Posted on 02/04/2005 8:06:03 AM PST by JCRoberts
CBS RAdio just reported that actor Ossie Davis (Chuck in "Grumpy Old Men)has died.
Gone to see Marx, as the Chinese would say.
He and his wife, Ruby Dee, have always been two of my favorite actors over the years.
I've been meaning to see Bubba Ho-Tep...
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Carson, Vernon, Davis
There's the trifecta.
WHO? Need a picture.
:sigh:
Bummer, great actor.
Tasteless. R.I.P.
RIP to da Mayor. First Max Schmeling now Ozzie, who's next?
Max Schmelling.
"The Good Reverend Doctor Purify" ping.
R.I.P. My sympathies to the family
"Bubba Ho-Tep" had to be one of funnist things I have seen for a low budget B movie. Oassie Davis was a scream as Jack Kennedy and his explanation of how he became black.
http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/wwii/davis.html
Ossie Davis: A Veteran's Personal Story:
This year, for the 11th time, Ossie Davis, the distinguished actor, director, producer, civil rights activist and World War II veteran, will host PBS' National Memorial Day Concert. This talented star has had an extraordinary life and career that has taken him from rural Georgia, to the trenches of World War II, to successes on the stage, television and in movies, and to the forefront of the civil rights movement.
Davis, who was born in Cogdell, Georgia and raised in Waycross, enrolled at Howard University where he was encouraged to explore his interest in the theater. Davis left Howard for New York at the end of his junior year and joined the Rose McClendon Players. He was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1942 and spent much of World War II in Liberia and West Africa until he was transferred to Special Services, where he wrote and produced several shows. After his discharge, he returned to New York and began his illustrious career.
As a former soldier, Davis feels deeply about participating in the yearly National Memorial Day Concert, recognizing its effect on the audience. "I believe the concert is important for us as Americans. We need a national ritual that binds us together since we come from such diverse backgrounds. The concert is a tribute to those who gave their lives, as well as a national occasion that emphasizes these elements. The event is also important to me because of the 5,000 black folks who were involved in the Revolutionary War, before the country was even founded. We haven't paid much attention to their sacrifices or given them their due credit. So, I am there representing their contributions to the country."
Davis was one of 1.2 million black soldiers who made important contributions in World War II. It was, for him, a classic case of seeing what had to be done and doing it. "I believe that the World War II generation was exceptional in that it was able to come together from many disparate points and mount a campaign that ultimately led us to victory. We had a clear cut challenge posed by a known villain. We knew immediately who the 'good guys' were and who the 'bad guys' were, making it a classic war in that particular sense."
Black soldiers who served in WWII did not have the same status as their white counterparts. Segregated, denied opportunity and seldom recognized for their accomplishments, it wasn't until later that President Harry Truman finally ordered an end to racial discrimination in the American armed forces. And it wasn't until 1997, when during a ceremony at the Clinton White House, that any black American had been awarded a Medal of Honor for World War II. Seven were awarded in January 1997 - six posthumously.
One of the most legendary units of World War II was the Tuskegee Airmen, America's first black military airmen. One of the featured performers in the National Memorial Day Concert this year is Broadway star, Brian Stokes Mitchell. Mitchell's father, George T. Mitchell, was a Sergeant Instructor in the Cadet Ground School at the Army Air Base in Tuskegee, Alabama from 1943 to 1946. Sergeant Mitchell was a Communications Instructor and taught Radio Code, Blinker Light Code and Radio Communication for more than three years to Aviation Cadets who would become our future fighter pilots, bomber pilots and Bombardier Navigators.
Starting in July 1941, about 1,000 black soldiers began flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF), Tuskegee, Alabama and completed training nine months later in March 1942. Most were college graduates or undergraduates. Those who qualified were accepted as aviation cadets to be trained initially as single-engine pilots and later as either twin-engine pilots, navigators or bombardiers.
Four hundred forty five were selected as combat pilots, including the future legendary figures, General Benjamin Davis, Jr. and General Daniel "Chappie" James. The Airmen served overseas in either the 99th Pursuit Squadron (later the 99th Fighter Squadron) or the 332nd Fighter Group, flying escort missions with American bombers during the Italian Campaign. They were dubbed the "Red Tailed Black Angels" by the bomber crews because they never lost a single plane to German fighters while they were on escort duty. Flying 15,533 sorties between May, 1943 and June 9, 1945, they destroyed 251 enemy aircraft and won more than 850 medals. Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen were killed in action.
To Ossie Davis, the accomplishments of the Airmen and other soldiers who served in World War II should be well noted on Memorial Day. "We, the World War II generation, answered our country's call. We behaved mostly with bravery, gallantry and courage and brought home the victory that preserved our country and freedom in the world. So, Memorial Day is a moment for us all to be proud of."
He and wife Ruby Dee did a lot more work (acting, voiceover, etc.) than many realize. Prayers for the family.
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