Davis, Ossie (1917-2005), was an African American actor who was also successful as a playwright, motion-picture director, and screenwriter. Davis often appeared on the stage, on television, and in motion pictures with his wife, the actress Ruby Dee. The couple were also active in civil rights and humanitarian work.
As a playwright, Davis’s most important work is the comedy Purlie Victorious (1961), a satire on racial stereotypes. He starred in a film version of the play called Gone Are the Days (1963). Davis helped adapt the play into the hit musical Purlie (1970). He also directed and co-wrote the popular black detective film Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970). As an actor, Davis appeared in several movies directed by Spike Lee, including School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Jungle Fever (1991), and Malcolm X (1992).He also acted in the films The Hill (1965), The Scalphunters (1968), Let’s Do It Again (1975), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), Gladiator (1992), Grumpy Old Men (1993), I’m Not Rappaport (1996), Dr. Dolittle (1998), and Bubba Ho-tep (2002).
Davis was active in encouraging young African American artists. In 1973, he founded the Institute of New Cinema Artists to train black students for careers in motion pictures and television.
Davis was born on Dec. 18, 1917, in Cogdell, Georgia. His real name was Raiford Chatman Davis. He entered Howard University in 1935 and left after three years to pursue a theater career. Davis made his Broadway stage debut in 1946. He married Ruby Dee in 1948 and appeared in his first motion picture in 1950.
Davis wrote a novel for young adults called Just Like Martin (1992) about a young black man and his father and their involvement in civil rights activities during the 1960’s. With his wife, he wrote With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together (1998). Davis died on Feb. 4, 2005.
