Filmography
-
Known For
Do the Right Thing Da Mayor (1989) -
Bubba Ho-Tep Jack (2002) -
The Client Harry Roosevelt (1994) -
Known For
Grumpy Old Men Chuck (1993) -
Actor
The L Word Melvin Porter (2004-2005) -
Proud Lorenzo DuFau (2004) -
She Hate Me Judge Buchanan (2004) -
JAG Terrence Minnerly (2003) -
Baadasssss! Granddad (2003) -
Deacons for Defense Reverend 'Rev' Gregory (2003) -
Touched by an Angel Erasmus Jones (1996-2002) -
Presidio Med Otis Clayton (2002) -
Bubba Ho-Tep Jack (2002)
-
Philly Gilbert Willoughby (2002) -
![Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Ghost of Christmas Eve]( "Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Ghost of Christmas Eve")
-
![The Feast of All Saints]( "The Feast of All Saints")
The Feast of All Saints Jean-Jacques (2001) -
![Legend of the Candy Cane]( "Legend of the Candy Cane")
Legend of the Candy Cane Julius (2001) -
J.C. Leyendecker: The Great American Illustrator Narrator (2000)
-
![Here's to Life!]( "Here's to Life!")
Here's to Life! Duncan Cox (2000) -
![Dinosaur]( "Dinosaur")
Dinosaur Yar (2000) -
![Finding Buck McHenry]( "Finding Buck McHenry")
Finding Buck McHenry Buck McHenry (2000) -
![Third Watch]( "Third Watch")
Third Watch Mr. Parker (1999-2000) -
![City of Angels]( "City of Angels")
City of Angels Henry, King of England (2000) -
![The Ghosts of Christmas Eve]( "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve")
The Ghosts of Christmas Eve The Caretaker (1999) -
![A Vow to Cherish]( "A Vow to Cherish")
A Vow to Cherish Alexander Billman (1999) -
![The Soul Collector]( "The Soul Collector")
The Soul Collector Mordecai (1999) -
![The Secret Path]( "The Secret Path")
The Secret Path Too Tall (1999) -
![Cosby]( "Cosby")
Cosby Fred (1999) -
![Alyson's Closet]( "Alyson's Closet")
Alyson's Closet Postman Extraordinaire (1998) -
![Promised Land]( "Promised Land")
Promised Land Erasmus Jones (1996-1998) -
![Doctor Dolittle]( "Doctor Dolittle")
Doctor Dolittle Archer Dolittle (1998) -
The Protector (1997)
-
![12 Angry Men]( "12 Angry Men")
12 Angry Men Juror #2 (1997) -
![Miss Evers' Boys]( "Miss Evers' Boys")
Miss Evers' Boys Mr. Evers (1997) -
Home of the Brave Erasmus Jones (1996)
-
![Ripper]( "Ripper")
Ripper Ben Dodds (1996) -
![I'm Not Rappaport]( "I'm Not Rappaport")
I'm Not Rappaport Midge Carter (1996) -
![Get on the Bus]( "Get on the Bus")
Get on the Bus Jeremiah (1996) -
![The Client]( "The Client")
The Client Judge Harry Roosevelt (1995-1996) -
![The Android Affair]( "The Android Affair")
The Android Affair Dr. Winston (1995) -
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder Uncle Phil (1995)
-
![The Great Battles of the Civil War]( "The Great Battles of the Civil War")
The Great Battles of the Civil War W. H. Carney (1994) -
![The Client]( "The Client")
The Client Harry Roosevelt (1994) -
![Evening Shade]( "Evening Shade")
Evening Shade Ponder Blue (1990-1994) -
Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice Uncle Phil (1994)
-
![The Stand]( "The Stand")
The Stand Judge Richard Farris (1994) -
![Grumpy Old Men]( "Grumpy Old Men")
Grumpy Old Men Chuck (1993) -
![Cop & ½]( "Cop & ½")
Cop & ½ Detective in Squad Room (1993) -
![Queen]( "Queen")
Queen Parson Dick (1993) -
![The Ernest Green Story]( "The Ernest Green Story")
The Ernest Green Story Grandfather (1993) -
![Lincoln]( "Lincoln")
Lincoln Frederick Douglas (1992) -
![Malcolm X]( "Malcolm X")
Malcolm X Eulogy Performer (1992) -
![Gladiator]( "Gladiator")
Gladiator Noah (1992) -
![Jungle Fever]( "Jungle Fever")
Jungle Fever The Good Reverend Doctor Purify (1991) -
We'll Take Manhattan Man in Subway (1990)
-
![B.L. Stryker]( "B.L. Stryker")
