Ruby Dee

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

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

The Fugitive

American Experience

Great Performances

Touched by an Angel

The Golden Girls

The Dick Cavett Show

Police Woman

All Movies (91)

• Poitier's Walter Lee2018 · as Self (archive footage)
• Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee2014 · as Self
• Betty and Coretta2013 · as Narrator
• Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal2013 · as Self
• A Thousand Words2012 · as Annie McCall
• Video Girl2011 · as Valerie
• Politics of Love2011
• The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll2011 · as Miss Candy
• A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School2009 · as Narrator (voice)
• America2009 · as Mrs. Harper
• Steam2007 · as Doris
• American Gangster2007 · as Mama Lucas
• All About Us2007 · as Ms. Ella
• In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema2007 · as Herself
• Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson2007 · as Self
• Discovering William Greaves2006 · as Self
• The Way Back Home2006 · as Maude
• No. 22006 · as Nanna Maria
• Their Eyes Were Watching God2005 · as Nanny
• Beah: A Black Woman Speaks2004 · as Self
• TV in Black: The First Fifty Years2004 · as (archive footage)
• Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives2003
• Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'2002 · as Self
• Taking Back Our Town2001 · as Emelda West
• Feast of All Saints2001 · as Elsie Claviere
• Finding Buck McHenry2000 · as Mrs. Henry
• A Storm in Summer2000 · as Grandmother
• The Unfinished Journey1999 · as Narrator (voice)
• Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years1999 · as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
• Baby Geniuses1999 · as Margo
• Paul Robeson: Here I Stand1999 · as Self
• Passing Glory1999 · as Mommit Porter
• A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner1998 · as Narrator
• The Wall1998 · as Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
• Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood1998 · as Self
• A Simple Wish1997 · as Hortence
• Sports on the Silver Screen1997 · as Self (archive footage)
• Captive Heart: The James Mink Story1996 · as Indigo
• Mr. and Mrs. Loving1996 · as Sophia
• Just Cause1995 · as Evangeline Ferguson
• Tuesday Morning Ride1995 · as Jennie
• Whitewash1994 · as Grandmother (voice)
• After Goodbye1993 · as Narrator
• Cop & ½1993 · as Rachel
• The Ernest Green Story1993 · as Lydia Wilson
• Color Adjustment1992 · as Narrator
• Jazztime Tale1991 · as Narrator (voice)
• Jungle Fever1991 · as Lucinda Purify
• Decoration Day1990 · as Rowena
• The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson1990 · as Jackie's Mother
• Love at Large1990 · as Corrine Dart
• Zora is My Name!1990 · as Zora Neale Hurston
• Making 'Do the Right Thing'1989 · as Self
• Do the Right Thing1989 · as Mother Sister
• Go Tell It on the Mountain1984 · as Mrs. Grimes
• Long Day's Journey Into Night1982 · as Mary Tyrone
• Cat People1982 · as Female
• All God's Children1980 · as Irene Whitfield
• The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six1980
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings1979 · as Grandmother Baxter
• Countdown at Kusini1976 · as Leah Matanzima
• Wedding Band1974 · as Julia Augustine
• It's Good to Be Alive1974 · as Ruth Campanella
• Chelsea D.H.O.1973 · as Dr. Bianca Pearson
• Black Girl1972 · as Netta's mother
• Buck and the Preacher1972 · as Ruth
• To Be Young, Gifted and Black1972 · as Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
• On Merit1972 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Sheriff1971 · as Sue Ann Lucas
• King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis1970 · as Self (archive footage)
• Deadlock1969 · as Lucinda
• Uptight1968 · as Laurie
• The Incident1967 · as Joan Robinson
• Now is the Time1967 · as Self
• Neighbours1966 · as Vicky Kingsbury
• Gone Are the Days!1963 · as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
• The Balcony1963 · as Thief
• A Raisin in the Sun1961 · as Ruth Younger
• Take a Giant Step1959 · as Christine
• Virgin Island1959 · as Ruth
• St. Louis Blues1958 · as Elizabeth
• Edge of the City1957 · as Lucy Tyler
• Go Man Go1954 · as Irma Jackson
• The Tall Target1951 · as Rachel
• No Way Out1950 · as Connie Brooks (uncredited)
• The Jackie Robinson Story1950 · as Rae Robinson
• The Fight Never Ends1948
• What a Guy1948
• Easy to Get1947 · as Drugstore Girl
• Love in Syncopation1946
• That Man of Mine1946 · as Joan

All TV Shows (28)

• Hollywood Black2024 · as Self (archive footage)
• Iconoclasts2005 · as Self
• Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years2002 · as Narrator
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation2000 · as Mary Wilson
• Little Bill1999
• Christianity: The First 1000 Years1998 · as Herself - Narrator
• Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child1995 · as Grandma (voice)
• Touched by an Angel1994 · as LaBelle Springbelt
• The Stand1994 · as Mother Abagail Freemantle
• Middle Ages1992 · as Estelle Williams
• American Experience1988 · as Narrator (voice)
• China Beach1988
• Lincoln1988 · as Elizabeth Keckley
• Spenser: For Hire1985
• The Golden Girls1985 · as Mammy Watkins
• The Atlanta Child Murders1985 · as Faye Williams
• Reading Rainbow1983 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Roots: The Next Generations1979 · as Queen Haley
• The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
• Police Woman1974
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• The Great Adventure1963 · as Harriet Tubman
• The Fugitive1963 · as Laura Smith
• The Defenders1961 · as Catherine Collins
• Armchair Theatre1956 · as Vicky Kingsbury
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Rowena Finch