actor and Playwright | HIT | |
| 1997 | Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers | Narrator | HIT | |
| 1997 | Miss Evers' Boys | Mr. Evers | FLOP | |
| 1997 | Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough | Self | HIT | |
| 1996 | Get on the Bus | Jeremiah | FLOP | |
| 1994 | The Client | Harry Roosevelt | HIT | |
| 1994 | Malcolm X: Make It Plain | Self | HIT | |
| 1993 | Grumpy Old Men | Chuck | HIT | |
| 1993 | The Ernest Green Story | Grandfather | HIT | |
| 1992 | Lincoln | Frederick Douglas (voice) | HIT | |
| 1992 | Malcolm X | Eulogy Performer (voice) | HIT | |
| 1992 | Gladiator | Noah | HIT | |
| 1991 | Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker | Self | HIT | |
| 1991 | Jungle Fever | Reverend Purify | FLOP | |
| 1990 | Joe Versus the Volcano | Marshall | FLOP | |
| 1989 | Making 'Do the Right Thing' | Self | HIT | |
| 1989 | Do the Right Thing | Da Mayor | HIT | |
| 1985 | Tyler Texas Black Film Collection | Himself | HIT | |
| 1984 | Harry & Son | Raymond | FLOP | |
| 1981 | Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige | Chuffy Russell | FLOP | |
| 1979 | Hot Stuff | Captain John Geiberger | HIT | |
| 1975 | Let's Do It Again | Elder Johnson | HIT | |
| 1973 | Wattstax | Self (uncredited) | HIT | |
| 1972 | Malcolm X | Eulogy (voice) | HIT | |
| 1970 | Kongi's Harvest | Narrator | FLOP | |
| 1969 | Night Gallery | Osmond Portifoy | HIT | |
| 1969 | The Fall | - | HIT | |
| 1968 | The Scalphunters | Joseph Lee | FLOP | |
| 1967 | The Outsider | Lt. Wagner | FLOP | |
| 1966 | A Man Called Adam | Nelson Davis | FLOP | |
| 1965 | The Hill | Jacko King | HIT | |
| 1964 | Shock Treatment | Capshaw | HIT | |
| 1963 | The Cardinal | Father Gillis | HIT | |
| 1963 | Gone Are the Days! | Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson | HIT | |
| 1951 | Fourteen Hours | Cab Driver (uncredited) | HIT | |
| 1950 | No Way Out | John Brooks (uncredited) | HIT |