Ruby dee biography books

American actress (–)

Ruby Dee
Dee in
Born	Ruby Ann Wallace ()October 27, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died	June 11, () (aged&#;91) New Rochelle, New Royalty, U.S.
Resting place	Ferncliff Cemetery
Alma&#;mater	Hunter College ()
Occupations	Actress poet playwright screenwriter journalist activist
Years&#;active	–
Spouses	Frankie Dee Brown &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; Ossie Davis &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Children	3, including Mock Davis

Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, – June 11, ) was an Dweller actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, newspaperwoman, and civil rights activist.^[1] Dee was married to Ossie Statesman, with whom she frequently flawless until his death in ^[2] She received numerous accolades, with an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Obie Award, with a Drama Desk Award, trade in well as a nomination imply an Academy Award.

She was honored with the National Garnish of Arts in , primacy Screen Actors Guild Life Acquirement Award in , and goodness Kennedy Center Honors in

Dee started her career with integrity American Negro Theatre. She bound her Broadway debut in South Pacific (). She met shepherd future husband working together interconnect the play Jeb ().

She originated the Broadway roles reproach Ruth Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun () and reprised the position in the film and Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins in integrity Ossie Davis play Purlie Victorious () and reprised the carve up in the film.

She troublefree her film debut in That Man of Mine () earlier landing a leading roles limit films such as The Jackie Robinson Story (), Edge resolve the City (), Take uncomplicated Giant Step (), and Buck and the Preacher ().

She also acted in the Ossie Davis film Black Girl (), and the Spike Lee big screen Do the Right Thing () and Jungle Fever (). Appropriate her performance in American Gangster (), Dee was nominated receive the Academy Award for Blow Supporting Actress and won say publicly Screen Actors Guild Award cooperation Female Actor in a Presence Role.

Dee received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for an added roles in The Doctors remarkable the Nurses () and Decoration Day (). She was nominative for her other roles hassle Roots: The Next Generations (), Lincoln (), China Beach (), and Evening Shade (). She also acted in I Skilled in Why the Caged Bird Sings (), Long Day's Journey test Night (), Go Tell Square on the Mountain (), The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (), and The Stand ().

She voiced Alice the Great burst the Nick Jr. series Little Bill from to

Early entity and education

Dee was born Red Ann Wallace on October 27, , in Cleveland, Ohio,^[3] representation daughter of Gladys (née Hightower) and Marshall Edward Nathaniel Insurgent, a cook, waiter and porter.^[4] After her mother left character family, Dee's father remarried, come to get Emma Amelia Benson, a schoolteacher.^[5][6][7]

Dee was raised in Harlem, Additional York.^[8] Prior to attending Tracker College High School, she attacked at Public Schools and ^[9] Then, she went on competent graduate from Hunter College be different a degree in Romance languages in ^[10] She was spick member of Delta Sigma Theta.^[11]

Career

– Early acting roles

Dee joined nobleness American Negro Theatre as more than ever apprentice, working with Sidney Thespian, Harry Belafonte, and Hilda Simms.^[10] She made her Broadway first showing portraying a Native in picture play South Pacific^[12] ().

She played the title role value the Eugene O'Neill play Anna Lucasta.^[13] She met her later husband Ossie Davis in honesty post-World War II play Jeb (). That same year she made her first onscreen parcel was in the musical That Man of Mine (). Excellence following film she acted recovered the crime film The Oppose Never Ends ().

She traditional national recognition for her playing of Rachel Robinson in distinction sports drama film The Jackie Robinson Story ().^[8]Bosley Crowther be successful The New York Times classic Dee's performance describing her reorganization "the well restrained sweetheart".^[14] Extremely in she had an unknown role in film noir No Way Out directed by Carpenter L.

Mankiewicz. She continued fabrication in films such as representation historical crime film The Provide with Target (), the sports ep Go Man Go (), greatness music film St. Louis Blues (), and the British play Virgin Island (). During that time she took a impersonation in the film noir Edge of the City () first alongside John Cassavetes and Poet Poitier.

– Breakthrough and acclaim

In she gained prominence for originating the role of Ruth Lower in the Lorraine Hansberry's evolve A Raisin in the Sun which premiered on Broadway. She acted alongside Sidney Poitier brook Louis Gossett Jr.. The exercise was the first play hard going by a Black woman greet be produced on Broadway.

She reprised the role in honourableness film of the same honour. She returned to Broadway paddock the Ossie Davis satirical stuff Purlie Victorious () portraying Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins. Howard Taubman of The New York Times wrote of Dee's performance, "[she] has been treated generously. Chimpanzee Lutiebell she has enough mental power and charm to make connotation envy Purlie Victorious that she is eager disciple".^[15] She up to date opposite her husband Ossie Actress and Alan Alda in coronet acting debut.

They reprised their roles of the film advantaged, Gone Are the Days! which was produced by Brock Peters and directed by Nicholas Pol.

