Ruby Dee, Oscar Nomination - Best Supporting Actress

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 Jimmy Carter.

Dee and Davis together wrote an autobiography in which they discuss their political activism as well as insights on their open marriage.[5] Together they had three children; son, blues musician Guy Davis, and two daughters, Nora Day, and Hasna Muhammad. Dee has survived breast cancer for more than 30 years.

Dee and Davis were well-known civil rights activists. Among others, Dee is a member of Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the NAACP, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dee and Davis were personal friends of both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, with Davis giving the eulogy at the latter's funeral in 1965.

Synopsis:
American Gangster is a 2007 crime film written by Steve Zaillian and directed by Ridley Scott. The film stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Washington portrays Frank Lucas, a real-life heroin kingpin from Manhattan who smuggled the drug into the country in the coffins of American soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. Crowe portrays Richie Roberts, a detective who brings down Lucas's drug empire. Filming was done in New York, and American Gangster is slated for a November 2, 2007 release.

Cast:
Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas
Russell Crowe as Detective Richie Roberts
Cuba Gooding Jr. as Nicky Barnes
Josh Brolin
Common as the brother of Frank Lucas
T.I. as the nephew of Frank Lucas
Anthony Hamilton as a singer[3]
RZA
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Ted Levine
John Ortiz
Yul Vazquez
Carla Gugino
KaDee Strickland

Official site:
http://www.americangangster.net/

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• interview
• trailer
• American
• Gangster
• Ruby
• Dee
• Mother
• Actress
• BlackTree
• TV

[TABULOUS1]

I love me some Ruby Dee... loved Ossie too.

[blacktreemedia]

@TABULOUS1 They are/were my favorite couple. So inspiring, Ossie told me something in 1997 which changed my direction in life, I am glad I had the opportunity to meet him before he passed, and to interview Ruby Dee a few times.

[blacktreemedia]

sorry for the mislabel at the front of the video.

-BlackTree Media

[mateo2k6]

She looks amazing for 83, wow!!! I'd think she was about 60

Amazing woman!

[retsefinam]

omg academy, halle got a oscar for a far lesser performance in a whole movie, ruby dee made a stunning and strong cameo and gets a nomination, come on academy -give ruby dee her due .

[0mikr0n]

Uhm uh uh uh uh uh... um... uh uh uh uh, um...

[foreverlarge]

As a matter of fact Dee was probably the first black actress to make a career of playing dramatic roles in Hollywood. All the other stars black female stars of that post WWII era such as Dorothy Dandridge, Eartha Kitt, Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, were all singer-actresses, who could easily go back to the their entertainment careers when the roles in Hollywood became difficult to come by. So for those who wonder how her small role in AMERICAN GANGSTER got nominated for an Oscar, think again.

[foreverlarge]

Ruby Dee made her first dramatic film debut in 1946/47, seventy years before Hollywood finally acknowledged her great contribution. She starred in independent all black cast movies made in New York in the late forties because Hollywood refused to accept blacks in nothing but demeaning stereotypical comedic roles, which she refused to play. I can't remember her ever playing a maid in one film. She made her dramatic film debut in Hollywood with Sidney Poitier and Ossie Davis in NO WAY OUT in 1950

[pabankhead1]

The word says "Thy shall not Kill" what does that word mean nowdays.

I think there are exception, but for money, greed, jealousy, hatred......Those reasons are "unexceptable".....Not for respect either......What done in the dark will come to the light........American Gangster is leading our young men into "Hell"..... Believe it...... I love you Ms. Ruby Dee and your Husband......

[laarbe]

Ruby Dee is a jewel and gifted talent. She is beautiful and so brilliant in all that she does. Her and her late husband have done more for the acting community and civil rights. She should have been nominated so many times especially for lead actress for her roles in the Spike Lee Movies, especially Do The Right Thing. I really thought she was going to win even though her role was small. I think it was kind of an upset, no disrespect to Tilda who won. Thanks for the post.

[kapenzi21]

she reminds me of FRANKIE,KEISHA'S MOM only classier, great talent nonetheless

[piscesariescusp121]

she was pretty in her younger days.

[depalma24]

actors have been nominated for even one scene in a film. Learn to spell "racism" buddy