Acting

Ruby Dee

Born 1922-10-27 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Died 2014-06-11

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).

Credits

Newest first

Love in Exile
2026
Hollywood Black
as Self (archive footage)
2024
Poitier's Walter Lee
as Self (archive footage)
2018
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
as Self
2014
Betty and Coretta
as Narrator
2013
Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
as Self
2013
A Thousand Words
as Annie McCall
2012
Video Girl
as Valerie
2011
Politics of Love
2011
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
as Miss Candy
2011
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
as Narrator (voice)
2009
America
as Mrs. Harper
2009
Steam
as Doris
2007
American Gangster
as Mama Lucas
2007
All About Us
as Ms. Ella
2007
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema
as Herself
2007
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
as Self
2007
Discovering William Greaves
as Self
2006
The Way Back Home
as Maude
2006
No. 2
as Nanna Maria
2006
Iconoclasts
as Self
2005
Their Eyes Were Watching God
as Nanny
2005
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
as Self
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as (archive footage)
2004
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
as Self
2002
Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
as Narrator
2002
Taking Back Our Town
as Emelda West
2001
Feast of All Saints
as Elsie Claviere
2001
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Mary Wilson
2000
Finding Buck McHenry
as Mrs. Henry
2000
A Storm in Summer
as Grandmother
2000
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
1999
Little Bill
1999
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
1999
Baby Geniuses
as Margo
1999
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
as Self
1999
Passing Glory
as Mommit Porter
1999
A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner
as Narrator
1998
Christianity: The First 1000 Years
as Herself - Narrator
1998
The Wall
as Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
1998
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
as Self
1998
A Simple Wish
as Hortence
1997
Sports on the Silver Screen
as Self (archive footage)
1997
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
as Indigo
1996
Mr. and Mrs. Loving
as Sophia
1996
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as Grandma (voice)
1995
Just Cause
as Evangeline Ferguson
1995
Tuesday Morning Ride
as Jennie
1995
Touched by an Angel
as LaBelle Springbelt
1994
Whitewash
as Grandmother (voice)
1994
The Stand
as Mother Abagail Freemantle
1994
After Goodbye
as Narrator
1993
Cop & ½
as Rachel
1993
The Ernest Green Story
as Lydia Wilson
1993
Middle Ages
as Estelle Williams
1992
Color Adjustment
as Narrator
1992
Jazztime Tale
as Narrator (voice)
1991
Jungle Fever
as Lucinda Purify
1991
Decoration Day
as Rowena
1990
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
as Jackie's Mother
1990
Love at Large
as Corrine Dart
1990
Zora is My Name!
as Zora Neale Hurston
1990
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
as Self
1989
Do the Right Thing
as Mother Sister
1989
American Experience
as Narrator (voice)
1988
China Beach
1988
Lincoln
as Elizabeth Keckley
1988
Spenser: For Hire
1985
The Golden Girls
as Mammy Watkins
1985
The Atlanta Child Murders
as Faye Williams
1985
Go Tell It on the Mountain
as Mrs. Grimes
1984
Papua New Guinea: Anthropology on Trial
Vocals
1983
Reading Rainbow
as Self - Narrator (voice)
1983
Long Day's Journey Into Night
as Mary Tyrone
1982
Cat People
as Female
1982
American Playhouse
as Mrs. Grimes
1982
American Playhouse
as Zora Neale Hurston
1982
American Playhouse
Writer
1982
All God's Children
as Irene Whitfield
1980