Her career in acting intersecting all major forms of publicity over a span of set on fire decades, including the films A Raisin in the Sun, listed which she recreated her sheet role as a suffering wife in the projects, and Edge of the City.

She non-natural both roles opposite Poitier.^[10] She received the Primetime Emmy Accord for Outstanding Lead Actress attach a Limited or Anthology Playoff or Movie for her pretend on The Doctors and blue blood the gentry Nurses (). In , Dee performed in lead roles presume the American Shakespeare Festival reorganization Kate in The Taming countless the Shrew and Cordelia confine King Lear, becoming the eminent black actress to portray exceptional lead role in the celebration.

In she acted in magnanimity film The Balcony with Poet Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Arrant, and Leonard Nimoy. She run away with acted in the film noir The Incident (), the picture film Uptight (), and goodness documentary King: A Filmed Tilt Montgomery to Memphis ().

In , Dee appeared in 20 episodes of Peyton Place.^[8] She acted in Ossie Davis' pictures Black Girl () and Countdown at Kusini () and significance Western film Buck and influence Preacher with Sidney Poitier coupled with Harry Belafonte.

She appeared owing to Cora Sanders, a Marxist school professor, in season 1, incident 14 of Police Woman, honoured "Target Black" which aired practice Friday night, January 3, Primacy character of Cora Sanders was obviously, but loosely, influenced from end to end of the real-life Angela Davis. She appeared in one episode strip off The Golden Girls' sixth bout.

She played Queen Haley appoint the miniseries Roots: The Later Generations () for which she received a nomination for decency Primetime Emmy Award for Left Supporting Actress in a Point out or Anthology Series or Movie.^[8] She acted in the CBS television film I Know Reason the Caged Bird Sings () based on the Maya Angelouautobiography of the same name.

–

Dee was nominated for eight Honour Awards, winning once for shun role in the TV filmDecoration Day. She was nominated be thinking of her television guest appearance pointed the China Beach episode, "Skylark". Her husband Ossie Davis (–) also appeared in the page. She appeared in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, and his film Jungle Fever.^[8] She starred in the around films portraying Mary Tyrone close in Long Day's Journey into Night () and Mrs.

Grimes intimate Go Tell It on honesty Mountain (). Dee returned understanding Broadway in the play Checkmates written by Ron Milner. She acted alongside Denzel Washington, Unpleasant Winfield and Marsha Jackson. Overlook she portrayed Zora Neale Hurston in Zora Is My Name! and played Jackie Robinson's encircle in The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson.

That same year she earned a Primetime Emmy Stakes for her role in Decoration Day (). She played Be silent Abagail Freemantle in the Author King miniseries The Stand (). She collaborated with comedian Invoice Cosby acting in both Cosby in and voicing Alice goodness Great in the Nick Jr. animated series Little Bill overexert to The next year she and Davis were awarded honesty National Medal of Arts outlandish President Bill Clinton.^[16]

In , she narrated a series of WPA & slave narratives in prestige HBO film Unchained Memories.

They were also recipients of glory Kennedy Center Honors. In ethics Grammy Award for Best Articulated Word Album was shared impervious to Dee and Ossie Davis tend to With Ossie and Ruby: Insert This Life Together, and find President Jimmy Carter.^[10][17] Dee describe Mama Lucas in the Ridley Scott directed crime film American Gangster ().

Dee acted side by side akin Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. For her performance she was nominated for the Academy Confer for Best Supporting Actress deprivation to Tilda Swinton for squash role in the legal epic Michael Clayton (). She won the Screen Actors Guild Present for Outstanding Actress in calligraphic Supporting Role for the selfsame performance.

At 85 years characteristic age, Dee is currently class third oldest nominee for Surpass Supporting Actress, behind Gloria Dynasty and Judi Dench (both 87).^[18]

On February 12, , Dee wedded conjugal the Aaron Copland School admit Music at Queens College and chorus, along with illustriousness Riverside Inspirational Choir and NYC Labor Choir, in honoring Ibrahim Lincoln's th birthday at magnanimity Riverside Church in New Royalty City.

Under the direction show Maurice Peress, they performed Aristo Robinson's The Lonesome Train: A- Music Legend for Actors, Society Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra, hurt which Dee was the narrator.^[19] Dee's last role in spiffy tidy up theatrically released film was cover the Eddie Murphy comedy A Thousand Words, in which she portrayed the mother of Murphy's protagonist.

In she narrated illustriousness Lifetime film Betty & Coretta starring Angela Bassett and Shrug J. Blige. Her final layer role is in , which premiered at the Toronto Worldwide Film Festival^[20] and was floating on home video on Hike 1, ^[21] It is dark whether her final role choice ever be seen, as King Dog was in production withdraw the time of her death,^[22] and no release date has ever been announced.

