Ossie Davis
Known for Acting · 135 credits
- Born
- 1917-12-18
- Died
- 2005-02-04
- 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.
Known For
TV Shows (34)
JAG
1995
as Terrence Minnerly
Bonanza
1959
as Sam Davis
The Fugitive
1963
as Lt. Johnny Gaines
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Ramon Borelle
Third Watch
1999
as Mr. Parker
American Experience
1988
as Self - Harlem Resident
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Gabriel / Erasmus Jones
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
The L Word
2004
as Melvin Porter
Run for Your Life
1965
as Frankie Morton / Sgt. Dave Corbett
The Defenders
1961
as Nixie / Officer Bond / District Attorney / Assistant District Attorney / District Attorney Daniel Jackson
American Masters
1986
as Self
The Name of the Game
1968
as Kubani
Reading Rainbow
1983
as Self - Narrator (voice)
12 O'Clock High
1964
as Major Glenn Luke
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
as The Emperor Jones
The Stand
1994
as Judge Richard Farris / Judge Richard Farris (credit only)
Promised Land
1996
as Erasmus Jones
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
The Great Adventure
1963
as John Ross
Baseball
1994
as Various (voice)
Evening Shade
1990
as Ponder Blue
Roots: The Next Generations
1979
as 'Dad' Jones
The Client
1995
as Judge Harry Roosevelt
Alex Haley's Queen
1993
as Parson Dick
B.L. Stryker
1989
as Oz Jackson
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Charles Carter
The West
1996
as Self / Self / John R. Gills (voice)
TV Revolution
2004
King
1978
as Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.
Folk Britannia
2006
as Self (archival footage)
Thomas Jefferson
1997
as Narrator (voice)
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
2002
as Narrator
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
1998
as Himself - Narrator
Movies (101)
Dinosaur
2000
as Yar (voice)
The Client
1994
as Harry Roosevelt
Malcolm X
1992
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
The Secret Path
1999
as Too Tall
12 Angry Men
1997
as Juror 2
Gladiator
1992
as Noah
Doctor Dolittle
1998
as Archer Dolittle
Do the Right Thing
1989
as Da Mayor
Grumpy Old Men
1993
as Chuck
Night Gallery
1969
as Osmond Portifoy
Bubba Ho-tep
2002
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
School Daze
1988
as Coach Odom
The Cardinal
1963
as Father Gillis
Jungle Fever
1991
as Reverend Purify
Joe Versus the Volcano
1990
as Marshall
The Hill
1965
as Jacko King
Avenging Angel
1985
as Capt. Harry Moradian
The Fall
1969
Shock Treatment
1964
as Capshaw
She Hate Me
2004
as Judge Buchanan
The House of God
1984
as Dr. Sanders
The Scalphunters
1968
as Joseph Lee
Slaves
1969
as Luke
Cop & ½
1993
as Detective in Squad Room
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Feast of All Saints
2001
as Jean-Jacques
The Outsider
1967
as Lt. Wagner
No Way Out
1950
as John Brooks (uncredited)
Sam Whiskey
1969
as Jed Hooker
A Man Called Adam
1966
as Nelson Davis
Miss Evers' Boys
1997
as Mr. Evers
Baadasssss!
2004
as Granddad
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
as Self
Harry & Son
1984
as Raymond
The Unfinished Journey
1999
as Narrator (voice)
Fourteen Hours
1951
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Deacons for Defense
2005
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
Let's Do It Again
1975
as Elder Johnson
Get on the Bus
1996
as Jeremiah / 'Pop'
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
2003
as Self
Hot Stuff
1979
as Captain John Geiberger
Freedom Road
1979
as Narrator
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Unstoppable
2005
as Self
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
1977
as Dr. Fredericks
Lincoln
1992
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
The Tenth Level
1976
as Reed
4 Little Girls
1997
as Self - Actor and Playwright
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
1998
as Self
I'm Not Rappaport
1996
as Midge Carter
The Peace!
2005
as Self
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
as Uncle Phil
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
1989
as Self
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
1995
as Uncle Phil
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
2003
as Himself
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
1981
as Chuffy Russell
The History Makers: Success
2005
as Self
The Ernest Green Story
1993
as Grandfather
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
1975
as Narrator
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
1999
as Caretaker
The Legend of the Candy Cane
2001
as Julius (voice)
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997
as Self
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
2004
as Self
All God's Children
1980
as Blaine Whitfield
Wattstax
1973
as Self (uncredited)
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
2005
as Self
The Sheriff
1971
as James Lucas
A Vow to Cherish
1999
as Alexander Billman
John Brown's Raid
1960
as Dangerfield Newby
Malcolm X
1972
as Eulogy (voice)
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
1998
as Self
Death of a Prophet
1981
Gone Are the Days!
1963
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
The Soul Collector
1999
as Mordecai
Teacher, Teacher
1969
as Charles Carter
The Android Affair
1995
as Dr. Winston
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
1968
as Narrator
The Real Malcolm X
1992
Finding Buck McHenry
2000
as Buck McHenry
Proud
2004
as Lorenzo DuFau
Haiti: Killing the Dream
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1999
as Self
Here's to Life!
2000
as Duncan Cox
Goin' Back to T-Town
1993
as Narrator
The Red Shoes
1990
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
2001
as Narrator
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
1986
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
1994
as Self
Kongi's Harvest
1970
as Narrator
Countdown at Kusini
1976
as Ernest Motapo
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
1965
as Jason King (archive footage) / Jason King (archival footage)
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
1997
as Narrator
Freedom Man
1979
as Benjamin Banneker
Black Liberation
1967
as Narrator
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
2003
as Narrator
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
2002
as Self
Now is the Time
1967
as Self
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
1984
as Narrator
Hands of Inge
1962
as Narrator (voice)
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
1994
as Narrator
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
1985
as Himself
About Ossie Davis
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, f… With 135 credits spanning from 1947 to 2022, Ossie Davis has appeared in 101 films and 34 TV shows.
Fans searching for Ossie Davis movies, Ossie Davis filmography, or the latest projects starring Ossie Davis can stream many of these titles on CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ossie Davis Movies
- Dinosaur (2000) — as Yar (voice)
- The Client (1994) — as Harry Roosevelt
- Malcolm X (1992) — as Eulogy Performer (voice)
- The Secret Path (1999) — as Too Tall
- 12 Angry Men (1997) — as Juror 2
Where to Watch Ossie Davis Films
Most Ossie Davis movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Ossie Davis, check our movies catalogue and browse page.