Ossie Davis
1917 – 2005

Ossie Davis

American actor, director, poet, playwright, writer, and social activist (1917-2005)

television actorfilm actorfilm producerfilm directorstage actor
Born
1917-12-18, Cogdell
Died
2005-02-04
Birthplace state
Georgia

Biography

Ossie Davis was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, from 1948 until his death. He received numerous accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy and a Writers Guild of America Award as well as nominations for four additional Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and Tony Award. Davis was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the National Medal of Arts in 1995, then Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.

Occupation

Ossie Davis is recorded as a television actor, a film actor, a film producer, a film director, a stage actor, a playwright, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter, born in Georgia (1917–2005).

Connections to Georgia

Ossie Davis was born in Cogdell, Georgia in 1917. Explore other notable figures from Georgia, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from GeorgiaGeorgiahistory ›Historic sites in Georgia
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Ossie Davis came from Cogdell. A full Aubrey report on Cogdell pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Georgia

Other historical figures born in Georgia, ranked by historical prominence.

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Martin Luther King Jr.
American Baptist minister and civil rights leader (1929–1968)
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 (1924–2024)
Ray Charles
Ray Charles
American singer, pianist and songwriter (1930–2004)
Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Mitchell
American author and journalist (1900–1949)
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
American professional wrestler, actor and television personality (1953–2025)
Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter
First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
American actress and singer (1977–2009)

Frequently asked about Ossie Davis

Who was Ossie Davis?
Ossie Davis was American actor, director, poet, playwright, writer, and social activist (1917-2005), born in Georgia (1917 – 2005).
When and where was Ossie Davis born?
Ossie Davis was born on 1917-12-18 in Cogdell.
When did Ossie Davis die?
Ossie died on 2005-02-04.
What was Ossie Davis known for?
Ossie Davis is recorded as a television actor, a film actor, a film producer, a film director, a stage actor, a playwright, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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