Ruby Dee
Born
October 27, 1922
Died
June 11, 2014 (91 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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
Poitier's Walter Lee
Self (archive footage)
2018
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Self
2014
Betty and Coretta
Narrator
2013
Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
Self
2013
A Thousand Words
Annie McCall
2012
Video Girl
Valerie
2011
Politics of Love
2011
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
Miss Candy
2011
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
Narrator (voice)
2009
America
Mrs. Harper
2009
Steam
Doris
2007
American Gangster
Mama Lucas
2007
All About Us
Ms. Ella
2007
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema
Herself
2007
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
Self
2007
Discovering William Greaves
Self
2006
No. 2
Nanna Maria
2006
Iconoclasts
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Nanny
2005
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
Self
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
2004
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
Self
2002
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
Narrator · (2 episodes)
2002
Taking Back Our Town
Emelda West
2001
Feast of All Saints
Elsie Claviere
2001
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Mary Wilson · (1 episode)
2000
Finding Buck McHenry
Mrs. Henry
2000
A Storm in Summer
Grandmother
2000
The Unfinished Journey
Narrator (voice)
1999
Little Bill
(47 episodes)
1999
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
1999
Baby Geniuses
Margo
1999
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Self
1999
Passing Glory
Mommit Porter
1999
A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner
Narrator
1998
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
Herself - Narrator · (4 episodes)
1998
The Wall
Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
1998
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
Self
1998
A Simple Wish
Hortence
1997
Sports on the Silver Screen
Self (archive footage)
1997
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
Indigo
1996
Mr. and Mrs. Loving
Sophia
1996
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Grandma (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Just Cause
Evangeline Ferguson
1995
Tuesday Morning Ride
Jennie
1995
Touched by an Angel
LaBelle Springbelt · (1 episode)
1994
Whitewash
Grandmother (voice)
1994
The Stand
Mother Abagail Freemantle
1994
The Stand
Mother Abagail Freemantle · (4 episodes)
1994
After Goodbye
Narrator
1993
Cop & ½
Rachel
1993
The Ernest Green Story
Lydia Wilson
1993
Middle Ages
Estelle Williams · (6 episodes)
1992
Color Adjustment
Narrator
1992
Jazztime Tale
Narrator (voice)
1991
Jungle Fever
Lucinda Purify
1991
Decoration Day
Rowena
1990
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
Jackie's Mother
1990
Love at Large
Corrine Dart
1990
Zora is My Name!
Zora Neale Hurston
1990
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Self
1989
Do the Right Thing
Mother Sister
1989
American Experience
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
1988
China Beach
(1 episode)
1988
Lincoln
Elizabeth Keckley · (2 episodes)
1988
Spenser: For Hire
(1 episode)
1985
The Golden Girls
Mammy Watkins · (1 episode)
1985
The Atlanta Child Murders
Faye Williams · (2 episodes)
1985
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Mrs. Grimes
1985
Reading Rainbow
Herself - Narrator (voice) · (3 episodes)
1983
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Mary Tyrone
1982
Cat People
Female
1982
All God's Children
Irene Whitfield
1980
The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six
1980
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Grandmother Baxter
1979
Roots: The Next Generations
Queen Victoria Haley · (7 episodes)
1979
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Countdown at Kusini
Leah Matanzima
1976
Police Woman
(1 episode)
1974
Wedding Band
Julia Augustine
1974
It's Good to Be Alive
Ruth Campanella
1974
Black Girl
Netta's mother
1972
Buck and the Preacher
Ruth
1972
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
1972
On Merit
Narrator (voice)
1972
The Sheriff
Sue Ann Lucas
1971
Great Performances
Self · (2 episodes)
1971
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Self (archive footage)
1970
Deadlock
Lucinda
1969
Uptight
Laurie
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1968
The Incident
Joan Robinson
1967
Neighbours
Vicky Kingsbury
1966
The Great Adventure
Harriet Tubman · (1 episode)
1963
The Fugitive
Laura Smith · (1 episode)
1963
Gone Are the Days!
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
1963
The Balcony
Thief
1963
The Defenders
Catherine Collins · (1 episode)
1961
A Raisin in the Sun
Ruth Younger
1961
Take a Giant Step
Christine
1959
Virgin Island
Ruth
1959
St. Louis Blues
Elizabeth
1958
Edge of the City
Lucy Tyler
1957
Go Man Go
Irma Jackson
1954
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Rowena Finch · (1 episode)
1951
The Tall Target
Rachel
1951
No Way Out
Connie Brooks (uncredited)
1950
The Jackie Robinson Story
Rae Robinson
1950
The Fight Never Ends
1948
What a Guy
1948
Easy to Get
Drugstore Girl
1947
Love in Syncopation
1946
That Man of Mine
Joan
1946