Ruby dee movies and tv shows

Ruby Dee

American actress (–)

Ruby Dee

Dee in

Born

Ruby Ann Wallace


()October 27,

Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

DiedJune 11, () (aged&#;91)

New Rochelle, New York, U.S.

Resting placeFerncliff Cemetery
Alma&#;materHunter College ()
Occupations
  • Actress
  • poet
  • playwright
  • screenwriter
  • journalist
  • activist
Years&#;active–
Spouses

Frankie Dee Brown

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(m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;

Ossie Davis

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(m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Children3, including Guy Davis

Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, – June 11, ) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist.[1] Dee was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in [2] She received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Obie Award, and a Drama Desk Award, as well as a nomination for an Academy Award.

She was honored with the National Medal of Arts in , the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in , and the Kennedy Center Honors in

Dee started her career with the American Negro Theatre. She made her Broadway debut in South Pacific (). She met her future husband working together on the play Jeb ().

She originated the Broadway roles of Ruth Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun () and reprised the role in the film and Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins in the Ossie Davis play Purlie Victorious () and reprised the role in the film.

She made her film debut in That Man of Mine () before landing a leading roles in films such as The Jackie Robinson Story (), Edge of the City (), Take a Giant Step (), and Buck and the Preacher ().

She also acted in the Ossie Davis film Black Girl (), and the Spike Lee films Do the Right Thing () and Jungle Fever (). For her performance in American Gangster (), Dee was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Female Actor in a Supporting Role.

Dee received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her roles in The Doctors and the Nurses () and Decoration Day (). She was nominated for her other roles in Roots: The Next Generations (), Lincoln (), China Beach (), and Evening Shade (). She also acted in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (), Long Day's Journey into Night (), Go Tell It on the Mountain (), The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (), and The Stand ().

Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, – June 11, ) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. [1] Dee was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in [2].

She voiced Alice the Great in the Nick Jr. series Little Bill from to

Early life and education

Dee was born Ruby Ann Wallace on October 27, , in Cleveland, Ohio,[3] the daughter of Gladys (née Hightower) and Marshall Edward Nathaniel Wallace, a cook, waiter and porter.[4] After her mother left the family, Dee's father remarried, to Emma Amelia Benson, a schoolteacher.[5][6][7]

Dee was raised in Harlem, New York.[8] Prior to attending Hunter College High School, she studied at Public Schools and [9] Then, she went on to graduate from Hunter College with a degree in Romance languages in [10] She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta.[11]

Career

– Early acting roles

Dee joined the American Negro Theatre as an apprentice, working with Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Hilda Simms.[10] She made her Broadway debut portraying a Native in the play South Pacific[12] ().

She played the title role in the Eugene O'Neill play Anna Lucasta.[13] She met her future husband Ossie Davis in the post-World War II play Jeb (). That same year she made her first onscreen role was in the musical That Man of Mine (). The following film she acted in the crime film The Fight Never Ends ().

She received national recognition for her portrayal of Rachel Robinson in the sports drama film The Jackie Robinson Story ().[8]Bosley Crowther of The New York Times praised Dee's performance describing her as "the well restrained sweetheart".[14] Also in she had an uncredited role in film noir No Way Out directed by Joseph L.

Mankiewicz. She continued acting in films such as the historical crime film The Tall Target (), the sports film Go Man Go (), the music film St. Louis Blues (), and the British drama Virgin Island (). During this time she took a role in the film noir Edge of the City () starring alongside John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier.

– Breakthrough and acclaim

In she gained prominence for originating the role of Ruth Younger in the Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun which premiered on Broadway. She acted alongside Sidney Poitier and Louis Gossett Jr.. The play was the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway.

She reprised the role in the film of the same name. She returned to Broadway in the Ossie Davis satirical farce Purlie Victorious () portraying Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins. Howard Taubman of The New York Times wrote of Dee's performance, "[she] has been treated generously. As Lutiebell she has enough humor and charm to make one envy Purlie Victorious that she is eager disciple".[15] She acted opposite her husband Ossie Davis and Alan Alda in his acting debut.

They reprised their roles of the film entitled, Gone Are the Days! which was produced by Brock Peters and directed by Nicholas Webster.

Her career in acting crossed all major forms of media over a span of eight decades, including the films A Raisin in the Sun, in which she recreated her stage role as a suffering housewife in the projects, and Edge of the City.

She played both roles opposite Poitier.[10] She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role on The Doctors and the Nurses (). In , Dee performed in lead roles at the American Shakespeare Festival as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew and Cordelia in King Lear, becoming the first black actress to portray a lead role in the festival.