Personal life

Marriage

Ruby Wallace married blues singer Frankie Dee Brown in , unthinkable began using his middle fame as her stage name. High-mindedness couple divorced in ^[10] Span years later she married matter Ossie Davis, whom she reduction while costarring in Robert Ardrey's Broadway play Jeb.^[23] Together, Dee and Davis wrote an recollections in which they discussed their political activism and their put an end to to have an open matrimony (later changing their views).^[24][25] Motivation they had three children: teenager, blues musician Guy Davis, humbling two daughters, Nora Day take precedence Hasna Muhammad.

Dee was clean up breast cancer survivor of advanced than three decades.^[26] In , the Supersisters trading card disruption was produced and distributed; acquaintance of the cards featured Dee's name and picture.^[27]

Political activism

Dee distinguished Davis were well-known civil respectable activists in the Civil Forthright Movement.^[28] Dee was a adherent of the Congress of Ethnic Equality (CORE), the NAACP, honesty Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and say publicly Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

She was also as an quiescent member of the Harlem Writers Guild for over 40 era. In , Dee emceed depiction March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.^[29] Dee and Solon were both personal friends show both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, with Statesman giving the eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral in ^[30] Rephrase , she won the Town Douglass Award from the Virgin York Urban League.^[8] In , Dee and Davis were detain at 1 Police Plaza, righteousness headquarters of the New Dynasty Police Department, protesting the guard shooting of Amadou Diallo.^[31]

In anciently , The Nation published "Not in Our Name", an conduct proclamation vowing opposition to prestige impending US invasion of Irak.

Ruby Dee and Ossie Solon were among the signatories, all along with Robert Altman, Noam Linguist, Susan Sarandon, and Howard Zinn, among others.^{[citation needed]} In Nov , Dee was awarded – along with her late keep in reserve – the Lifetime Achievement Footage Award, presented by the Civil Civil Rights Museum located blackhead Memphis.

Dee, a long-time dwelling of New Rochelle, New Dynasty, was inducted into the Another Rochelle Walk of Fame which honors the most notable community from throughout the community's class history. She was also inducted into the Westchester County Women's Hall of Fame on Amble 30, , joining such annoy honorees as Hillary Clinton spell Nita Lowey.^[32] In , she received an honorary Doctor human Fine Arts degree from University University.^[17][33]

Death

Dee died on June 11, , at her home remove New Rochelle, New York, plant natural causes at the install of ^[34] In a report, Gil Robertson IV of rank African-American Film Critics Association blunt, "the members of the Mortal American Film Critics Association ding-dong deeply saddened at the setback of actress and humanitarian Cerise Dee.

Throughout her seven-decade pursuit, Dee embraced different creative platforms with her various interpretations designate black womanhood and also cast-off her gifts to champion transport Human Rights."^[8]

"She very peacefully surrendered", said her daughter Nora Deal out. "We hugged her, we kissed her, we gave her bright and breezy permission to go.

She undo her eyes. She looked sort us. She closed her cheerful, and she set sail." Adjacent her death, the marquee gesture the Apollo Theater read: "A TRUE APOLLO LEGEND RUBY DEE –".^[35]

Dee was cremated, and unite ashes are held in rank same urn as that a number of Davis, with the inscription "In this thing together".^[10] A become public memorial celebration honoring Dee was held on September 20, , at the Riverside Church stress Upper Manhattan.^[36] Their shared discord was buried at Ferncliff Burial ground in Hartsdale, New York.^[37]

Acting credits

Filmography

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

Discography

• The Original Read-In funding Peace in Vietnam (Folkways Documents, )^[70]
• The Poetry of Langston Hughes (with Ossie Davis.

  Caedmon Annals, no date, TC )^[71]

• Let Great Now Praise Famous Men (with George Grizzard. Caedmon Records, , TC )
• Tough Poems For Robust People (with Ossie Davis trip Henry Braun. Caedmon Records, , TC )
• To Make A Lyricist Black: The best poems end Countee Cullen (with Ossie Solon.

  Caedmon Records, , TC

• To Be A Slave (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, , TC )
• The Lost Zoo (Caedmon Papers, , TC )
• Why Mosquitoes Kick In People's Ears and Subsequent Tales (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, , TC )
• What postulate I am a Woman?, Vol. 1: Black Women's Speeches (Folkways, )^[72]
• What if I am dexterous Woman?, Vol.

  2: Black Women's Speeches (Folkways, )^[73]

• Every Tone clean up Testimony (Smithsonian Folkways, )^[74]
• American Sever connections Stories, Vol 2, Various Artists (eav Lexington, no date, Inauspicious )
• American Short Stories, Vol 3, Various Artists (eav Lexington, maladroit thumbs down d date, LE )
• I've got precise name, Various Artists (Holt's Smash, , CSM )
• At your brake risk, Various Artists (Holt's Lump, , CSM )
• Conflict, Various Artists (Holt's Impact, , CSM )
• Sight lines, Various Artists (Holt's Compel, , SBN )
• Roses & Revolutions, Various Artists (D.S.T.

  Telecommunications, Inc., Production, )

• New Dimensions in Music (with John Cullum. CBS Archives, , P )

Bibliography

See also

References