B.L. Stryker Oz Jackson (1989-1990) -
![Joe Versus the Volcano]( "Joe Versus the Volcano")
Joe Versus the Volcano Marshall (1990) -
![The Red Shoes]( "The Red Shoes")
The Red Shoes Narrator / Alphonse (1990) -
![Do the Right Thing]( "Do the Right Thing")
Do the Right Thing Da Mayor (1989) -
![School Daze]( "School Daze")
School Daze Coach Odom (1988) -
![Avenging Angel]( "Avenging Angel")
Avenging Angel Captain Harry Moradian (1985) -
![The House of God]( "The House of God")
The House of God Dr. Sanders (1984) -
![Harry & Son]( "Harry & Son")
Harry & Son Raymond (1984) -
![Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige]( "Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige")
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige Chuffy Russell (1981) -
Ossie and Ruby! Co-host (1980-81) (1980)
-
![All God's Children]( "All God's Children")
All God's Children Blaine Whitfield (1980) -
![Freedom Road]( "Freedom Road")
Freedom Road Narrator (1979) -
![Hot Stuff]( "Hot Stuff")
Hot Stuff Captain John Geiberger (1979) -
![Roots: The Next Generations]( "Roots: The Next Generations")
Roots: The Next Generations Dad Jones (1979) -
![King]( "King")
King Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. (1978) -
![NBC Special Treat]( "NBC Special Treat")
NBC Special Treat Mr. Elgin (1977) -
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid Dr. Fredericks (1977)
-
![The Tenth Level]( "The Tenth Level")
The Tenth Level Reed (1976) -
![Cool Red]( "Cool Red")
Cool Red Ernest Motapo (1976) -
![Let's Do It Again]( "Let's Do It Again")
Let's Do It Again Elder Johnson (1975) -
![Hawaii Five-O]( "Hawaii Five-O")
Hawaii Five-O Ramon Borelle (1974) -
![The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People]( "The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People")
-
![Love, American Style]( "Love, American Style")
Love, American Style (segment "Love and High Spirits") (1973) -
![The Sheriff]( "The Sheriff")
The Sheriff James Lucas (1971) -
![Night Gallery]( "Night Gallery")
Night Gallery Osmund Portifoy (segment "The Cemetery") (1969) -
![Slaves]( "Slaves")
Slaves Luke (1969) -
![Sam Whiskey]( "Sam Whiskey")
Sam Whiskey Jed Hooker (1969) -
![Bonanza]( "Bonanza")
Bonanza Sam Davis (1969) -
![The Name of the Game]( "The Name of the Game")
The Name of the Game Kubani (1969) -
Teacher, Teacher Charles Carter (1969)
-
![N.Y.P.D.]( "N.Y.P.D.")
N.Y.P.D. Dempsey (1968) -
![The Scalphunters]( "The Scalphunters")
The Scalphunters Joseph Lee (1968) -
![The Outsider]( "The Outsider")
The Outsider Lt. Wagner (1967) -
![Run for Your Life]( "Run for Your Life")
Run for Your Life Sgt. Dave Corbett (1966-1967) -
![12 O'Clock High]( "12 O'Clock High")
12 O'Clock High Major Glenn Luke (1966) -
![The Fugitive]( "The Fugitive")
The Fugitive Lt. Johnny Gaines (1966) -
![A Man Called Adam]( "A Man Called Adam")
A Man Called Adam Nelson Davis (1966) -
![Slattery's People]( "Slattery's People")
Slattery's People Jack Phillips (1965) -
![The Hill]( "The Hill")
The Hill Jacko King (1965) -
![The Defenders]( "The Defenders")
The Defenders District Attorney Daniel Jackson (1961-1965) -
![The Doctors and the Nurses]( "The Doctors and the Nurses")
The Doctors and the Nurses Dr. Farmer (1964) -
![Shock Treatment]( "Shock Treatment")
Shock Treatment Capshaw (1964) -
![The Cardinal]( "The Cardinal")
The Cardinal Father Gillis (1963) -
![The Great Adventure]( "The Great Adventure")
The Great Adventure John Ross (1963) -
![Gone Are the Days!]( "Gone Are the Days!")
Gone Are the Days! Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson (1963) -
![Car 54, Where Are You?]( "Car 54, Where Are You?")
