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| Ossie Davis Biography |
Ossie Davis was an actor, director and writer whose career spanned over fifty years. Distinguished and highly-respected, Ossie Davis also used his talents to promote civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Ossie Davis began his career on stage. His first Broadway performance was in the 1946 play, Jeb, which became his first acting venue with his future wife, Ruby Dee. Over the years, Ossie Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee, appeared together on the stage and screen. They had a Public Broadcasting Series that ran for three years named “With Ossie and Ruby.” Also, they appeared in movies together such as Purlie Victorious and Do the Right Thing.
Even though he appeared in over seventy films, Ossie Davis stated that he always considered himself more of a writer than an actor. He wrote several screenplays and books. Later in life he co-authored with his wife an autobiographical book named, “With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together.”
Ossie Davis directed several films. The first movie that he directed was Cotton Comes to Harlem which was considered a breakthrough for its time because of its portrayal of urban Black policemen and its ability to make money from a mainstream audience.
Ossie Davis has appeared in nine BlackClassicMovies.com Top 100 Films: Purlie Victorious (1963), Let’s Do It Again (1975), King (1978), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Malcolm X (voice - 1992), Alex Haley’s Queen (1993) and Miss Evers’ Boys (1997)
In addition to his entertainment career, Ossie Davis was a notable civil rights activist who emceed the 1963 March on Washington and gave the eulogies at both Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funerals. |
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Ossie Davis Movies
These are some of the more popular Ossie Davis movies. |
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Ossie Davis Movies - Actor
This is a list of films that Ossie Davis appeared in as an actor. The movies that are available have links next to them in the buy column that will take you directly to a page for that film. If you are interested in a film that is not yet available, please Contact Us and we will put you on a list to notify if the film becomes available. |
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Movie Title |
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2004 |
She Hate Me |
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2004 |
Proud |
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2003 |
Deacons for Defense (TV) |
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2003 |
How to Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass |
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2002 |
Bubba Ho-tep |
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2001 |
Freedom Never Dies: The Legacy of Harry T. Moore (Narrator, TV) |
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2001 |
The Legend of Candy Cane (TV) |
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2001 |
Anne Rice's The Feast of All Saints (TV) |
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2000 |
J. C. Leyendecker: The Great American Illustrator (Narrator, TV) |
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2000 |
Finding Buck McHenry (TV) |
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2000 |
Dinosaur (Voice) |
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2000 |
Here’s to Life! |
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1999 |
The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (TV) |
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1999 |
A Vow to Cherish (TV) |
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1999 |
Chasing Secrets aka The Secret Path (TV) |
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1999 |
The Soul Collector (TV) |
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1998 |
Alyson’s Closet (Short) |
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1998 |
Doctor Doolittle |
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1997 |
Thomas Jefferson (Narrator, TV Mini-series) |
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1997 |
Miss Evers’ Boys (TV) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1997 |
12 Angry Men (TV) |
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1996 |
Home of the Brave (TV) |
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1996 |
Get On the Bus |
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1996 |
I’m Not Rappaport |
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1995 |
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder |
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1995 |
The Android Affair (TV) |
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1994 |
The Stand (TV Mini-series) |
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1994 |
Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice |
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1994 |
The Client |
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1994 |
The Great Battles of the Civil War (Voice, TV Mini-series) |
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1993 |
The Ernest Green Story (TV) |
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1993 |
Alex Haley’s Queen (TV miniseries) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1993 |
Grumpy Old Men |
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1992 |
Gladiator |
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1992 |
Malcolm X (Voice) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1992 |
Lincoln (Voice) |
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1991 |
Jungle Fever |
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1990 |
King of Jazz (TV) |
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1990 |
Die Laughing (TV) |
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1990 |
Joe Versus the Volcano |
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1990 |
We’ll Take Manhattan (TV) |
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1989 |
B. L. Stryker: The Dancer’s Touch (TV) |
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1989 |
Do the Right Thing |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1988 |
School Daze |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1985 |
Avenging Angel |
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1984 |
The House of God |
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1984 |
Harry and Son |
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1981 |
Don’t Look Back: The Story of Leroy “Satchel” Paige (TV) |
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1980 |
All God’s Children (TV) |
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1979 |
Roots: The Next Generations (TV miniseries) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1979 |
Hot Stuff |
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1979 |
Freedom Road (Narrator, TV) |
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1978 |
King (TV miniseries) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1977 |
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid (TV) |
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1976 |
Countdown at Kusini |
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1975 |
The Tenth Level (TV) |
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1975 |
Let’s Do It Again |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1971 |
The Sheriff (TV) |
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1969 |
Teacher, Teacher (TV) |
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1969 |
Sam Whiskey |
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1969 |
Slaves |
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1968 |
The Scalphunters |
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1967 |
The Outsider (TV) |
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1966 |
A Man Called Adam |
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1965 |
The Hill |
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1964 |
Shock Treatment |
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1963 |
Purlie Victorious
aka Gone Are the Days! |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1963 |
The Cardinal |
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1962 |
Seven Times Monday (TV) |
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1955 |
The Emperor Jones (TV) |
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1953 |
The Joe Louis Story (uncredited) |
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Two-movie dvd that also contains The Jackie Robinson Story |
1951 |
Fourteen Hours (uncredited) |
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1950 |
No Way Out (uncredited) |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
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Ossie Davis Movies - Director
This is a list of films that Ossie Davis directed. The films that are currently available have purchase links next to them that will take you directly to a page for that movie. If you are interested in a film that is not yet available, please Contact Us and we will put you on a list to notify if the film becomes available. |
| Year |
Movie Title |
DVD |
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Comments |
1976 |
Countdown at Kusini |
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1973 |
Gordon’s War |
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Used VHS copies only. |
1972 |
Black Girl |
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1970 |
Cotton Comes to Harlem |
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Top 100 BlackClassicMovies.com film. |
1970 |
Kongi’s Harvest |
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Ossie Davis Books
This is a list of books written by Ossie Davis that are currently available for purchase. The links in the Buy column will take you directly to a page for that specific Ossie Davis book. |
| Year |
Book Title |
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Comments |
| 2006 |
Life Lit By Some Large Vision |
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A collection of Ossie Davis's writings compiled by his wife Ruby Dee. |
| 2000 |
With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together |
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| 1995 |
Just like Martin |
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Children's book written by Ossie Davis. Available from Amazon third-party sellers. |
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Ossie Davis 
