Acting
Ruby Dee
Born October 27, 1922 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA · Died June 11, 2014
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
7.8
American Gangster
Mama Lucas
7.9
Do the Right Thing
Mother Sister
5.9
A Thousand Words
Annie McCall
7.7
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Mary Wilson
6.4
Just Cause
Evangeline Ferguson
6.2
Cat People
Female
7.1
The Stand
Mother Abagail Freemantle
2.6
Baby Geniuses
Margo
8.2
The Golden Girls
Mammy Watkins
6.6
Jungle Fever
Lucinda Purify
6.2
Touched by an Angel
LaBelle Springbelt
5.4
A Simple Wish
Hortence
4.3
Cop & ½
Rachel
8.0
A Raisin in the Sun
Ruth Younger
7.4
No Way Out
Connie Brooks (uncredited)
7.6
The Incident
Joan Robinson
7.1 TMDB
The Oscars
Self
6.6
Buck and the Preacher
Ruth
7.2
Edge of the City
Lucy Tyler
8.1
The Fugitive
Laura Smith
Filmography
- 2026Love in ExileMovie
- 2024Hollywood BlackSelf (archive footage)Series
- 2018Poitier's Walter LeeSelf (archive footage)Movie
- 2014Life's Essentials with Ruby DeeSelfMovie
- 2013Betty and CorettaNarratorMovie
- 2013Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-JamalSelfMovie
- 2012A Thousand WordsAnnie McCallMovie
- 2011Video GirlValerieMovie
- 2011Politics of LoveMovie
- 2011The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollMiss CandyMovie
- 2009A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown SchoolNarrator (voice)Movie
- 2009AmericaMrs. HarperMovie
- 2007SteamDorisMovie
- 2007American GangsterMama LucasMovie
- 2007All About UsMs. EllaMovie
- 2007In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black CinemaHerselfMovie
- 2007Our Paul: Remembering Paul RobesonSelfMovie
- 2006Discovering William GreavesSelfMovie
- 2006The Way Back HomeMaudeMovie
- 2006No. 2Nanna MariaMovie
- 2005IconoclastsSelfSeries
- 2005Their Eyes Were Watching GodNannyMovie
- 2004Beah: A Black Woman SpeaksSelfMovie
- 2004TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage)Movie
- 2003Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave NarrativesMovie
- 2002Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'SelfMovie
- 2002Christianity: The First Two Thousand YearsNarratorSeries
- 2001Taking Back Our TownEmelda WestMovie
- 2001Feast of All SaintsElsie ClaviereMovie
- 2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationMary WilsonSeries
- 2000Finding Buck McHenryMrs. HenryMovie
- 2000A Storm in SummerGrandmotherMovie
- 1999The Unfinished JourneyNarrator (voice)Movie
- 1999Little BillSeries
- 1999Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 YearsAnnie Elizabeth 'Bessie' DelanyMovie
- 1999Baby GeniusesMargoMovie
- 1999Paul Robeson: Here I StandSelfMovie
- 1999Passing GloryMommit PorterMovie
- 1998A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma CannerNarratorMovie
- 1998The WallMrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")Movie
- 1998Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodSelfMovie
- 1997A Simple WishHortenceMovie
- 1997Sports on the Silver ScreenSelf (archive footage)Movie
- 1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryIndigoMovie
- 1996Mr. and Mrs. LovingSophiaMovie
- 1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildGrandma (voice)Series
- 1995Just CauseEvangeline FergusonMovie
- 1995Tuesday Morning RideJennieMovie
- 1994Touched by an AngelLaBelle SpringbeltSeries
- 1994WhitewashGrandmother (voice)Movie
- 1994The StandMother Abagail FreemantleSeries
- 1993After GoodbyeNarratorMovie
- 1993Cop & ½RachelMovie
- 1993The Ernest Green StoryLydia WilsonMovie
- 1992Middle AgesEstelle WilliamsSeries
- 1992Color AdjustmentNarratorMovie
- 1991Jazztime TaleNarrator (voice)Movie
- 1991Jungle FeverLucinda PurifyMovie
- 1990Decoration DayRowenaMovie
- 1990The Court-Martial of Jackie RobinsonJackie's MotherMovie
- 1990Love at LargeCorrine DartMovie
- 1990Zora is My Name!Zora Neale HurstonMovie
- 1989Making 'Do the Right Thing'SelfMovie
- 1989Do the Right ThingMother SisterMovie
- 1988American ExperienceNarrator (voice)Series
- 1988China BeachSeries
- 1988LincolnElizabeth KeckleySeries
- 1985Spenser: For HireSeries
- 1985The Golden GirlsMammy WatkinsSeries
- 1985The Atlanta Child MurdersFaye WilliamsSeries
- 1984Go Tell It on the MountainMrs. GrimesMovie
- 1983Reading RainbowSelf - Narrator (voice)Series
- 1982Long Day's Journey Into NightMary TyroneMovie
- 1982Cat PeopleFemaleMovie
- 1982American PlayhouseMrs. Grimes, Zora Neale Hurston, WriterSeries
- 1980All God's ChildrenIrene WhitfieldMovie
- 1980The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem SixMovie
- 1979I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsGrandmother BaxterMovie
- 1979Roots: The Next GenerationsQueen HaleySeries
- 1978The Kennedy Center HonorsSelfSeries
- 1976Countdown at KusiniLeah MatanzimaMovie
- 1974Police WomanSeries
- 1974Wedding BandJulia AugustineMovie
- 1974It's Good to Be AliveRuth CampanellaMovie
- 1973Chelsea D.H.O.Dr. Bianca PearsonMovie
- 1972Black GirlNetta's motherMovie
- 1972Buck and the PreacherRuthMovie
- 1972To Be Young, Gifted and BlackLorraine Hansberry and other assorted charactersMovie
- 1972On MeritNarrator (voice)Movie
- 1971The SheriffSue Ann LucasMovie
- 1971Great PerformancesSelfSeries
- 1970King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisSelf (archive footage)Movie
- 1969DeadlockLucindaMovie
- 1968UptightLaurie, WriterMovie
- 1968The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - GuestSeries
- 1967The IncidentJoan RobinsonMovie
- 1967Now is the TimeSelfMovie
- 1966NeighboursVicky KingsburyMovie
- 1963The Great AdventureHarriet TubmanSeries
- 1963The FugitiveLaura SmithSeries
- 1963Gone Are the Days!Lutiebelle Gussie Mae JenkinsMovie
- 1963The BalconyThiefMovie
- 1961The DefendersCatherine CollinsSeries
- 1961A Raisin in the SunRuth YoungerMovie
- 1959Take a Giant StepChristineMovie
- 1959Virgin IslandRuthMovie
- 1958St. Louis BluesElizabethMovie
- 1957Edge of the CityLucy TylerMovie
- 1956Armchair TheatreVicky KingsburySeries
- 1954Go Man GoIrma JacksonMovie
- 1953The OscarsSelfSeries
- 1951Hallmark Hall of FameRowena FinchSeries
- 1951The Tall TargetRachelMovie
- 1950No Way OutConnie Brooks (uncredited)Movie
- 1950The Jackie Robinson StoryRae RobinsonMovie
- 1948The Fight Never EndsMovie
- 1948What a GuyMovie
- 1947Easy to GetDrugstore GirlMovie
- 1946Love in SyncopationMovie
- 1946That Man of MineJoanMovie