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Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee
Photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1962
Personal information
Birth nameRuby Ann Wallace
Birth dateOctober 27, 1924(age 86)
Place of birthCleveland, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationActress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, activist
SpouseFrankie Dee Brown (approx 1941-1945; divorced)
Ossie Davis (1948-2005; his death)

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Ruby Dee (born October 27, 1924) is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best-known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun (1961).

Ruby Dee Video

ESSENCE MAGAZINE CELEBRATES BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD WITH LUNCHEON HONORING RUBY DEE, JADA PINKETT SMITH, SUZANNE DE PASSE & JURNEE SMOLLETT ESSENCE magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, will celebrate some of Tinsel Town's best with the first annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, taking place during Oscar Week on Thursday, February 21, in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The star-studded event will honor three of Hollywood's finest who have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film—both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes. The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon commemorates ESSENCE magazine's annual Hollywood issue. INTERVIEW & B-Roll: Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Ruby Dee, Suzanne de Passe, Jurnee Smollett, Kerry Washington, Macy Gray, Tracee Ellis Ross, Vivica Fox, Vanessa Williams, Raven Symone, Paula Patton, Quincy Jones, Lisa Raye McCoy Misic, Garcelle Beauvais Nillon, Jaci Reid, Regina King, Sally Richardson, Taraji Henson, Tichina Arnold, Elise Neal, Regina Hall, Rashida Jones, Regina Hall, Nicole Brown, Jennifer Lewis, Lorrie Bartlett and more. A BlackTree Media Production Produced by Jamaal Finkley Camera Ron Hart Personality Ms. Patricia Cage
5.67 min. | 4.88 user rating		 Regina Kings goes one on one with BlackTree TV Personality Patricia Cage. ESSENCE MAGAZINE CELEBRATES BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD WITH LUNCHEON HONORING RUBY DEE, JADA PINKETT SMITH, SUZANNE DE PASSE & JURNEE SMOLLETT ESSENCE magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, will celebrate some of Tinsel Town's best with the first annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, taking place during Oscar Week on Thursday, February 21, in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The star-studded event will honor three of Hollywood's finest who have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film—both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes. The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon commemorates ESSENCE magazine's annual Hollywood issue. INTERVIEW & B-Roll: Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Ruby Dee, Suzanne de Passe, Jurnee Smollett, Kerry Washington, Macy Gray, Tracee Ellis Ross, Vivica Fox, Vanessa Williams, Raven Symone, Paula Patton, Quincy Jones, Lisa Raye McCoy Misic, Garcelle Beauvais Nillon, Jaci Reid, Regina King, Sally Richardson, Taraji Henson, Tichina Arnold, Elise Neal, Regina Hall, Rashida Jones, Regina Hall, Nicole Brown, Jennifer Lewis, Lorrie Bartlett and more. A BlackTree Media Production Produced by Jamaal Finkley Camera Ron Hart Personality Ms. Patricia Cage
2.48 min. | 4.65 user rating		 Trailer for Spike Lee's film starring Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis,John Turturro,Spike Lee,Giancarlo Esposito, Richard Edson, Ruby Dee, Bill Nunn, Paul Benjamin, Rosie Perez, Robin Harris, Frankie Faison, Frank Vincent,Steve White, Leonard L. Thomas, Samuel L. Jackson,Joie Lee,John Savage,Miguel Sandoval,Rick Aiello,Roger Guenveur Smith,Martin Lawrence,
2.35 min. | 4.89 user rating		 Before the string of awards for theatrical films were given out, the mob drama "The Sopranos" swept the board, taking the trophy for best cast in a TV drama and the best actor and actress awards for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco in an emotional finish to the series that ended in June. "No Country For Old Men," directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, took the award for best ensemble cast and Spanish actor Javier Bardem won the best supporting actor award for playing a cold-blooded killer in the movie. "No Country" also won the Directors Guild Award on Saturday and has eight nominations for an Oscar next month. SAG's best supporting actress award went to veteran Ruby Dee for her role in "American Gangster." Britain's Julie Christie, 66, won the best actress award for playing a woman with Alzheimer's disease in "Away From Her." Christie is also heavily tipped for an Oscar. "It's lovely to receive an award from your own union, especially at a time when we are being so forcefully reminded how important unions are," Christie said in one of several comments on Sunday about the bitter dispute between Hollywood screenwriters and movie and television studios. British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who won the best actor award for his role as a greedy early 20th century oil baron in "There Will Be Blood," dedicated his trophy to Ledger Ledger, 28, who was best known for his role as a reluctant gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," was found dead in his New York apartment last week. The cause of <b>...</b>
