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Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee

Acting

Born: October 27, 1922Cleveland, 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
Filmography
Poitier's Walter Lee

Poitier's Walter Lee

Self (archive footage)

2018
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

Self

2014
Betty and Coretta

Betty and Coretta

Narrator

2013
Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal

Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal

Self

2013
A Thousand Words

A Thousand Words

Annie McCall

2012
Video Girl

Video Girl

Valerie

2011
Politics of Love

Politics of Love

2011
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

Miss Candy

2011
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School

A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School

Narrator (voice)

2009
America

America

Mrs. Harper

2009
Steam

Steam

Doris

2007
American Gangster

American Gangster

Mama Lucas

2007
All About Us

All About Us

Ms. Ella

2007
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema

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

Discovering William Greaves

Self

2006
The Way Back Home

The Way Back Home

Maude

2006
No. 2

No. 2

Nanna Maria

2006
Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Nanny

2005
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks

Self

2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

(archive footage)

2004
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

2003
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

Self

2002
Taking Back Our Town

Taking Back Our Town

Emelda West

2001
Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints

Elsie Claviere

2001
Finding Buck McHenry

Finding Buck McHenry

Mrs. Henry

2000
A Storm in Summer

A Storm in Summer

Grandmother

2000
The Unfinished Journey

The Unfinished Journey

Narrator (voice)

1999
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years

Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany

1999
Baby Geniuses

Baby Geniuses

Margo

1999
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

Self

1999
Passing Glory

Passing Glory

Mommit Porter

1999

A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner

Narrator

1998
The Wall

The Wall

Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")

1998
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood

Self

1998
A Simple Wish

A Simple Wish

Hortence

1997
Sports on the Silver Screen

Sports on the Silver Screen

Self (archive footage)

1997
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

Indigo

1996
Mr. and Mrs. Loving

Mr. and Mrs. Loving

Sophia

1996
Just Cause

Just Cause

Evangeline Ferguson

1995
Tuesday Morning Ride

Tuesday Morning Ride

Jennie

1995
Whitewash

Whitewash

Grandmother (voice)

1994
After Goodbye

After Goodbye

Narrator

1993
Cop & ½

Cop & ½

Rachel

1993
The Ernest Green Story

The Ernest Green Story

Lydia Wilson

1993
Color Adjustment

Color Adjustment

Narrator

1992
Jazztime Tale

Jazztime Tale

Narrator (voice)

1991
Jungle Fever

Jungle Fever

Lucinda Purify

1991
Decoration Day

Decoration Day

Rowena

1990
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson

The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson

Jackie's Mother

1990
Love at Large

Love at Large

Corrine Dart

1990
Zora is My Name!

Zora is My Name!

Zora Neale Hurston

1990

Making 'Do the Right Thing'

Self

1989
Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing

Mother Sister

1989
Go Tell It on the Mountain

Go Tell It on the Mountain

Mrs. Grimes

1984
Long Day's Journey Into Night

Long Day's Journey Into Night

Mary Tyrone

1982
Cat People

Cat People

Female

1982
All God's Children

All God's Children

Irene Whitfield

1980
The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six

The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six

1980
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Grandmother Baxter

1979
Countdown at Kusini

Countdown at Kusini

Leah Matanzima

1976
Wedding Band

Wedding Band

Julia Augustine

1974
It's Good to Be Alive

It's Good to Be Alive

Ruth Campanella

1974

Chelsea D.H.O.

Dr. Bianca Pearson

1973
Black Girl

Black Girl

Netta's mother

1972
Buck and the Preacher

Buck and the Preacher

Ruth

1972
To Be Young, Gifted and Black

To Be Young, Gifted and Black

Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters

1972

On Merit

Narrator (voice)

1972
The Sheriff

The Sheriff

Sue Ann Lucas

1971
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

Self (archive footage)

1970
Deadlock

Deadlock

Lucinda

1969
Uptight

Uptight

Laurie

1968
The Incident

The Incident

Joan Robinson

1967

Now is the Time

Self

1967

Neighbours

Vicky Kingsbury

1966
Gone Are the Days!

Gone Are the Days!

Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins

1963
The Balcony

The Balcony

Thief

1963
A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

Ruth Younger

1961
Take a Giant Step

Take a Giant Step

Christine

1959
Virgin Island

Virgin Island

Ruth

1959
St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues

Elizabeth

1958
Edge of the City

Edge of the City

Lucy Tyler

1957
Go Man Go

Go Man Go

Irma Jackson

1954
The Tall Target

The Tall Target

Rachel

1951
No Way Out

No Way Out

Connie Brooks (uncredited)

1950
The Jackie Robinson Story

The Jackie Robinson Story

Rae Robinson

1950
The Fight Never Ends

The Fight Never Ends

1948
What a Guy

What a Guy

1948
Easy to Get

Easy to Get

Drugstore Girl

1947
Love in Syncopation

Love in Syncopation

1946
That Man of Mine

That Man of Mine

Joan

1946