Ossie Davis

Birthplace: Cogdell, Georgia
Birthday: December 18, 1917

Tall, dignified veteran character player of the American stage and screen with a career spanning nearly half a century. With his wife and frequent collaborator, actor Ruby Dee, Davis was a staple of black theater. Both are longstanding political activists who were highly visible during the height of the civil rights movement and continue to speak out at rallies for progressive and humanitarian causes. Davis delivered the moving eulogy at the funeral of slain civil rights leader Malcolm X (which he repeated for the extended coda to Spike Lee's 1…more

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Career Milestones

2006
With wife Ruby Dee, created the spoken word album, "With Ossie And Ruby: In This Life Together" (released after his death in 2005)
2004
Cast in Mario Van Peebles' "Baadasssss!"
2004
Emmy nomincated guest starring role as Kit (Pam Grier) and Bette's (Jennifer Beals) father on the Showtime drama series "The L word"
2004
Fifth collaboration with Spike Lee for the comedy "She Hate Me"
1998
Starred opposite Eddie Murphy in the comedy "Doctor Dolittle"