B lack H istory M February 9, 2005 special •overaae. onth ä Page A3 M ovie G iant O ssie D avis R em em b ered Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau was somehow enriched by his strong, but gentle presence. Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee celebrated their 50th wedding anni versary in 1998 with the publication the Lunts, or Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Davis and Dee first appeared together in the play s “Jeb,” in 1946, and "Anna Lucasta," in 1946-47. Davis’ first film, "No Way O ut” in 1950, was Dee’s fifth. (AP)— Ossie Davis, Both had key roles in whose rich baritone the te le v is io n series and elegant, unshak “Roots: The Next Genera able bearing made him tio n ” (1 9 7 8 ), “ M artin a giant of the stage, is Luther King: The Dream being remembered for and the Drum” (1986) and his work on screen and “The Stand"(1994). Davis the civil rights move appeared in three Spike Lee ment. films, including “School Davis, 87, was found D aze,” “ Do the Right dead Friday in his ho Thing” and "Jungle Fe tel room in M iam i ver." Dee also appeared in Beach, Fla. He was the latter two; among her making a film, “Retire best-known films was "A ment,” said Arminda Raisin in the Sun,” in 1961. Thomas, who works in In 2004, Davis and Dee his New Rochelle, N. Y. were among the artists office. selected to receive the Miami Beach police Kennedy Center Honors. sp o k e sm a n B obby When not on stage or Hernandez said Davis’ on camera, Davis and Dee g ra n d so n c a lle d were deeply involved in shortly before 7 a.m. civil rights issues and ef when Davis would not forts to promote the cause open the door to his o f blacks in the entertain room at the Shore Club Oss/e Davis and wife, Ruby Dee, pose in front o f ment industry. They nearly H o tel. D av is w as their movie poster at the opening night gala of ran afoul of the anti-Com- found dead, apparently their film “Gone Are the Days!” on Sept. 23, munist witch-hunts of the o f n a tu ra l c a u se s, 1963. early 1950s, but were never Hernandez said. of a dual autobiography, “With openly accused of any wrongdo Davis wrote, acted, directed and Ossie & Ruby: In This Life To ing. produced for the theater and Holly gether.” Actor Roy Scheider, who had wood. Even light fare such as the Their partnership called to mind performed with Davis and attended comedy “Grumpy Old Men" with other performing couples, such as anti-war rallies with him, called Fought racial injustice on stage, in real life Davis and Dee "the first political couple of America.” Ossie seemed to always show up at the right time, on the right side, which was always the human side,” Scheider said. "He was al ways progressive and had a very heartfelt sympathy for all people everywhere.” The oldest of five children, Davis was born in tiny Cogdell, G a„ in 1917 and grew up in nearby Waycross and Valdosta. He left home in 1935, hitchhiking to W ash ington toenter Howard University, where he studied drama, intending to be a playwright. His career as an actor began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem, then the center of black culture in America. There, the young Davis met or mingled with some of the most influential figures of the time, including the preacher Father Divine, W.E.B. D uB ois, A. P h ilip R andolph, Langston H ughes and Richard Wright. knowledge, guilty o f anything — other than being black — that might upset anybody,” he wrote. They were friends with baseball star Jackie Robinson — Dee played his wife, opposite Robinson him self, in the 1950 movie “The Jackie R obinson S tory” — and with Malcolm X. In the book, Davis told how a prior commitment caused them to miss the Harlem rally where Malcolm was assassinated in 1965. Davis delivered the eulogy at M alcolm ’s funeral, calling him “our own black shining prince — who didn’t hesi tate to die, because he loved us so.” Ossie Davis He reprised it in a voice-over for the 1992 Spike Lee film, "M alcolm X.” He lined up with socialist re Along with film, stage and tele former DuBois and singer Paul vision, the couple’s careers ex Robeson, remaining fiercely loyal tended to a radio show, “The Ossie to the singer even after Robeson Davis and Ruby Dee Story H our,” was denounced by other black that ran on 65 stations for four political, sports and show business years in the m id-1970s, featuring a figures for his openly communist mix of black themes. and pro-Soviet sympathies. Both made numerous guest ap “ W e’ve never been, to our pearances on television shows. 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Want to be really spoiled? Cleanse your taste buds for the next chocolate sample with a sip from one of our favorite wines. W e’ll be matching deep reds with their perfect chocolate counterpart, creating a sinfully rich duo. The {rienM&si sfare in faun. E A S Y & F U N TO S H O P L O C A L L Y O W N E D & O P E R A T E D C O N C O R D IA O R E N C O S T A T IO N R A L E IG H H IL L S SELLW OOD SEVEN C O R N ER S N E 3 3 r d & K illin g s w o r t h P o r tla n d O R 9 7 2 1 1 5 0 3 .2 8 8 3 8 3 8 C o r n e ll & N E 6 1 s t A v e . H ills b o r o O R 9 7 1 2 4 503 648 6968 7 3 0 0 S W B e a v e r t o n - H ills d a le P o r t la n d O R 9 7 2 2 5 5 0 3 2 9 2 .6 8 3 8 1214 SE T a c o m a P o r t la n d O R 9 7 2 0 2 503 230 4949 1 9 5 4 S E D iv is io n S tr e e t P o r t la n d O R 9 7 2 0 2 5 0 3 4 4 5 .2 8 8 8