Ossie Davis
Known for Acting · 136 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)
The Fugitive
1963
as Lt. Johnny Gaines
JAG
1995
as Terrence Minnerly
Bonanza
1959
as Sam Davis
American Experience
1988
as Self - Harlem Resident
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Ramon Borelle
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Gabriel / Erasmus Jones
American Masters
1986
as Self
Third Watch
1999
as Mr. Parker
Run for Your Life
1965
as Frankie Morton / Dave Corbett / Sgt. Dave Corbett
The Defenders
1961
as Nixie / Officer Bond / Assistant District Attorney / District Attorney Daniel Jackson
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
as The Emperor Jones
Reading Rainbow
1983
as Self - Narrator (voice)
12 O'Clock High
1964
as Major Glenn Luke
The L Word
2004
as Melvin Porter
The Name of the Game
1968
as Kubani
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
The Stand
1994
as Judge Richard Farris / Judge Richard Farris (credit only)
Promised Land
1996
as Erasmus Jones
The Great Adventure
1963
as John Ross
Evening Shade
1990
as Ponder Blue
Baseball
1994
as Various (voice)
Roots: The Next Generations
1979
as 'Dad' Jones
The Client
1995
as Judge Harry Roosevelt
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Charles Carter
B.L. Stryker
1989
as Oz Jackson
Alex Haley's Queen
1993
as Parson Dick
The West
1996
as Self / Self / John R. Gills (voice)
King
1978
as Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.
TV Revolution
2004
Thomas Jefferson
1997
as Narrator (voice)
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
1998
as Himself - Narrator
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
2002
as Narrator
Folk Britannia
2006
as Self (archival footage)
Movies (102)
Doctor Dolittle
1998
as Archer Dolittle
Dinosaur
2000
as Yar (voice)
The Client
1994
as Harry Roosevelt
Malcolm X
1992
as Eulogy Performer (voice)
12 Angry Men
1997
as Juror 2
The Secret Path
1999
as Too Tall
Do the Right Thing
1989
as Da Mayor
Fourteen Hours
1951
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Joe Versus the Volcano
1990
as Marshall
Gladiator
1992
as Noah
Jungle Fever
1991
as Reverend Purify
Grumpy Old Men
1993
as Chuck
She Hate Me
2004
as Judge Buchanan
The Peace!
2005
as Self
Bubba Ho-tep
2002
as John F. "Jack" Kennedy
The Scalphunters
1968
as Joseph Lee
Avenging Angel
1985
as Capt. Harry Moradian
Feast of All Saints
2001
as Jean-Jacques
Cop & ½
1993
as Detective in Squad Room
The Hill
1965
as Jacko King
Get on the Bus
1996
as Jeremiah / 'Pop'
Miss Evers' Boys
1997
as Mr. Evers
The Cardinal
1963
as Father Gillis
Let's Do It Again
1975
as Elder Johnson
Harry & Son
1984
as Raymond
The House of God
1984
as Dr. Sanders
Black Liberation
1967
as Narrator
4 Little Girls
1997
as Self - Actor and Playwright
No Way Out
1950
as John Brooks (uncredited)
School Daze
1988
as Coach Odom
Night Gallery
1969
as Osmond Portifoy
Sam Whiskey
1969
as Jed Hooker
I'm Not Rappaport
1996
as Midge Carter
The Ernest Green Story
1993
as Grandfather
Proud
2004
as Lorenzo DuFau
Hot Stuff
1979
as Captain John Geiberger
The Real Malcolm X
1992
A Man Called Adam
1966
as Nelson Davis
Kongi's Harvest
1970
as Narrator
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
1989
as Self
John Brown's Raid
1960
as Dangerfield Newby
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
1965
as Jason King (archival footage) / Jason King (archive footage)
Deacons for Defense
2005
as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory
Gone Are the Days!
1963
as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
The Unfinished Journey
1999
as Narrator (voice)
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Teacher, Teacher
1969
as Charles Carter
Lincoln
1992
as Frederick Douglas (voice)
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
as Self
Freedom Road
1979
as Narrator
The Soul Collector
1999
as Mordecai
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
1994
as Narrator
Finding Buck McHenry
2000
as Buck McHenry
Shock Treatment
1964
as Capshaw
Death of a Prophet
1981
Baadasssss!
2004
as Granddad
Slaves
1969
as Luke
Love in Exile
2026
Marcus Garvey: Toward Black Nationhood
1984
as Narrator
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Malcolm X
1972
as Eulogy (voice)
The Legend of the Candy Cane
2001
as Julius (voice)
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
2003
as Self
The Tenth Level
1976
as Reed
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
1998
as Self
Wattstax
1973
as Self (uncredited)
The Android Affair
1995
as Dr. Winston
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
2004
as Self
All God's Children
1980
as Blaine Whitfield
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
2002
as Self
The Sheriff
1971
as James Lucas
Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco - The Fillmore
2001
as Narrator
Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class
1968
as Narrator
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
as Uncle Phil
The Outsider
1967
as Lt. Wagner
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
1999
as Caretaker
Goin' Back to T-Town
1993
as Narrator
A Vow to Cherish
1999
as Alexander Billman
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
1975
as Narrator
Malcolm X: Make It Plain
1994
as Self
Now is the Time
1967
as Self
Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough
1997
as Self
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
1977
as Dr. Fredericks
Here's to Life!
2000
as Duncan Cox
Haiti: Killing the Dream
The Fall
1969
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property
2003
as Himself
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
1998
as Self
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
1986
as Anansi the Spider (Sleepytime Songs and Stories) (voice)
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
2005
as Self
The History Makers: Success
2005
as Self
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1999
as Self
The Red Shoes
1990
Countdown at Kusini
1976
as Ernest Motapo
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
1995
as Uncle Phil
Hands of Inge
1962
as Narrator (voice)
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
1981
as Chuffy Russell
Freedom Man
1979
as Benjamin Banneker
The Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
2003
as Narrator
Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers
1997
as Narrator
Tyler Texas Black Film Collection
1985
as Himself
Unstoppable
2005
as Self
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 136 credits spanning from 1947 to 2026, Ossie Davis has appeared in 102 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 Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ossie Davis Movies
- Doctor Dolittle (1998) — as Archer Dolittle
- Dinosaur (2000) — as Yar (voice)
- The Client (1994) — as Harry Roosevelt
- Malcolm X (1992) — as Eulogy Performer (voice)
- 12 Angry Men (1997) — as Juror 2
Where to Watch Ossie Davis Films
Most Ossie Davis movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV 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.