Ruby Dee
Known for acting · Born 27 October 1922 · Died 11 June 2014 · aged 91 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA
125 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).
Known for
Do the Right Thing
1989
Little Bill
1999
Cop & ½
1993
Just Cause
1995
Cat People
1982
A Raisin in the Sun
1961
Baby Geniuses
1999
Jungle Fever
1991
Buck and the Preacher
1972
A Thousand Words
2012
The Incident
1967
The Jackie Robinson Story
1950
Acting (122)
2026Love in ExileFilm
2024Hollywood BlackSelf (archive footage) · 4 episodesSeries
2018Poitier's Walter LeeSelf (archive footage)Film
2014Life's Essentials with Ruby DeeSelfFilm
2013Betty and CorettaNarratorFilm
2013Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-JamalSelfFilm
2012A Thousand WordsAnnie McCallFilm
2011Video GirlValerieFilm
2011The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollMiss CandyFilm
2011Politics of LoveFilm
2009A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown SchoolNarrator (voice)Film
2009AmericaMrs. HarperFilm
2007American GangsterMama LucasFilm
2007SteamDorisFilm
2007All About UsMs. EllaFilm
2007In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black CinemaHerselfFilm
2007Our Paul: Remembering Paul RobesonSelfFilm
2006The Way Back HomeMaudeFilm
2006No. 2Nanna MariaFilm
2006Discovering William GreavesSelfFilm
2005Their Eyes Were Watching GodNannyFilm
2005IconoclastsSelfSeries
2004TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage)Film
2004Beah: A Black Woman SpeaksSelfFilm
2003Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave NarrativesFilm
2002Christianity: The First Two Thousand YearsNarrator · 2 episodesSeries
2002Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'SelfFilm
2001Feast of All SaintsElsie ClaviereFilm
2001Taking Back Our TownEmelda WestFilm
2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationMary WilsonSeries
2000A Storm in SummerGrandmotherFilm
2000Finding Buck McHenryMrs. HenryFilm
1999Baby GeniusesMargoFilm
1999Little Bill · 52 episodesSeries
1999Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 YearsAnnie Elizabeth 'Bessie' DelanyFilm
1999Passing GloryMommit PorterFilm
1999The Unfinished JourneyNarrator (voice)Film
1999Paul Robeson: Here I StandSelfFilm
1998The WallMrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")Film
1998A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma CannerNarratorFilm
1998Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodSelfFilm
1998Christianity: The First 1000 YearsHerself - Narrator · 4 episodesSeries
1997A Simple WishHortenceFilm
1997Sports on the Silver ScreenSelf (archive footage)Film
1996Mr. and Mrs. LovingSophiaFilm
1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryIndigoFilm
1995Just CauseEvangeline FergusonFilm
1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildGrandma (voice)Series
1995Tuesday Morning RideJennieFilm
1994The StandMother Abagail Freemantle · 4 episodesSeries
1994Touched by an AngelLaBelle SpringbeltSeries
1994WhitewashGrandmother (voice)Film
1993Cop & ½RachelFilm
1993The Ernest Green StoryLydia WilsonFilm
1993After GoodbyeNarratorFilm
1992Color AdjustmentNarratorFilm
1992Middle AgesEstelle Williams · 6 episodesSeries
1991Jungle FeverLucinda PurifyFilm
1991Jazztime TaleNarrator (voice)Film
1990Love at LargeCorrine DartFilm
1990Decoration DayRowenaFilm
1990The Court-Martial of Jackie RobinsonJackie's MotherFilm
1990Zora is My Name!Zora Neale HurstonFilm
1989Do the Right ThingMother SisterFilm
1989Making 'Do the Right Thing'SelfFilm
1988American ExperienceNarrator (voice)Series
1988China BeachSeries
1988LincolnElizabeth Keckley · 2 episodesSeries
1985The Golden GirlsMammy WatkinsSeries
1985Spenser: For HireSeries
1985The Atlanta Child MurdersFaye Williams · 2 episodesSeries
1984Go Tell It on the MountainMrs. GrimesFilm
1983Reading RainbowSelf - Narrator (voice) · 3 episodesSeries
1982Cat PeopleFemaleFilm
1982American PlayhouseMrs. Grimes, Zora Neale HurstonSeries
1982Long Day's Journey Into NightMary TyroneFilm
1980All God's ChildrenIrene WhitfieldFilm
1980The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem SixFilm
1979Roots: The Next GenerationsQueen Haley · 3 episodesSeries
1979I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsGrandmother BaxterFilm
1978The Kennedy Center HonorsSelfSeries
1976Countdown at KusiniLeah MatanzimaFilm
1974Police WomanSeries
1974It's Good to Be AliveRuth CampanellaFilm
1974Wedding BandJulia AugustineFilm
1973Chelsea D.H.O.Dr. Bianca PearsonFilm
1972Buck and the PreacherRuthFilm
1972Black GirlNetta's motherFilm
1972To Be Young, Gifted and BlackLorraine Hansberry and other assorted charactersFilm
1972On MeritNarrator (voice)Film
1971Great PerformancesSelf · 2 episodesSeries
1971The SheriffSue Ann LucasFilm
1970King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisSelf (archive footage)Film
1969DeadlockLucindaFilm
1968The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - GuestSeries
1968UptightLaurieFilm
1967The IncidentJoan RobinsonFilm
1967Now is the TimeSelfFilm
1966NeighboursVicky KingsburyFilm
1963The FugitiveLaura SmithSeries
1963The BalconyThiefFilm
1963Gone Are the Days!Lutiebelle Gussie Mae JenkinsFilm
1963The Great AdventureHarriet TubmanSeries
1961A Raisin in the SunRuth YoungerFilm
1961The DefendersCatherine CollinsSeries
1959Take a Giant StepChristineFilm
1959Virgin IslandRuthFilm
1958St. Louis BluesElizabethFilm
1957Edge of the CityLucy TylerFilm
1956Armchair TheatreVicky KingsburySeries
1954Go Man GoIrma JacksonFilm
1953The OscarsSelfSeries
1951The Tall TargetRachelFilm
1951Hallmark Hall of FameRowena FinchSeries
1950No Way OutConnie Brooks (uncredited)Film
1950The Jackie Robinson StoryRae RobinsonFilm
1948The Fight Never EndsFilm
1948What a GuyFilm
1947Easy to GetDrugstore GirlFilm
1946That Man of MineJoanFilm
1946Love in SyncopationFilm
—Diamonds on the Silver ScreenSelfFilm
Sound (1)
1983Papua New Guinea: Anthropology on TrialVocalsFilm
Writing (2)
1982American PlayhouseWriterSeries
1968UptightWriterFilm