Born in Cogdell, Ga., on December 18, 1917, Ossie Davis attended Howard University, then joined Harlem's Rose McClendon Players. In 1946, after an Army stint during World War II, Davis debuted on Broadway with future wife and frequent collaborator Ruby Dee in "Jeb."Davis performed in numerous plays on Broadway, including "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Purlie Victorious," which he wrote. He landed his feature film debut in 1950's No Way Out and continued to act in both theatre and film, often in stories depicting the black experience in the United States.
Along with Dee, Davis was a long-standing political activist and was highly visible during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Notable films include Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Miss Evers' Boys. Davis received lifetime achievement awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the Kennedy Center Honors before his death on February 4, 2005.
Do the Right ThingWhat begins as an uproarious comedy evolves into a provocative, disquieting drama as director Spike Lee chronicles trivial events that bring festering racial tensions to the surface on a sweltering day in a largely black Brooklyn neighborhood. After a number of minor misunderstandings -- and an... Read More
Bubba Ho-TepIn this black comedy, Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell) is an elderly resident in an East Texas rest home who switched identities with an impersonator years before his "death" and missed his chance to switch himself back. When the King teams up with a fellow resident (Ossie Davis) who thinks he's John... Read More
ProudBased on director Mary Pat Kelly's book Proudly We Served, this rousing drama recounts the true story of the U.S.S. Mason, the only World War II battleship with a largely black crew. Fighting racism, German submarines and a horrendous North Atlantic storm, the young sailors prove their... Read More
I'm Not RappaportNat Moyer (Walter Matthau) and Midge Carter (Ossie Davis) are a truly odd couple who wryly comment on modern urban life as it strolls by their bench in Central Park. When Midge, who's also the manager of Nat's apartment building, is forced into retirement, Nat springs to his defense -- taking on a... Read More
Finding Buck McHenryBaseball aficionado Jason Ross (Michael Schiffman) feels dejected when he gets bumped from his Little League squad. Determined to succeed, Jason joins an expansion club. Problem is, the team lacks a coach, so Jason recruits school custodian -- and baseball maven -- Mack Henry (Ossie Davis) as... Read More