6.53 min. | 4.76 user rating		 "Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most, when he's done good and made everything easy for everybody. Oh no, no, that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and he can't believe in himself cause the world done whipped him so. When you start measuring somebody child, measure him right, measure him right. You make sure you've taken into account the hills and the valleys he's come through to get to wherever he is." Powerful dialogue from the classic and award-winning film based on the play, A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, about a poor working class African-American family struggling for a better way of life while living crammed into a small Chicago apartment during the 1950's. Lena Younger (Claudia McNeil), the matriarch of the family, decides to use part of the proceeds from her deceased husband's insurance policy to buy a house in the suburbs. However, after being conned out of the rest of the money, her son, Walter Lee (Sidney Poitier), decides to take money from a neighborhood citizens group not to move into the house which is in an all White suburb. This earns him the total contempt from his sister, Beneatha (Diana Sands) and despair from his mother. His wife is played by Ruby Dee.
11.00 min. | 4.8 user rating
"Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most, when he's done good and made everything easy for everybody. Oh no, no, that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and he can't believe in himself cause the world done whipped him so. When you start measuring somebody child, measure him right, measure him right. You make sure you've taken into account the hills and the valleys he's come through to get to wherever he is." Powerful dialogue from the classic and award-winning film based on the play, A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, about a poor working class African-American family struggling for a better way of life while living crammed into a small Chicago apartment during the 1950's. Lena Younger (Claudia McNeil), the matriarch of the family, decides to use part of the proceeds from her deceased husband's insurance policy to buy a house in the suburbs. However, after being conned out of the rest of the money, her son, Walter Lee (Sidney Poitier), decides to take money from a neighborhood citizens group not to move into the house which is in an all White suburb. This earns him the total contempt from his sister, Beneatha (Diana Sands) and despair from his mother. His wife is played by Ruby Dee.
7.82 min. | 4.92 user rating		 Trailer for Spike Lee's film starring Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Spike Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent, Anthony Quinn, Halle Berry, Michael Imperioli,Nicholas Turturro,Tyra Ferrell, Veronica Webb, Veronica Timbers, David Dundara,Michael Badalucco,Debi Mazar,Gina Mastrogiacomo,Tim Robbins,Brad Dourif,Illeana Douglas,Gina Gershon,Miguel Sandoval,Rick Aiello,Theresa Randle,Joe D'Onofrio,
2.68 min. | 4.77 user rating		 The world's hottest election just got much hotter... Politics has never been this sexy... She was swift-boated by sex-tape! - Politics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when, a month before the 2008 US Presidential election, Kyle Franklin, a sexy, savvy, African American conservative falls for his Democrat counterpart, Aretha Gupta, a beautiful, idealistic local Obama volunteer coordinator. Sparks fly, tempers flares, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of campaigners in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all? Starring Loretta Devine (Crash, Dreamgirls), legendary Oscar nominee Ruby Dee, Brian White (Stomp the Yard, Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad...), Gerry Bednob (40 Yr Old Virgin) and Bollywood star Mallika Sherawat (Hisss, Murder).
0.50 min. | 4.75 user rating		 Dee was born Ruby Ann Wallace in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Gladys Hightower and Marshall Edward Nathaniel Wallace, a cook, waiter, and porter. After her mother left the family, Dee's father remarried to Emma Amelia (née Benson), a schoolteacher.[1][2][3][4] Dee grew up in Harlem, New York. She graduated in 1945 from Hunter College with degrees in French and Spanish, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Inc. She made several appearances on Broadway before receiving national recognition for her role in the 1950 film The Jackie Robinson Story. Dee's career in acting has crossed all major forms of media over a span of eight decades, including the films A Raisin in the Sun, in which she recreated her stage role as a suffering housewife in the projects, and Edge of the City. She played both roles opposite Sidney Poitier. During the 1960s, Dee appeared in such politically charged films as Gone Are the Days and The Incident, which is recognized as helping pave the way for young African-American actors and filmmakers. She has been nominated for eight Emmy Awards, winning twice: once for her role in the 1990 TV film Decoration Day, and again for her television guest appearance in the China Beach episode, "Skylark". Her late husband Ossie Davis (1917-2005) also appeared in that episode. In 2007 the winner of the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album was tied between (i) Dee and Ossie Davis for "With Ossie And Ruby: In This Life Together", and (ii) former President <b>...</b>
6.33 min. | 4.76 user rating		 www.sundancechannel.com This episode spans generations as singer Alicia Keys meets actress Ruby Dee, who stroll through Harlem and discover that their childhood homes were only a few blocks apart. Separately, Keys allows cameras to visit her studio for an intimate interview and Dee appears at the Apollo Theater's Spring Benefit. ICONOCLASTS airs Thursdays at 10pm on Sundance Channel.
0.88 min. | 4.6 user rating

