Ruby Dee

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Born
October 27, 1922 (91 years old)
Died
June 11, 2014
Place of Birth
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Popular Genres
Drama Thriller Romance
Career Span
1946 – 2018

Ruby Dee

1 win
130 nominations
89 credits

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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Personal Info

Born
Oct 27, 1922
From
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Known For
Acting
Career
1946 – 2018

Award Recognition

1
Win
130
Nominations

Complete Filmography

2018

Poitier's Walter Lee as Self (archive footage)

2014

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee as Self

2013

Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal as Self
Betty and Coretta as Narrator

2012

A Thousand Words as Annie McCall Award

2011

Video Girl as Valerie
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll as Miss Candy
Politics of Love

2009

America as Mrs. Harper
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School as Narrator (voice)

2007

American Gangster as Mama Lucas Award
All About Us as Ms. Ella Award
Steam as Doris
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema as Herself
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson as Self

2006

No. 2 as Nanna Maria
Discovering William Greaves as Self

2005

Their Eyes Were Watching God as Nanny Award

2004

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years as (archive footage)
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks as Self

2003

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives Award

2002

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun' as Self

2001

Feast of All Saints as Elsie Claviere Award
Taking Back Our Town as Emelda West Award

2000

A Storm in Summer as Grandmother
Finding Buck McHenry as Mrs. Henry

1999

Baby Geniuses as Margo Award
Passing Glory as Mommit Porter
The Unfinished Journey as Narrator (voice)
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand as Self

1998

The Wall as Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood as Self
A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner as Narrator

1997

Sports on the Silver Screen as Self (archive footage)
A Simple Wish as Hortence

1996

Captive Heart: The James Mink Story as Indigo
Mr. and Mrs. Loving as Sophia

1995

Just Cause as Evangeline Ferguson Award
Tuesday Morning Ride as Jennie

1994

The Stand as Mother Abagail Freemantle
Whitewash as Grandmother (voice)

1993

Cop & ½ as Rachel Award
The Ernest Green Story as Lydia Wilson Award
After Goodbye as Narrator

1992

Color Adjustment as Narrator

1991

Jungle Fever as Lucinda Purify Award
Jazztime Tale as Narrator (voice)

1990

The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson as Jackie's Mother
Love at Large as Corrine Dart
Zora is My Name! as Zora Neale Hurston
Decoration Day as Rowena

1989

Do the Right Thing as Mother Sister Award
Making 'Do the Right Thing' as Self

1985

Go Tell It on the Mountain as Mrs. Grimes Award

1982

Cat People as Female Award
Long Day's Journey Into Night as Mary Tyrone

1980

All God's Children as Irene Whitfield
The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six

1979

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as Grandmother Baxter

1976

Countdown at Kusini as Leah Matanzima

1974

It's Good to Be Alive as Ruth Campanella
Wedding Band as Julia Augustine

1972

Buck and the Preacher as Ruth Award
Black Girl as Netta's mother
To Be Young, Gifted and Black as Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
On Merit as Narrator (voice)

1971

The Sheriff as Sue Ann Lucas

1970

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis as Self (archive footage)

1969

Deadlock as Lucinda

1968

Uptight as Laurie Award

1967

The Incident as Joan Robinson

1966

Neighbours as Vicky Kingsbury

1963

The Balcony as Thief
Gone Are the Days! as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins

1961

A Raisin in the Sun as Ruth Younger Award

1959

Virgin Island as Ruth
Take a Giant Step as Christine

1958

St. Louis Blues as Elizabeth

1957

Edge of the City as Lucy Tyler

1954

Go Man Go as Irma Jackson

1951

The Tall Target as Rachel Award

1950

No Way Out as Connie Brooks (uncredited) Award
The Jackie Robinson Story as Rae Robinson

1948

The Fight Never Ends
What a Guy

1947

Easy to Get as Drugstore Girl

1946

That Man of Mine as Joan
Love in Syncopation

Photos & Videos

Featured in Trailers

American Gangster
Do the Right Thing
A Thousand Words
Jungle Fever
Cat People
Just Cause
Baby Geniuses
A Raisin in the Sun

Career Statistics

Roles by Genre
Genre Evolution