{{short description|American actor (1917–1993)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox person |name = Davis Roberts |image = Davis_Roberts_in_Mission_Impossible_1967.jpg |caption = Davis Roberts in Mission Impossible 1967 |birth_name = Robert A. Davis |birth_date = {{birth date|1917|3|7}} |birth_place = Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|1993|7|18|1917|3|17}} |death_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |occupation = Actor |years_active = 1946&ndash;1989 |spouse = |children = |website = }} '''Davis Roberts''' (born '''Robert A. Davis''', March 7, 1917 &ndash; July 18, 1993) was an American character actor whose career spanned five decades, from the late 1940s until just before his death in 1993.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-Chi-Tribune'>{{cite news |last1=Heise |first1=Kenan |date=July 29, 1993 |title=Actor Davis Roberts, 76: Helped Break Stereotype |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/07/29/actor-davis-roberts-76-helped-break-stereotype/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |language=en |access-date=January 4, 2016 |quote=Davis Roberts, 76, a Hollywood actor from 1946 to 1989, helped redefine the black character actor, performing with dignity and professionalism in 120 movies and in a wide variety of roles.}}</ref><ref name='Davis-Roberts-NY-Times'>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=August 5, 1993 |title=Davis Roberts; Actor, 76 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/05/obituaries/davis-roberts-actor-76.html |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en |access-date=January 4, 2016 |quote=Davis Roberts, who played a broad range of characters in dozens of television shows while championing black causes off screen, died on July 18 in Chicago.}}</ref><ref name='Davis-Roberts-Los-Angeles-Times'>{{cite news |last1=Folkart |first1=Burt A. |date=August 4, 1993 |title=Obituaries : Davis Roberts; Actor Fought Stereotypical Roles for Blacks |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-08-04-me-20167-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en |access-date=January 4, 2016 |quote=Despite an occasional comic appearance, Roberts' greatest acting strength lay in the distinguished attitude he brought to his characters.}}</ref> He started out making films in the 1940s and 1950s and expanded into television work in the following decades. Davis was known for his dignified portrayals which were often in contrast to prevailing stereotypical roles.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-Los-Angeles-Times'/> He played the role of Dr. Caldwell in three episodes in the second and third seasons of the NBC-TV sitcom series ''Sanford and Son'', and as Dr. Ozaba in the 1968 episode "The Empath" in the original ''Star Trek'' series.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-Chi-Tribune'/><ref name='Davis-Roberts-NY-Times'/><ref name='Davis-Roberts-Los-Angeles-Times'/>

He was active off-screen as well, serving several terms on the western advisory board of Actors' Equity Association.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-NY-Times'/> As one of the officers of Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch of the NAACP he helped present the first Image Awards in 1967.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-Los-Angeles-Times'/>

==Death== Davis died in the home of his brother Charles on July 18, 1993, of emphysema at the age of 76.<ref name='Davis-Roberts-Chi-Tribune'/><ref name='Davis-Roberts-NY-Times'/><ref name='Davis-Roberts-Los-Angeles-Times'/>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1947|| ''The Long Night'' || Freddie || |- |1949|| ''Knock on Any Door'' || Jim 'Sunshine' Jackson || Uncredited |- |1949|| ''The Great Dan Patch'' || Smiler || Uncredited |- |1950|| ''In a Lonely Place'' || Flower Shop Employee || Uncredited |- |1950|| ''No Way Out'' || Heckler at Riot Meeting || Uncredited |- |1951|| ''Tarzan's Peril'' || Emissary || Uncredited |- |1951|| ''The Lion Hunters'' || Lohu || |- |1951|| ''The Harlem Globetrotters'' || Frank || Uncredited |- |1952|| ''Phone Call from a Stranger'' || Henry || Uncredited |- |1952|| ''Red Ball Express'' || Pvt. Dave McCord || |- |1953|| ''Jungle Drums of Africa'' || Native Ambusher || Serial, [Ch.1] |- |1953|| ''Jamaica Run'' || Rob || Uncredited |- |1954|| ''The Glenn Miller Story'' || Black Man || Uncredited |- |1956|| ''Female Jungle'' || George || |- |1958|| ''God's Little Acre'' || Farm Hand with Hoe || |- |1958|| ''Murder by Contract'' || Hall of Records Clerk || |- |1960|| ''All the Fine Young Cannibals'' || Darl || Uncredited |- |1962|| ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' || Fly || Uncredited |- |1964|| ''The Killers'' || Maître D' || |- |1964|| ''Quick Before It Melts'' || Military Man || |- |1966|| ''The Chase'' || Roy || Uncredited |- |1967|| ''Hotel'' || Dr. Elmo Adams || |- |1968|| ''Lionheart'' || Corporal || |- |1969|| ''Hook, Line & Sinker'' || Member - Board of Inquiry || Jerry Lewis comedy; uncredited |- |1970|| ''Halls of Anger'' || Mr. Willis || |- |1970|| ''The Great White Hope'' || Pastor || Uncredited |- |1972|| ''Sanford and Son'' || Dr. Caldwell || |- |1972|| ''Glass Houses'' || || |- |1973|| ''The Trial of the Catonsville Nine'' || Prosecutor || |- |1973|| ''Westworld'' || Supervisor || |- |1973|| ''Detroit 9000'' || || |- |1974|| ''Willie Dynamite'' || Judge #2 || |- |1976|| ''From Noon till Three'' || Sam || |- |1977|| ''Demon Seed'' || Warner || |- |1977|| ''Billy Jack Goes to Washington'' || 2nd Handwriting Expert || |- |1981|| ''Honky Tonk Freeway'' || James || |- |1984|| ''Chattanooga Choo Choo'' || Woodrow || |- |1990|| ''To Sleep with Anger'' || Okra Tate || |- |1993|| ''The Gifted'' || || (final film role) |}

==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links == *{{IMDb name|0205369}} *{{IBDB name}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Davis}} Category:1917 births Category:1993 deaths Category:20th-century African-American male actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Activists for African-American civil rights Category:Actors from Mobile, Alabama Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:Broadway theatre people Category:Deaths from emphysema Category:Death in Chicago Category:Male actors from Alabama Category:Respiratory disease deaths in Illinois