Ossie Davis, one of my favorite actors, was still working at age 87. He was found dead in his hotel room in Florida, where he was working on a movie. Davis was married to the same woman (Ruby Dee) since 1948 and co-starred with her in many movies. From the AP:
Davis, the husband and partner of actress Ruby Dee, was found dead 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 suburban New Rochelle.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.”
Related information: Davis’s movies, Biography: Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, History Makers…
Previous obituaries: Johnny Carson, Shirley Chisholm, Rick James, Ronald Reagan and Superman.
Update: Newsday article about Davis.
Update II (2/5): Director and screenwriter Roger L. Simon knows who I am. Well…he’s a blogger, too.
More Ossie Davis links: Captain’s Quarters, The Sheila Variations, Respectful Insolence…
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I was sad to see that Ossie Davis had passed away. It was also wonderful to learn that he was married to only one woman, Ruby, for over 50 years! What a great witness for marriage!
My heart and prayers are with Ruby…
Rest in peace gentle soul. You’ll be missed.
The book that Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee wrote about their marriage and acting partnership is truly wonderful and inspirational. He will be very much missed, and my prayers are with Ruby Dee today.
Oh my Lord. This makes me sad.
I’ve always like Ossie.
Anyone see Bubba Ho-Tep?
He plays a man in a retirement home, who is convinced he is JFK. When someone points out JHK was white, he whispers “The CIA dyed me black”…
Only davis could bring a level of dignity and fun to role like that.
I really enjoyed he and his wife’s acting. Very much. This is a loss.
Very sad indeed. He seemed like a good man and a great actor.
Oh my,
What a terribly talented actor.
When I took my Blacks in Cinema course last year a large portion of the class was devoted to his work.
What a dignified and stately performer he was. I didn’t know he was 87, though. He certainly aged gracefully.
Ossie, you will be missed.
I liked his role in I’m not Rappaport with Walt Malthau. What talent.
We watched a documentary in said class last year called “Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist.” It was about the Red Scare and African Americans.
Ossie was particularly effective in describing how it was even worse for blacks trying to find work during the Communist witch hunts.
I remember the Weekly Standard wrote a particularly nasty opinion piece on Ossie several years back. I just found the link, which I placed in my name.
Just thought I’d relate my Ossie story to you guys with a little bit of liberal preaching in there.
Looks like he died while doing what he loved to do. He lived a full life that touched many people. His memory will live on for a long time to come.
Mike M.
Ossie’s forte was theatre. As such, the man had talent and I think that pretty much everyone can agree on that. So when we note his passing, we’re focusing on his contributions to the performing arts.
How would it be hypocritical to recognize a person’s talent in one area and dismiss it in another?
The article that you referenced pretty much looks at Ossie the political thinker and wanna-be social critic. This is probably where we part ways on Ossie the man. The man ain’t no Reagan as far as crossing over from the arts to politics.
In short, my little bit of conservative preaching;
Ossie: Great Actor, Average Marxist Apologist
Reagan: Great Free-Market Apologist, Average Actor
Andy,
I agree totally with what you said. I didn’t say I thought it was hypocritical…I was just bringing up an interesting little tidbit that I had learned several years back.
One can appreciate someone’s skills and disagree with their opinions. Vanessa Redgrave and Colleen Dewhurst come to mind for me, along with Ossie Davis. I disagree [in Davis and Dewhurst's case, disagreed] with their politics but go out of my way to watch anything with them in it.
Ossie Davis another great legend has passed on to be with the Lord, Ruby you have my sympathy, you and Ossie made life and love and marriage a good thing. Mr. Davis will truly be missed, he left a legacy that noone can and ever will replace. The one thing that he left is his movies and we can continue to watch them and remember him as the greatest movie maker of all times. Mr. Davis may you “Rest In Peace”. I know that God Angel that he reserved for you is waiting at the door for “YOU”. “A True Believer”
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