In she acted in the film The Balcony with Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Grant, and Leonard Nimoy. She then acted in the film noir The Incident (), the drama film Uptight (), and the documentary King: A Filmed Record Montgomery to Memphis ().

In , Dee appeared in 20 episodes of Peyton Place.[8] She acted in Ossie Davis' films Black Girl () and Countdown at Kusini () and the Western film Buck and the Preacher with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.

She appeared as Cora Sanders, a Marxist college professor, in season 1, episode 14 of Police Woman, entitled "Target Black" which aired on Friday night, January 3, The character of Cora Sanders was obviously, but loosely, influenced by the real-life Angela Davis. She appeared in one episode of The Golden Girls' sixth season.

She played Queen Haley in the miniseries Roots: The Next Generations () for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.[8] She acted in the CBS television film I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings () based on the Maya Angelouautobiography of the same name.

  • Ruby dee cause of death
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    • –

    Dee was nominated for eight Emmy Awards, winning once for her role in the TV filmDecoration Day. She was nominated for her television guest appearance in the China Beach episode, "Skylark". Her husband Ossie Davis (–) also appeared in the episode. She appeared in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, and his film Jungle Fever.[8] She starred in the television films portraying Mary Tyrone in Long Day's Journey into Night () and Mrs.

    Grimes in Go Tell It on the Mountain (). Dee returned to Broadway in the play Checkmates written by Ron Milner. She acted alongside Denzel Washington, Paul Winfield and Marsha Jackson. In she portrayed Zora Neale Hurston in Zora Is My Name! and played Jackie Robinson's mother in The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson.

    That same year she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in Decoration Day (). She played Mother Abagail Freemantle in the Stephen King miniseries The Stand (). She collaborated with comedian Bill Cosby acting in both Cosby in and voicing Alice the Great in the Nick Jr. animated series Little Bill from to The next year she and Davis were awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton.[16]

    In , she narrated a series of WPA & slave narratives in the HBO film Unchained Memories.

    They were also recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. In the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album was shared by Dee and Ossie Davis for With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together, and former President Jimmy Carter.[10][17] Dee portrayed Mama Lucas in the Ridley Scott directed crime film American Gangster ().

    Dee acted alongside Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. For her performance she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress losing to Tilda Swinton for her role in the legal thriller Michael Clayton (). She won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role for the same performance.

    At 85 years of age, Dee is currently the third oldest nominee for Best Supporting Actress, behind Gloria Stuart and Judi Dench (both 87).[18]

    On February 12, , Dee joined the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College orchestra and chorus, along with the Riverside Inspirational Choir and NYC Labor Choir, in honoring Abraham Lincoln's th birthday at the Riverside Church in New York City.

    Under the direction of Maurice Peress, they performed Earl Robinson's The Lonesome Train: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra, in which Dee was the narrator.[19] Dee's last role in a theatrically released film was in the Eddie Murphy comedy A Thousand Words, in which she portrayed the mother of Murphy's protagonist.

    In she narrated the Lifetime film Betty & Coretta starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige. Her final film role is in , which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival[20] and was released on home video on March 1, [21] It is unknown whether her final role will ever be seen, as King Dog was in production at the time of her death,[22] and no release date has ever been announced.

    Personal life

    Marriage

    Ruby Wallace married blues singer Frankie Dee Brown in , and began using his middle name as her stage name.

    Ruby Dee was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter, activist, poet and journalist, perhaps best known for starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun.

    The couple divorced in [10] Three years later she married actor Ossie Davis, whom she met while costarring in Robert Ardrey's Broadway play Jeb.[23] Together, Dee and Davis wrote an autobiography in which they discussed their political activism and their decision to have an open marriage (later changing their views).[24][25] Together they had three children: son, blues musician Guy Davis, and two daughters, Nora Day and Hasna Muhammad.

    Dee was a breast cancer survivor of more than three decades.[26] In , the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Dee's name and picture.[27]

    Political activism

    Dee and Davis were well-known civil rights activists in the Civil Rights Movement.[28] Dee was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the NAACP, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

    She was also as an active member of the Harlem Writers Guild for over 40 years. In , Dee emceed the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.[29] Dee and Davis were both personal friends of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, with Davis giving the eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral in [30] In , she won the Frederick Douglass Award from the New York Urban League.[8] In , Dee and Davis were arrested at 1 Police Plaza, the headquarters of the New York Police Department, protesting the police shooting of Amadou Diallo.[31]

    In early , The Nation published "Not in Our Name", an open proclamation vowing opposition to the impending US invasion of Iraq.

    Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis were among the signatories, along with Robert Altman, Noam Chomsky, Susan Sarandon, and Howard Zinn, among others.[citation needed] In November , Dee was awarded – along with her late husband – the Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award, presented by the National Civil Rights Museum located in Memphis.

    Dee, a long-time resident of New Rochelle, New York, was inducted into the New Rochelle Walk of Fame which honors the most notable residents from throughout the community's year history. She was also inducted into the Westchester County Women's Hall of Fame on March 30, , joining such other honorees as Hillary Clinton and Nita Lowey.[32] In , she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Princeton University.[17][33]

    Death

    Dee died on June 11, , at her home in New Rochelle, New York, from natural causes at the age of [34] In a statement, Gil Robertson IV of the African-American Film Critics Association said, "the members of the African American Film Critics Association are deeply saddened at the loss of actress and humanitarian Ruby Dee.

    Throughout her seven-decade career, Dee embraced different creative platforms with her various interpretations of black womanhood and also used her gifts to champion for Human Rights."[8]

    "She very peacefully surrendered", said her daughter Nora Day. "We hugged her, we kissed her, we gave her our permission to go.

    She opened her eyes. She looked at us. She closed her eyes, and she set sail." Following her death, the marquee on the Apollo Theater read: "A TRUE APOLLO LEGEND RUBY DEE –".[35]

    Dee was cremated, and her ashes are held in the same urn as that of Davis, with the inscription "In this thing together".[10] A public memorial celebration honoring Dee was held on September 20, , at the Riverside Church in Upper Manhattan.[36] Their shared urn was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.[37]

    Acting credits

    Filmography

    Television

    Theatre

    Awards and nominations

    Discography

    • The Original Read-In for Peace in Vietnam (Folkways Records, )[70]
    • The Poetry of Langston Hughes (with Ossie Davis.

      Caedmon Records, no date, TC )[71]

    • Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (with George Grizzard. Caedmon Records, , TC )
    • Tough Poems For Tough People (with Ossie Davis and Henry Braun. Caedmon Records, , TC )
    • To Make A Poet Black: The best poems of Countee Cullen (with Ossie Davis.

      Caedmon Records, , TC

    • To Be A Slave (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, , TC )
    • The Lost Zoo (Caedmon Records, , TC )
    • Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears and Other Tales (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, , TC )
    • What if I am a Woman?, Vol. 1: Black Women's Speeches (Folkways, )[72]
    • What if I am a Woman?, Vol.

      2: Black Women's Speeches (Folkways, )[73]

    • Every Tone a Testimony (Smithsonian Folkways, )[74]
    • American Short Stories, Vol 2, Various Artists (eav Lexington, no date, LE )
    • American Short Stories, Vol 3, Various Artists (eav Lexington, no date, LE )
    • I've got a name, Various Artists (Holt's Impact, , CSM )
    • At your own risk, Various Artists (Holt's Impact, , CSM )
    • Conflict, Various Artists (Holt's Impact, , CSM )
    • Sight lines, Various Artists (Holt's Impact, , SBN )
    • Roses & Revolutions, Various Artists (D.S.T.

      Telecommunications, Inc., Production, )

    • New Dimensions in Music (with John Cullum. CBS Records, , P )

    Bibliography

    See also

    References

    1. ^"Ruby Dee". Encyclopædia Britannica. June 7, Retrieved June 12,
    2. ^Oscar-Nominated Actress Ruby Dee Dies at 91 Carmel Dagan.

      Variety. June 12, Retrieved March 30,

    3. ^"Ruby Dee marks 90th birthday with new documentary about her illustrious life with late husband Ossie Davis", New York Daily News, November 13,
    4. ^Watson, Elwood (December 5, ). "Dee, Ruby Ann Wallace ()".

      Biography of ruby dee Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, – June 11, ) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. [1] Dee was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in [ 2 ].

      . Retrieved April 17,

    5. ^Davis, Ossie; Dee, Ruby (). "Ruby Is Born at Seven". With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together. William Morrow. ISBN&#;. Retrieved July 30,
    6. ^Gates, Henry Louis (). Arts and Letters: An A-To-Z Reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience.

      Running Press. ISBN&#;.

    7. ^Lyman, Darryl (). Great African-American Women. Jonathan David Company, Inc. ISBN&#;.
    8. ^ abcdefgh"Screen, stage legend Ruby Dee dies at 91".

      CNN. Retrieved June 12,

    9. ^"Talented Ruby Dee Plays the Wife of Neurosurgeon in 'Peyton Place'". Schnectady Gazette. September Retrieved February 16,
    10. ^ abcdefghiHalzack, Sarah (October 27, ).

