Acting
Ruby Dee
Born 27 October 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA · Died 11 June 2014
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
Acting 122
- TBADiamonds on the Silver ScreenFilmSelf
- 2026Love in ExileFilm
- 2024Hollywood BlackSeriesSelf (archive footage)
- 2018Poitier's Walter LeeFilmSelf (archive footage)
- 2014Life's Essentials with Ruby DeeFilmSelf
- 2013Betty and CorettaFilmNarrator
- 2013Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-JamalFilmSelf
- 2012A Thousand WordsFilmAnnie McCall
- 2011Video GirlFilmValerie
- 2011The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollFilmMiss Candy
- 2011Politics of LoveFilm
- 2009AmericaFilmMrs. Harper
- 2009A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown SchoolFilmNarrator (voice)
- 2007American GangsterFilmMama Lucas
- 2007SteamFilmDoris
- 2007All About UsFilmMs. Ella
- 2007In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black CinemaFilmHerself
- 2007Our Paul: Remembering Paul RobesonFilmSelf
- 2006The Way Back HomeFilmMaude
- 2006No. 2FilmNanna Maria
- 2006Discovering William GreavesFilmSelf
- 2005Their Eyes Were Watching GodFilmNanny
- 2005IconoclastsSeriesSelf
- 2004TV in Black: The First Fifty YearsFilm(archive footage)
- 2004Beah: A Black Woman SpeaksFilmSelf
- 2003Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave NarrativesFilm
- 2002Christianity: The First Two Thousand YearsSeriesNarrator
- 2002Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'FilmSelf
- 2001Feast of All SaintsFilmElsie Claviere
- 2001Taking Back Our TownFilmEmelda West
- 2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSeriesMary Wilson
- 2000A Storm in SummerFilmGrandmother
- 2000Finding Buck McHenryFilmMrs. Henry
- 1999Baby GeniusesFilmMargo
- 1999Little BillSeries
- 1999Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 YearsFilmAnnie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
- 1999Passing GloryFilmMommit Porter
- 1999The Unfinished JourneyFilmNarrator (voice)
- 1999Paul Robeson: Here I StandFilmSelf
- 1998A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma CannerFilmNarrator
- 1998The WallFilmMrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
- 1998Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in HollywoodFilmSelf
- 1998Christianity: The First 1000 YearsSeriesHerself - Narrator
- 1997A Simple WishFilmHortence
- 1997Sports on the Silver ScreenFilmSelf (archive footage)
- 1996Mr. and Mrs. LovingFilmSophia
- 1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryFilmIndigo
- 1995Just CauseFilmEvangeline Ferguson
- 1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildSeriesGrandma (voice)
- 1995Tuesday Morning RideFilmJennie
- 1994Touched by an AngelSeriesLaBelle Springbelt
- 1994The StandSeriesMother Abagail Freemantle
- 1994WhitewashFilmGrandmother (voice)
- 1993Cop & ½FilmRachel
- 1993The Ernest Green StoryFilmLydia Wilson
- 1993After GoodbyeFilmNarrator
- 1992Color AdjustmentFilmNarrator
- 1992Middle AgesSeriesEstelle Williams
- 1991Jungle FeverFilmLucinda Purify
- 1991Jazztime TaleFilmNarrator (voice)
- 1990Love at LargeFilmCorrine Dart
- 1990Decoration DayFilmRowena
- 1990The Court-Martial of Jackie RobinsonFilmJackie's Mother
- 1990Zora is My Name!FilmZora Neale Hurston
- 1989Do the Right ThingFilmMother Sister
- 1989Making 'Do the Right Thing'FilmSelf
- 1988American ExperienceSeriesNarrator (voice)
- 1988China BeachSeries
- 1988LincolnSeriesElizabeth Keckley
- 1985The Golden GirlsSeriesMammy Watkins
- 1985Spenser: For HireSeries
- 1985The Atlanta Child MurdersSeriesFaye Williams
- 1984Go Tell It on the MountainFilmMrs. Grimes
- 1983Reading RainbowSeriesSelf - Narrator (voice)
- 1982Cat PeopleFilmFemale
- 1982American PlayhouseSeriesMrs. Grimes, Zora Neale Hurston
- 1982Long Day's Journey Into NightFilmMary Tyrone
- 1980The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem SixFilm
- 1980All God's ChildrenFilmIrene Whitfield
- 1979Roots: The Next GenerationsSeriesQueen Haley
- 1979I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsFilmGrandmother Baxter
- 1978The Kennedy Center HonorsSeriesSelf
- 1976Countdown at KusiniFilmLeah Matanzima
- 1974Police WomanSeries
- 1974It's Good to Be AliveFilmRuth Campanella
- 1974Wedding BandFilmJulia Augustine
- 1973Chelsea D.H.O.FilmDr. Bianca Pearson
- 1972Buck and the PreacherFilmRuth
- 1972Black GirlFilmNetta's mother
- 1972To Be Young, Gifted and BlackFilmLorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
- 1972On MeritFilmNarrator (voice)
- 1971Great PerformancesSeriesSelf
- 1971The SheriffFilmSue Ann Lucas
- 1970King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisFilmSelf (archive footage)
- 1969DeadlockFilmLucinda
- 1968The Dick Cavett ShowSeriesSelf - Guest
- 1968UptightFilmLaurie
- 1967The IncidentFilmJoan Robinson
- 1967Now is the TimeFilmSelf
- 1966NeighboursFilmVicky Kingsbury
- 1963The FugitiveSeriesLaura Smith
- 1963The BalconyFilmThief
- 1963The Great AdventureSeriesHarriet Tubman
- 1963Gone Are the Days!FilmLutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
- 1961The DefendersSeriesCatherine Collins
- 1961A Raisin in the SunFilmRuth Younger
- 1959Take a Giant StepFilmChristine
- 1959Virgin IslandFilmRuth
- 1958St. Louis BluesFilmElizabeth
- 1957Edge of the CityFilmLucy Tyler
- 1956Armchair TheatreSeriesVicky Kingsbury
- 1954Go Man GoFilmIrma Jackson
- 1953The OscarsSeriesSelf
- 1951The Tall TargetFilmRachel
- 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeriesRowena Finch
- 1950No Way OutFilmConnie Brooks (uncredited)
- 1950The Jackie Robinson StoryFilmRae Robinson
- 1948The Fight Never EndsFilm
- 1948What a GuyFilm
- 1947Easy to GetFilmDrugstore Girl
- 1946That Man of MineFilmJoan
- 1946Love in SyncopationFilm
Writing 2
Music 1
Filmography from TMDB.