Car 54, Where Are You? Officer Omar Anderson (1962-1963) -
Seven Times Monday Will (1962)
-
![Play of the Week]( "Play of the Week")
Play of the Week Will Harris (1960-1961) -
John Brown's Raid Dangerfield Newby (1960)
-
CBS Repertoire Workshop Father (1960)
-
![Playhouse 90]( "Playhouse 90")
Playhouse 90 (1960) -
![Kraft Theatre]( "Kraft Theatre")
Kraft Theatre The Emperor Jones (1955) -
The Emperor Jones Brutus Jones (1955)
-
![The Joe Louis Story]( "The Joe Louis Story")
The Joe Louis Story Bob (1953) -
![Fourteen Hours]( "Fourteen Hours")
Fourteen Hours Cab Driver (1951) -
Actor
![No Way Out]( "No Way Out")
No Way Out John Brooks (1950) -
DirectorCrown Dick (1987)
-
![Cool Red]( "Cool Red")
Cool Red (1976) -
![The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People]( "The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People")
-
![Gordon's War]( "Gordon's War")
Gordon's War (1973) -
![Black Girl]( "Black Girl")
Black Girl (1972) -
Kongi's Harvest (1970)
-
Director
![Cotton Comes to Harlem]( "Cotton Comes to Harlem")
Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) -
Writer
![American Playhouse]( "American Playhouse")
American Playhouse (1983) -
![Purlie]( "Purlie")
Purlie (1981) -
![Cool Red]( "Cool Red")
Cool Red (1976) -
![Cotton Comes to Harlem]( "Cotton Comes to Harlem")
Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) -
![History of the Negro People]( "History of the Negro People")
History of the Negro People (1965) -
![East Side/West Side]( "East Side/West Side")
East Side/West Side (1963) -
Writer
![Gone Are the Days!]( "Gone Are the Days!")
Gone Are the Days! (1963) -
Soundtrack
![Cotton Comes to Harlem]( "Cotton Comes to Harlem")
Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) -
Soundtrack
![Car 54, Where Are You?]( "Car 54, Where Are You?")
Car 54, Where Are You? (1962) -
ProducerAmora: The Inquisition (2003)
-
ProducerHands Upon the Heart (1991)
-
Archive footage
![A Certain Magical Pimpdex: Extended Edition]( "A Certain Magical Pimpdex: Extended Edition")
-
![What's My Name: Muhammad Ali]( "What's My Name: Muhammad Ali")
What's My Name: Muhammad Ali (2019) -
![Dooley's Not Dooby]( "Dooley's Not Dooby")
Dooley's Not Dooby (2018) -
![50 Years with Peter Paul and Mary]( "50 Years with Peter Paul and Mary")
-
![P.O.V.]( "P.O.V.")
P.O.V. (2014) -
![American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs]( "American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs")
-
![Welcome to the Basement]( "Welcome to the Basement")
Welcome to the Basement (2013) -
![Mafia's Greatest Hits]( "Mafia's Greatest Hits")
Mafia's Greatest Hits (2012) -
![Democracy Now!]( "Democracy Now!")
Democracy Now! (2010) -
![Cinemassacre's Monster Madness]( "Cinemassacre's Monster Madness")
-
-
![The Black Movie Awards]( "The Black Movie Awards")
The Black Movie Awards (2005) -
![Biography]( "Biography")
Biography (2005) -
![The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards]( "The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards")
-
![American Masters]( "American Masters")
American Masters (2005) -
![The 77th Annual Academy Awards]( "The 77th Annual Academy Awards")
-
-
![TV in Black: The First Fifty Years]( "TV in Black: The First Fifty Years")
-
![The Real Malcolm X]( "The Real Malcolm X")
The Real Malcolm X (1992) -
Archive footage
![Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories]( "Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories")
-
-
Miscellaneous CrewWe Shall Not Be Moved (2001)
-
![Malcolm X]( "Malcolm X")
Malcolm X (1992)
All Filmography
Did You Know
Trivia
Twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award: in 1958 as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for "Jamaica", and in 1970 as co-author of the book for Best Musical nominee "Purlie".
Quotes
Struggle is strengthening. Battling with evil gives us the power to battle evil even more.
Trademark
Deep commanding voice
Star Sign
Sagittarius
Personal Details
Born
Raiford Chatman Davis
Cogdell, Georgia, USA
Died
(age 87)
Miami Beach, Florida, USA
Height:
6' 2" (1.88 m)User Polls
Your Favorite Blacklisted Hollywood Star
SAG Lifetime Achievement Awards, since 2000
People at 100 in 2017
Most Iconic New York City Scene
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