Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee

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).

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Known For

Filmography

2018

Poitier's Walter Lee
Poitier's Walter Lee
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 9/25/2018

2014

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/22/2014

2013

Betty and Coretta
Betty and Coretta
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 2/2/2013

2012

A Thousand Words
A Thousand Words
as Annie McCall
Movie - Released: 3/7/2012

2011

Politics of Love
Politics of Love
Movie - Released: 8/26/2011
Video Girl
Video Girl
as Valerie
Movie - Released: 10/11/2011
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
as Miss Candy
Movie - Released: 8/5/2011

2009

America
America
as Mrs. Harper
Movie - Released: 2/28/2009
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 7/22/2009

2007

American Gangster
American Gangster
as Mama Lucas
Movie - Released: 11/2/2007
Steam
Steam
as Doris
Movie - Released: 11/15/2007
Movie
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
as Self
Movie - Released: 1/31/2007
All About Us
All About Us
as Ms. Ella
Movie - Released: 10/1/2007

2006

No. 2
No. 2
as Nanna Maria
Movie - Released: 2/16/2006
Discovering William Greaves
Discovering William Greaves
as Self
Movie - Released: 12/6/2006

2005

Their Eyes Were Watching God
Their Eyes Were Watching God
as Nanny
Movie - Released: 3/6/2005
Iconoclasts
Iconoclasts
as Self
TV - Released: 11/17/2005

2004

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
as Self
Movie - Released: 2/25/2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 1/1/2004

2002

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
as Self
Movie - Released: 6/14/2002
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
as Narrator
TV - Released: 6/1/2002

2001

Feast of All Saints
Feast of All Saints
as Elsie Claviere
Movie - Released: 11/11/2001
Taking Back Our Town
Taking Back Our Town
as Emelda West
Movie - Released: 12/10/2001

2000

Finding Buck McHenry
Finding Buck McHenry
as Mrs. Henry
Movie - Released: 4/16/2000
A Storm in Summer
A Storm in Summer
as Grandmother
Movie - Released: 1/18/2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Mary Wilson
TV - Released: 10/6/2000

1999

Passing Glory
Passing Glory
as Mommit Porter
Movie - Released: 2/21/1999
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
Movie - Released: 4/18/1999
Baby Geniuses
Baby Geniuses
as Margo
Movie - Released: 3/12/1999
Movie
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/31/1999
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
as Self
Movie - Released: 2/24/1999
Little Bill
Little Bill
TV - Released: 11/28/1999

1998

The Wall
The Wall
as Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
Movie - Released: 5/24/1998
Movie
A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 12/7/1998
TV
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
as Herself - Narrator
TV - Released: 11/29/1998

1997

A Simple Wish
A Simple Wish
as Hortence
Movie - Released: 7/11/1997
Movie
Sports on the Silver Screen
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 3/16/1997

1996

Mr. and Mrs. Loving
Mr. and Mrs. Loving
as Sophia
Movie - Released: 3/13/1996
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
as Indigo
Movie - Released: 4/14/1996

1995

Just Cause
Just Cause
as Evangeline Ferguson
Movie - Released: 2/17/1995
Tuesday Morning Ride
Tuesday Morning Ride
as Jennie
Movie - Released: 1/1/1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Grandma (voice)
TV - Released: 3/12/1995

1994

Whitewash
Whitewash
as Grandmother (voice)
Movie - Released: 8/16/1994
The Stand
The Stand
as Mother Abagail Freemantle
Movie - Released: 5/8/1994
The Stand
The Stand
as Mother Abagail Freemantle
TV - Released: 5/8/1994
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel
as LaBelle Springbelt
TV - Released: 9/21/1994

1993

Cop & ½
Cop & ½
as Rachel
Movie - Released: 4/2/1993
After Goodbye
After Goodbye
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 6/23/1993
The Ernest Green Story
The Ernest Green Story
as Lydia Wilson
Movie - Released: 1/17/1993

1992

Color Adjustment
Color Adjustment
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 1/29/1992
Middle Ages
Middle Ages
as Estelle Williams
TV - Released: 9/3/1992

1991

Jungle Fever
Jungle Fever
as Lucinda Purify
Movie - Released: 6/7/1991
Jazztime Tale
Jazztime Tale
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 11/2/1991

1990

Love at Large
Love at Large
as Corrine Dart
Movie - Released: 3/9/1990
Decoration Day
Decoration Day
as Rowena
Movie - Released: 12/2/1990
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
as Jackie's Mother
Movie - Released: 10/15/1990
Zora is My Name!
Zora is My Name!
as Zora Neale Hurston
Movie - Released: 1/1/1990

