Ossie Davis dies at 87

[BERIGAN]

Even though I knew he was in his 80's still a bit of a shock, he always looked so young for his age! R.I.P.

Actor Ossie Davis dies

The Associated Press

February 4, 2005, 11:06 AM EST

Miami -- Ossie Davis, an actor distinguished for roles dealing with racial injustice on stage, screen and in real life -- and perhaps best known as the husband and partner of actress Ruby Dee -- has died at the age of 87.

Davis was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in Miami, where he was making a film called "Retirement," according to Arminda Thomas, who works in his office in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Davis, who wrote, acted, directed and produced for the theater and Hollywood, was a central figure among black performers of the last five decades. He and Dee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998 with the publication of a dual autobiography, "In This Life Together." Their partnership called to mind other performing couples, such as the Lunts, or Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Davis and Dee first appeared together in the plays "Jeb," in 1946, and "Anna Lucasta," in 1946-47. Davis' first film, "No Way Out" in 1950, was Dee's fifth. They shared billing in 11 stage productions and five movies during long parallel careers.

Both had key roles in the television series "Roots: The Next Generation" (1978), "Martin Luther King: The Dream and the Drum" (1986) and "The Stand" (1994). Davis appeared in three Spike Lee films, including "School Daze," "Do the Right Thing" and "Jungle Fever." Dee also appeared in the latter two; among her best-known films was "A Raisin in the Sun," in 1961.

In 2004, he and Dee were among the artists selected to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

Edited February 4, 2005 by BERIGAN

[sal]

Shit, was he the guy in "Do the Right Thing" who saves the boy from being hit by the car?

[maren]

Shit, was he the guy in "Do the Right Thing" who saves the boy from being hit by the car?

Exactly.

RIP.

(Just last week I noticed Ruby Dee on Channel 11 in NYC, doing a solo movie commentary of the type that she and Ossie Davis had been doing together for years -- thought at that moment that he must have been sick. My condolences to her -- what a long and beautiful partnership they had.)

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Wow, I never would have thought Ossie was that old!

He was great as the chauffeur in one of my favorite movies, "Joe Versus The Volcano".

RIP Ossie.

Kevin

[RDK]

So sad. He was a really sweet guy too. Years ago, as a PA on a sitcom pilot, I had to pick him up at the airport in my shitty old Datsun 210 and drive him back to the studio in Hollywood. I was so embarrassed that I had to drive him in my ratty car, but he was cool about it and regaled me with stories...

[Shawn]

I you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend this recent black comedy gem....

Ossie plays JFK!!!!! Well, at least an old guy in an East Texas nursing home who THINKS he's JFK. When he tells Elvis (Bruce Campbell) who he is, Elvis replays "But, you're black"....Ossie then responds with "They dyed me".

[catesta]

R.I.P., Ossie.