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MLK III & Andy Young Join Forces to Form New Black TV Network - Afro American Tweet this news
Afro American--The deals--established separately with NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Codeblack Entertainment and Image Entertainment�will also allow the network to televise documentaries, stage plays and comedies featuring such figures as Jay-Z, -Ruby Dee-, - Date : Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:13:54 GMT+00:00
Discovering Black America . . . my journey - Tri State Defender Tweet this news
Tri State Defender---...- including a symposium featuring Barbara and Paul Zuber, the late attorney's wife and son; blues guitarist Guy Davis, son of civil rights activists -Ruby Dee- and the late Ossie Davis; a former alum of the school; and a profe - Date : Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:41:20 GMT+00:00
Star Center gets theater; play opens Thursday - Gainesville Sun Tweet this news
Gainesville Sun--The story was later adapted into a Broadway play and also a film starring Diahann Carroll and -Ruby Dee-. Sadie died in 1999 at 109 and Bessie died at 1995 at 104. Artistic director Rhonda Wilson said the Star Center also will be celebrat - Date : Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:17:01 GMT+00:00
EXCLUSIVE: Bounce TV, New Broadcast Net Aimed at African Americans, To Launch ... - Broadcasting & Cable Tweet this news
Broadcasting & Cable--The stars of the comedies include Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Charles Dutton, Ossie Davis and -Ruby Dee-. "We are launching as an entertainment-based network, built upon a foundation of movies for the African American audience,& - Date : Mon, 04 Apr 2011 02:20:58 GMT+00:00
Mos Def & Ruby Dee Transform Harmonies & Voices In Concert Produced By Jill ... - Global Grind Tweet this news
Global Grind--The global Renaissance woman -Ruby Dee- began her powerful performance with "I, I, I...am somebody, you share the somebodyness of me." She continued to encourage the crowd with her second piece, "Our work is here, - Date : Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:58:57 GMT+00:00
Fast Forward: Ruby Dee Has Bills To Pay Just Like The Rest of Us. - Crunk + Disorderly Tweet this news
Crunk + Disorderly--Allow me to reiterate: -Ruby Dee- has bills to pay just like the rest of us. That explains why the well celebrated legend agreed to star opposite of the likes of Meagan Good, Bobby Valentino, Melyssa Ford, Hilary Duff's sister, du - Date : Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:28:15 GMT+00:00
Hoping to chart a bold future at Queens African American theater group, Black ... - New York Daily News Tweet this news
New York Daily News--Legedary actress -Ruby Dee- performs a poem at a Black Spectrum Theatre Co. event in 2002. The borough's only professional African-American theater company hopes to add charter school operator to its résumé. The Black Spectrum - Date : Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:59:38 GMT+00:00
Metro Scene - Carroll County Times Tweet this news
Carroll County Times--The film features slave narrative readings from the Federal Writers Project, and is narrated by Whoopie Goldberg with readings by Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, -Ruby Dee-, Samuel L. Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and others. Museum admission - Date : Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:53:00 GMT+00:00
Photo Coverage: Phylicia Rashad Directed A RAISIN IN THE SUN Opens in LA - Broadway World Tweet this news
Broadway World--A RAISIN IN THE SUN originally opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1959 and starred Sidney Poitier (Walter Lee Younger), -Ruby Dee- (Ruth Younger), Diana Sands (Beneatha Younger) and Claudia McNeil (Lena Younger). ... - Date : Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:29:46 GMT+00:00
True Colors takes on cultural madness of "The Colored Museum" - Access Atlanta Tweet this news
Access Atlanta--"Actors from Harry Belafonte to -Ruby Dee- were not getting movie roles," Guy said. "So what do you do? You go to the theater and you get used." Guy's own path to theater is unexpected. She was on t - Date : Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:44:12 GMT+00:00

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Miniseries or a Movie

Esther Rolle (1979) * Mare Winningham (1980) * Jane Alexander (1981) * Penny Fuller (1982) * Jean Simmons (1983) * Roxana Zal (1984) * Kim Stanley (1985) * Colleen Dewhurst (1986) * Piper Laurie (1987) * Jane Seymour (1988) * Colleen Dewhurst (1989) * Eva Marie Saint (1990) * Ruby Dee (1991) * Amanda Plummer (1992) * Mary Tyler Moore (1993) * Cicely Tyson (1994) * Judy Davis / Shirley Knight (1995) * Greta Scacchi (1996) * Diana Rigg (1997) * Mare Winningham (1998) * Anne Bancroft (1999) * Vanessa Redgrave (2000)

Screen Actors Guild Award - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Helen Mirren (2001) * Catherine Zeta-Jones (2002) * Renée Zellweger (2003) * Cate Blanchett (2004) * Rachel Weisz (2005) * Jennifer Hudson (2006) * Ruby Dee (2007) * Kate Winslet (2008) * Mo'Nique (2009) | |below= Complete list * (1994-2000) * (2001-present)



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