1989

Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing
as Mother Sister
Movie - Released: 6/14/1989
Movie
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
Movie - Released: 11/3/1989

1988

China Beach
China Beach
TV - Released: 4/26/1988
Lincoln
Lincoln
as Elizabeth Keckley
TV - Released: 3/27/1988
American Experience
American Experience
as Narrator (voice)
TV - Released: 10/4/1988

1985

Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain
as Mrs. Grimes
Movie - Released: 1/14/1985
Spenser: For Hire
Spenser: For Hire
TV - Released: 9/20/1985
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
as Mammy Watkins
TV - Released: 9/14/1985
The Atlanta Child Murders
The Atlanta Child Murders
as Faye Williams
TV - Released: 2/10/1985

1983

Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
as Herself - Narrator (voice)
TV - Released: 6/6/1983

1982

Cat People
Cat People
as Female
Movie - Released: 4/2/1982
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night
as Mary Tyrone
Movie - Released: 11/23/1982

1980

All God's Children
All God's Children
as Irene Whitfield
Movie - Released: 4/28/1980

1979

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
as Grandmother Baxter
Movie - Released: 4/28/1979
Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations
as Queen Victoria Haley
TV - Released: 2/18/1979

1978

The Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self
TV - Released: 12/28/1978

1976

Countdown at Kusini
Countdown at Kusini
as Leah Matanzima
Movie - Released: 4/16/1976

1974

It's Good to Be Alive
It's Good to Be Alive
as Ruth Campanella
Movie - Released: 2/22/1974
Wedding Band
Wedding Band
as Julia Augustine
Movie - Released: 4/24/1974
Police Woman
Police Woman
TV - Released: 9/13/1974

1972

Buck and the Preacher
Buck and the Preacher
as Ruth
Movie - Released: 3/17/1972
Black Girl
Black Girl
as Netta's mother
Movie - Released: 11/9/1972
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
as Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
Movie - Released: 1/20/1972
Movie
On Merit
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/1972

1971

The Sheriff
The Sheriff
as Sue Ann Lucas
Movie - Released: 3/30/1971
Great Performances
Great Performances
as Self
TV - Released: 1/28/1971

1970

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 3/24/1970

1969

Deadlock
Deadlock
as Lucinda
Movie - Released: 2/22/1969

1968

Uptight
Uptight
as Laurie
Movie - Released: 12/28/1968
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 6/6/1968

1967

The Incident
The Incident
as Joan Robinson
Movie - Released: 11/5/1967

1966

Movie
Neighbours
as Vicky Kingsbury
Movie - Released: 1/15/1966

1963

Gone Are the Days!
Gone Are the Days!
as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
Movie - Released: 8/9/1963
The Balcony
The Balcony
as Thief
Movie - Released: 3/21/1963
The Great Adventure
The Great Adventure
as Harriet Tubman
TV - Released: 9/27/1963
The Fugitive
The Fugitive
as Laura Smith
TV - Released: 9/17/1963

1961

A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun
as Ruth Younger
Movie - Released: 5/28/1961
The Defenders
The Defenders
as Catherine Collins
TV - Released: 9/16/1961

1959

Virgin Island
Virgin Island
as Ruth
Movie - Released: 8/7/1959
Take a Giant Step
Take a Giant Step
as Christine
Movie - Released: 12/1/1959

1958

St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
as Elizabeth
Movie - Released: 4/7/1958

1957

Edge of the City
Edge of the City
as Lucy Tyler
Movie - Released: 1/4/1957

1954

Go Man Go
Go Man Go
as Irma Jackson
Movie - Released: 1/27/1954

1951

The Tall Target
The Tall Target
as Rachel
Movie - Released: 8/17/1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Rowena Finch
TV - Released: 12/24/1951

1950

The Jackie Robinson Story
The Jackie Robinson Story
as Rae Robinson
Movie - Released: 5/16/1950
No Way Out
No Way Out
as Connie Brooks (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 8/16/1950

1948

The Fight Never Ends
The Fight Never Ends
Movie - Released: 3/6/1948
What a Guy
What a Guy
Movie - Released: 1/1/1948

1947

Easy to Get
Easy to Get
as Drugstore Girl
Movie - Released: 7/10/1947

1946

That Man of Mine
That Man of Mine
as Joan
Movie - Released: 1/1/1946
Love in Syncopation
Love in Syncopation
Movie - Released: 8/3/1946