Ossie Davis
- Born
- 1917-12-18 (age 87)
- Died
- 2005-02-04 (aged 87) · 21 years ago
- Birthplace
- Cogdell, Georgia, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor, Director, Poet, Playwright, Author, Activist
- Spouse
- Ruby Dee
- Alma Mater
- Howard University, Columbia University School of General Studies
- AKA
- Raiford Chatman Davis
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Raiford Chatman Davis was born in Cogdell, Georgia, on December 18, 1917, to Kince Charles Davis, a railway construction engineer, and Laura (née Cooper). He became known as 'Ossie' due to a mishearing of 'R. C. Davis' by a clerk. He experienced racism from a young age, including threats from the KKK. He attended Howard University but left in 1939 to pursue acting in New York, joining the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem. During World War II, Davis served in the United States Army in the Medical Corps.
CAREER
Ossie Davis's career began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players. He made his Broadway debut in 'Jeb' (1946) and later earned a Tony Award nomination for 'Jamaica' (1958). He wrote and starred in the satirical farce 'Purlie Victorious' (1961), which was adapted into a 1963 film and a 1970 musical. Davis directed films such as 'Cotton Comes to Harlem' (1970), 'Black Girl' (1972), and 'Gordon's War' (1973). He was nominated for a Golden Globe for 'The Scalphunters' (1968) and appeared in numerous films like 'The Hill' (1965), 'Do the Right Thing' (1989), and 'Malcolm X' (1992). His television roles included 'King' (1978), 'Evening Shade' (1990–1994), and 'The L Word' (2004–2005). Ossie Davis was the director, co-screenwriter, and a star of the first major Black American Nigerian collaboration film, Cool Red (1976). He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album with Ruby Dee for 'Ossie and Ruby' (2005).
PERSONAL LIFE
In 1948, Ossie Davis married actress Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed. They had three children: Guy Davis, Nora Davis Day, and Hasna Muhammad. They were prominent civil rights activists, close friends of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., and co-emcees of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Davis delivered the eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral. He passed away on February 4, 2005, at the age of 87 in Miami Beach, Florida, due to heart problems.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
Weekly Top Grossing3 Cold Dishes
₦5,331,351.00
Gingerrr
₦12,727,775.00
Gingerrr
₦21,139,500.00
The Herd
₦16,977,673.00
3 Cold Dishes
₦15,261,240.00
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Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
