Ruby Dee
Cleveland, Ohio, USA

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).

Top 10 collaborators

Roles

Match
Betty and Coretta (2013)
Narrator
A Thousand Words (2012)
Annie McCall
Video Girl (2011)
Valerie
Politics of Love (2011)
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2011)
Miss Candy
America (2009)
Mrs. Harper
Steam (2007)
Doris
American Gangster (2007)
Mama Lucas
All About Us (2007)
Ms. Ella
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson (2007)
Self
No. 2 (2006)
Nanna Maria
Their Eyes Were Watching God (2005)
Nanny
Taking Back Our Town (2001)
Emelda West
Feast of All Saints (2001)
Elsie Claviere
Finding Buck McHenry (2000)
Mrs. Henry
A Storm in Summer (2000)
Grandmother
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999)
Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
Baby Geniuses (1999)
Margo
Passing Glory (1999)
Mommit Porter
The Wall (1998)
Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
A Simple Wish (1997)
Hortence
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story (1996)
Indigo
Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996)
Sophia
Just Cause (1995)
Evangeline Ferguson
Tuesday Morning Ride (1995)
Jennie
Whitewash (1994)
Grandmother (voice)
The Stand (1994)
Mother Abagail
Cop and ½ (1993)
Rachel
The Ernest Green Story (1993)
Lydia Wilson
Jazztime Tale (1991)
Narrator (voice)
Jungle Fever (1991)
Lucinda Purify
Decoration Day (1990)
Rowena
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (1990)
Jackie's Mother
Love at Large (1990)
Corrine Dart
Zora is My Name! (1990)
Zora Neale Hurston
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Mother Sister
Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985)
Mrs. Grimes
Long Day's Journey Into Night (1982)
Mary Tyrone
Cat People (1982)
Female
All God's Children (1980)
Irene Whitfield
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979)
Grandmother Baxter
Countdown at Kusini (1976)
Leah Matanzima
Wedding Band (1974)
Julia Augustine
It's Good to Be Alive (1974)
Ruth Campanella
Black Girl (1972)
Netta's mother
Buck and the Preacher (1972)
Ruth
To Be Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters
On Merit (1972)
Narrator (voice)
The Sheriff (1971)
Sue Ann Lucas
Deadlock (1969)
Lucinda
Uptight (1968)
Laurie
The Incident (1967)
Joan Robinson
Neighbours (1966)
Vicky Kingsbury
Gone Are the Days! (1963)
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
The Balcony (1963)
Thief
A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
Ruth Younger
Take a Giant Step (1959)
Christine
Virgin Island (1959)
Ruth
St. Louis Blues (1958)
Elizabeth
Edge of the City (1957)
Lucy Tyler
Go Man Go (1954)
Irma Jackson
The Tall Target (1951)
Rachel
No Way Out (1950)
Connie Brooks (uncredited)
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)
Rae Robinson
The Fight Never Ends (1948)
What a Guy (1948)
Love in Syncopation (1946)
That Man of Mine (1946)
Joan

Crew

Uptight (1968)
Writer