Miami, Feb 05: The American actor and long-time civil rights activist Ossie Davis was found dead in his hotel room in Miami, police said. He was 87.
Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said Davis's grandson had called emergency services yesterday after his grandfather failed to answer his door.
"After gaining entry, they found Davis had passed away," Hernadez said. " The cause of death appears to be natural. According to his grandson he was suffering from heart disease."
Davis's 65-year career included credits as an actor, producer, director and writer for both stage and screen.
His film debut, in 1950's "No Way Out," starred Sydney Poitier and also featured his wife, Ruby Dee.
Some of his best known roles included "The Joe Louis Story" (1953) and "Gone are the Days" (1963), a film that he adapted from his own play, "Purlie Victorious."
He also appeared in three Spike Lee movies -- "School Daze" (1988), "Do the Right Thing" (1989) and “Jungle fever” (1991).
In addition to his entertainment career, Davis was an eloquent and prominent figure in the civil rights movement.
He was a featured speaker at the funerals of both Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.
Bureau Report
