Ossie Davis

**Ossie Davis** (born **Raiford Chatman Davis**; 18 December 1917 – 4 February 2005) was an American movie, television and Broadway actor, director, poet, playwright, author, and social activist. He was known for his role as Yar in the 2000 animated movie _Dinosaur_. He was married to actress Ruby Dee.

Davis died in Miami, Florida from heart disease, aged 87.

## Filmography

- _No Way Out_ (1950) as John Brooks (uncredited)
- _Fourteen Hours_ (1951) as Cab Driver (uncredited)
- _The Joe Louis Story_ (1953) as Bob (uncredited)
- _Gone Are the Days!_ (aka _Purlie Victorious_) (1963) as Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson
- _The Cardinal_ (1963) as Father Gillis
- _Shock Treatment_ (1964) as Capshaw
- _The Hill_ (1965) as Jacko King
- _A Man Called Adam_ (1966) as Nelson Davis
- _Silent Revolution_ (1967)
- _The Scalphunters_ (1968) as Joseph Lee
- _Sam Whiskey_ (1969) as Jed Hooker
- _Slaves_ (1969) as Luke
- _Wattstax_ (1973) as Himself (uncredited)
- _Let's Do It Again_ (1975) as Elder Johnson
- _Countdown at Kusini_ (1976) as Ernest Motapo
- _Hot Stuff_ (1979) as Captain John Geiberger
- _Benjamin Banneker: The Man Who Loved the Stars_ (1979)
- _Harry & Son_ (1984) as Raymond
- _The House of God_ (1984) as Dr. Sanders
- _Avenging Angel_ (1985) as Captain Harry Moradian
- _School Daze_ (1988) as Coach Odom
- _Do the Right Thing_ (1989) as Da Mayor
- _Joe Versus the Volcano_ (1990) as Marshall
- _Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker_ (1991, Documentary) as Himself
- _Jungle Fever_ (1991) as The Good Reverend Doctor Purify
- _Gladiator_ (1992) as Noah
- _Malcolm X_ (1992) as Eulogy Performer (voice)
- _Cop and a Half_ (1993) as Detective in Squad Room (uncredited)
- _Grumpy Old Men_ (1993) as Chuck
- _The Client_ (1994) as Harry Roosevelt
- _Get on the Bus_ (1996) as Jeremiah
- _I'm Not Rappaport_ (1996) as Midge Carter
- _4 Little Girls_ (1997, Documentary) as Himself - Actor and Playwright
- _Dr. Dolittle_ (1998) as Archer Dolittle
- _Alyson's Closet_ (1998, Short) as Postman Extraordinaire
- _The Unfinished Journey_ (1999, Documentary, Short) as Narration (voice)
- _The Gospel According to Mr. Allen_ (2000, Documentary) as Narrator
- _Dinosaur_ (2000) as Yar (voice)
- _Here's to Life!_ (2000) as Duncan Cox
- _Voice of the Voiceless_ (2001, Documentary) as Himself
- _Why Can't We Be a Family Again?_ (2002, Documentary, Short) as Narrator (voice)
- _Bubba Ho-Tep_ (2002) as Jack
- _Unchained Memories_ (2003, Documentary) as Reader #6
- _Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property_ (2003, Documentary) as Himself
- _Beah: A Black Woman Speaks_ (2003, Documentary) as Himself
- _BAADASSSSS!_ (2003) as Granddad
- _She Hate Me_ (2004) as Judge Buchanan
- _Proud_ (2004) as Lorenzo DuFau
- _A Trumpet at the Walls of Jericho_ (2005, Documentary)
- Experimenter (2015) Ossie Davis is played by Dennis Dexter Haysbert.

## Related pages

- List of poets from North America

## Other websites

- Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Ossie Davis
- **image**: 6.24.04OssieDavisbyLuigiNovi.jpg
- **birthname**: Raiford Chatman Davis
- **birth place**: Clinch County, Georgia, Cogdell, Clinch County, Georgia, U.S.
- **death place**: Miami, Florida, U.S.
- **spouse**: Ruby Dee
(m. 1948–2005; his death)
- **yearsactive**: 1939–2005
- **occupation**: Actor, director, poet, playwright, author, activist
- **children**: Guy Davis
Nora Davis Day
Hasna Muhammad