Actress
Ruby Dee
27 October 1922† 11 June 2014 (aged 91) Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Written
- 2
- Movies
- 95
- Shows
- 28
Biography
Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. She originated the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of A Raisin in the Sun. Her other notable film roles include The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), Do the Right Thing (1989) and American Gangster (2007).
Known For
- Upcoming
- Diamonds on the Silver Screen · Film
- Baby of the Family · Film
- 2026
- Love in Exile · Film
- 2024
- Hollywood Black · Series
- 2018
- Poitier's Walter Lee · Film
- 2014
- 2013
- Betty and Coretta · Film · Narrator
- Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal · Film
- 2012
- A Thousand Words · Film · Annie McCall
- 2011
- Video Girl · Film · Valerie
- Politics of Love · Film
- The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll · Film · Miss Candy
- 2009
- A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School · Film · Narrator (voice)
- America · Film · Mrs. Harper
- 2007
- Steam · Film · Doris
- American Gangster · Film · Mama Lucas
- All About Us · Film · Ms. Ella
- In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema · Film
- Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson · Film
- 2006
- Discovering William Greaves · Film
- The Way Back Home · Film · Maude
- No. 2 · Film · Nanna Maria
- 2005
- Their Eyes Were Watching God · Film · Nanny
- Iconoclasts · Series
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun' · Film
- Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years · Series · Narrator
- 2001
- Taking Back Our Town · Film · Emelda West
- Feast of All Saints · Film · Elsie Claviere
- 2000
- Finding Buck McHenry · Film · Mrs. Henry
- A Storm in Summer · Film · Grandmother
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation · Series · Mary Wilson
- 1999
- The Unfinished Journey · Film · Narrator (voice)
- Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years · Film · Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
- Baby Geniuses · Film · Margo
- Paul Robeson: Here I Stand · Film
- Passing Glory · Film · Mommit Porter
- Little Bill · Series
- 1998
- A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner · Film · Narrator
- The Wall · Film · Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
- Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood · Film
- Christianity: The First 1000 Years · Series · Narrator
- 1997
- A Simple Wish · Film · Hortence
- Sports on the Silver Screen · Film
- 1996
- Captive Heart: The James Mink Story · Film · Indigo
- Mr. and Mrs. Loving · Film · Sophia
- 1995
- Just Cause · Film · Evangeline Ferguson
- Tuesday Morning Ride · Film · Jennie
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child · Series · Grandma (voice)
- 1994
- Whitewash · Film · Grandmother (voice)
- The Stand · Film
- Touched by an Angel · Series · LaBelle Springbelt
- The Stand · Series · Mother Abagail Freemantle
- 1993
- After Goodbye · Film · Narrator
- Cop & ½ · Film · Rachel
- The Ernest Green Story · Film · Lydia Wilson
- 1992
- Color Adjustment · Film · Narrator
- Middle Ages · Series · Estelle Williams
- 1991
- Jazztime Tale · Film · Narrator (voice)
- Jungle Fever · Film · Lucinda Purify
- 1990
- Decoration Day · Film · Rowena
- The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson · Film · Jackie's Mother
- Love at Large · Film · Corrine Dart
- Zora is My Name! · Film · Zora Neale Hurston
- 1989
- Making 'Do the Right Thing' · Film
- Do the Right Thing · Film · Mother Sister
- 1988
- American Experience · Series · Narrator (voice)
- China Beach · Series
- Lincoln · Series · Elizabeth Keckley
- 1985
- Spenser: For Hire · Series
- The Golden Girls · Series · Mammy Watkins
- The Atlanta Child Murders · Series · Faye Williams
- 1984
- Go Tell It on the Mountain · Film · Mrs. Grimes
- 1983
- Reading Rainbow · Series · Narrator (voice)
- Papua New Guinea: Anthropology on Trial · Film · Vocals
- 1982
- Long Day's Journey Into Night · Film · Mary Tyrone
- Cat People · Film · Female
- American Playhouse · Series · Mrs. Grimes
- American Playhouse · Series · Writer
- 1980
- All God's Children · Film · Irene Whitfield
- The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six · Film
- 1979
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings · Film · Grandmother Baxter
- Roots: The Next Generations · Series · Queen Haley
- 1978
- The Kennedy Center Honors · Series
- 1976
- Countdown at Kusini · Film · Leah Matanzima
- 1974
- Wedding Band · Film · Julia Augustine
- It's Good to Be Alive · Film · Ruth Campanella
- Police Woman · Series
- 1973
- Chelsea D.H.O. · Film · Dr. Bianca Pearson
- 1972
- Black Girl · Film · Netta's mother
- Buck and the Preacher · Film · Ruth
- To Be Young, Gifted and Black · Film · Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
- On Merit · Film · Narrator (voice)
- 1971
- The Sheriff · Film · Sue Ann Lucas
- Great Performances · Series
- 1970
- 1969
- Deadlock · Film · Lucinda
- 1968
- 1967
- The Incident · Film · Joan Robinson
- Now is the Time · Film
- 1966
- Neighbours · Film · Vicky Kingsbury
- 1963
- Gone Are the Days! · Film · Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
- The Balcony · Film · Thief
- The Great Adventure · Series · Harriet Tubman
- The Fugitive · Series · Laura Smith
- 1961
- A Raisin in the Sun · Film · Ruth Younger
- The Defenders · Series · Catherine Collins
- 1959
- Take a Giant Step · Film · Christine
- Virgin Island · Film · Ruth
- 1958
- St. Louis Blues · Film · Elizabeth
- 1957
- Edge of the City · Film · Lucy Tyler
- 1956
- Armchair Theatre · Series · Vicky Kingsbury
- 1954
- Go Man Go · Film · Irma Jackson
- 1953
- The Oscars · Series
- 1951
- The Tall Target · Film · Rachel
- Hallmark Hall of Fame · Series · Rowena Finch
- 1950
- No Way Out · Film · Connie Brooks
- The Jackie Robinson Story · Film · Rae Robinson
- 1948
- The Fight Never Ends · Film
- What a Guy · Film
- 1947
- Easy to Get · Film · Drugstore Girl
- 1946
- Love in Syncopation · Film
- That Man of Mine · Film · Joan