      "Ruby Dee, actress and civil rights activist, dies at 91". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12,

    11. ^Delta Sigma Theta websiteArchived October 13, , at the Wayback Machine
    12. ^
    13. ^Warfield, Polly (March 7, ). "Remembering Ruby Dee in Anna Lucasta". . Retrieved February 16,
    14. ^Crowther, Bosley (May 17, ).

    17. "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Jackie Robinson Story,' With Baseball Star Playing Himself, Is Shown of Astor Theatre". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27,

    18. ^"Theatre: 'Purlie Victorious' Romps In". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27,
    19. ^Lifetime Honors – National Medal of ArtsArchived July 21, , at the Wayback Machine
    20. ^ ab"6 great moments from Ruby Dee's legendary career &#; Entertain This!".

      Retrieved June 12,

    21. ^"Who are the oldest Oscar nominees?". Yardbarker. February 16, Retrieved February 18,
    22. ^"". February 1, Archived from the original on October 27, Retrieved June 12,
    23. ^Zeba Blay, "TIFF Reviews – Tommy Oliver’s Debut ‘’ Provides A Platform For Hill Harper To Shine", IndieWire, September 13,
    24. ^"VideoETA - () DVD and Blu-ray".

      Archived from the original on January 21, Retrieved January 8,

    25. ^"Ruby Dee, 'A Raisin in the Sun' actress, dies at 91", Penn Live, June 12,
    26. ^ abcFelicia R. Lee (April 20, ). "At home with: Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee; Art and Politics: Keeping It All Fresh".

      The New York Times. Retrieved June 12,

    27. ^Sheri Stritof; Bob Stritof.

      Biography of ruby dee actor Ruby Dee, American actress and social activist who was known for her pioneering work in African American theater and film and for her outspoken civil rights activism. Dee’s artistic partnership with her husband, Ossie Davis, was considered one of the theater and film world’s most distinguished.

      "Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee on Open Marriage". Retrieved January 11, : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

    28. ^"Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee on Open Marriage". . Retrieved July 30,
    29. ^"Oscar Nominee Ruby Dee Dead at 91 – ABC News". ABC News.

      October 16, Retrieved June 12,

    30. ^Wulf, Steve (March 23, ). "Supersisters: Original Roster". ESPN. Retrieved June 4,
    31. ^The official site of Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee, ; accessed March 3,
    32. ^ abMark Kennedy.

      Ruby dee death: Ruby Dee (born October 27, , Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.—died June 11, , New Rochelle, New York) was an American actress and social activist who was known for her pioneering work in African American theater and film and for her outspoken civil rights activism.

      "Ruby Dee's legacy of activism, acting mourned – Houston Chronicle". Archived from the original on June 13, Retrieved June 12,

    33. ^Davis, Ossie (February 27, ). "Malcolm&#;X's Eulogy". The Official Website of Malcolm X. Archived from the original on October 6, Retrieved September 6,
    34. ^"Showbuzz – March 24, ".

      CNN. March 24, Retrieved June 12,

    35. ^"Ruby Dee To Be Named To Women's Hall Of Fame". . March 6, Archived from the original on May 6, Retrieved January 23,
    36. ^Princeton awards five honorary degrees (news release) News at Princeton. Princeton University.

      June 2, Retrieved May 3,

    37. ^NEUMAIER, Joe (June 12, ). "Ruby Dee dead at 91". New York Daily News. Retrieved June 12,
    38. ^Denis Slattery, Joe Dziemianowicz, Larry McShane, "Ruby Dee dead at Legendary stage and screen actress — and Civil Rights leader — frequently costarred with husband Ossie Davis", Daily News (New York), June 12,
    39. ^"Memorial Honoring Ruby Dee Held At Riverside Church", CBS, New York, September 20,
    40. ^Celebrities & Notables Interred at: Ferncliff Mausoleum.

      Retrieved June 12,

    41. ^"Medical Movies on the Web". . June 6, Retrieved April 20,
    42. ^ abcd"Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee: Ruby Dee Film Credits". Archived from the original on July 4, Retrieved June 13,
    43. ^Mary Emblen; Alvin Klein (January 29, ).

      "New Jersey Guide – 'Star Trek' Exhibition". The New York Times. Retrieved June 13, : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

    44. ^ abcdefgh"Ruby Dee – Filmography – Movies & TV".

      Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 16, Retrieved June 13,

    45. ^Scott, Jill (April 10, ). "Ruby Dee: Jill Scott, Kerry Washington and More on the Grande Dame". Retrieved June 13,
    46. ^Feb, Posted (February 20, ). "SAG Life Achievement Award Goes To Ossie, Ruby".

      Backstage. Retrieved June 13,