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Ossie Davis

Actor

"Art has a deep responsibility, social, cultural, and otherwise. And that the basic motivation for the creation of art is, in a sense, to meet those responsibilities. Now, it doesn’t mean that you cannot express yourself in any way you want to, but it takes place in a social context, whether you mean it to do so or not."

About This Interview

Ossie Davis (1917-2005) was interviewed for two hours plus in New Rochelle, NY.  Mr. Davis spoke of his early years as an actor starting out in the theater.  He discussed his early television appearances on Showtime U.S.A.: “Green Pastures” (1951), Kraft Television Theatre: “The Emperor Jones” (1955), and CBS Television Workshop: “Brown Girl, Brownstones” (1960).  He spoke of writing and starring in the play “Purlie Victorious” and its feature film adaptation.  He spoke of his many acting roles on stage, in the movies, and on television in such series as The Defenders, the Hallmark Hall of Fame, and Evening Shade and the miniseries King and Roots: The Next Generations.  He also discussed his work as a film director, beginning with Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970).  He spoke of his collaborations with his wife of many years Ruby Dee, including their radio show With Ossie and Ruby (1981-82).  The interview was conducted by Harold Dow on October 26, 1999.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Topics
  • Genres

Shows

  • Car 54, Where Are You?
  • East Side/West Side
  • Fugitive, The
  • Ossie and Ruby!
  • Outsider, The
  • Roots
  • Run For Your Life

Topics

  • Historic Events and Social Change
  • Memorable Moments on Television
  • TV’s Golden Age (1940s & ‘50s)
  • Television Industry

Genres

  • TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Featured Content

Video clip: From With Ossie & Ruby: Ossie Davis' tribute to Louis Armstrong (1981)

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  • Highlights
  • Chapters
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Highlights

  • Ossie Davis on the impact <i>Roots</i> had: " <i>Roots</i> helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (04m 23s)Ossie Davis on the impact Roots had: " Roots helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (04m 23s)
  • Ossie Davis on the effect of the Blacklist on him and fellow performers; on being called to testify at the HUAC <br/> (07m 09s)Ossie Davis on the effect of the Blacklist on him and fellow performers; on being called to testify at the HUAC
    (07m 09s)
  • Ossie Davis on the creative freedom he and Ruby Dee had on their PBS series <i>Ossie and Ruby!</i>  (01m 49s)Ossie Davis on the creative freedom he and Ruby Dee had on their PBS series Ossie and Ruby! (01m 49s)
  • Ossie Davis on advice he would give aspiring actors and playwrightsOssie Davis on advice he would give aspiring actors and playwrights

Chapters

  • Chapter 1
  • On his early years and influences; on the racism he experienced as a youth; on his education
  • Chapter 2
  • On his early acting career; on his participation in Civil Rights; on his success in New York
  • Chapter 3
  • On the first time he saw television; on his first appearances on television; on working in live television at NBC; on the Blacklist; on the Civil Rights Movement
  • Chapter 4
  • On Ossie and Ruby; on Roots and its impact; on the importance and reach of television; on some of his guest appearances on television, on writing a script for East Side/West Side; on co-starring in The Outsiders; on directing Cotton Comes to Harlem; on meeting Ruby Dee
  • Chapter 5
  • On his advice to aspiring writers; on how he would like to be remembered

Shows

  • Car 54, Where Are You?
    • Ossie Davis briefly on appearing on Car 54, Where Are You?
      (00m 31s)
  • East Side/West Side
    • Ossie Davis briefly on writing an episode of East Side/West Side
      (00m 50s)
  • Fugitive, The
    • Ossie Davis briefly on appearing on The Fugitive
      (00m 49s)
  • Ossie and Ruby!
    • Ossie Davis on the creative freedom he and Ruby Dee had on their PBS series Ossie and Ruby!
      (01m 49s)
  • Outsider, The
    • Ossie Davis on his groundbreaking role in The Outsider
      (01m 22s)
  • Roots
    • Ossie Davis on the impact Roots had: " Roots helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (06m 01s)
  • Run For Your Life
    • Ossie Davis briefly on appearing in three episodes of Run for your Life
      (00m 43s)

People

  • Michael Landon
    • Ossie Davis on Michael Landon's legacy
      (01m 11s)

Topics

  • Historic Events and Social Change > Civil Rights Movement (c. 1960s)
    • Ossie Davis on participating in the Civil Rights Movement
      (06m 31s)
  • Historic Events and Social Change > Diversity in Television > Minorities
    • Ossie Davis on participating in the Civil Rights Movement (06m 31s)
    • Ossie Davis on the impact Roots had: " Roots helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (04m 23s)
  • Memorable Moments on Television > We Considered
    • Ossie Davis on the impact Roots had: " Roots helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (04m 23s)
  • TV’s Golden Age (1940s & ‘50s)
    • Ossie Davis on seeing television for the first time at the Worlds Fair (04m 22s)
  • Television Industry > Industry Crossroads > Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
    • Ossie Davis on the effect of the Blacklist on him and fellow performers; on being called to testify at the HUAC
      (07m 09s)

Genres

  • TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
    • Ossie Davis on the impact Roots had: " Roots helped supply America with a truer definition of who black people were than any other work that had come along" (04m 23s)
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Submitted by galesayers on Tue, 2011-03-22 16:53.

RIP HAROLD DOW, interviewer. Tragic loss of an important talent.

Submitted by elassassin on Thu, 2010-10-21 05:25.

honorable man

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