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Otis Day

Otis Day

Actor · Born September 21, 1951 (75) · Los Angeles, California, USA

DeWayne Jessie (a.k.a. "Otis Day"; born September 21, 1951) is an American character actor best known for his portrayal of Otis Day in National Lampoon's Animal House. In the movie, the songs "Shama Lama Ding Dong" and "Shout" were sung by Lloyd G. Williams and lip-synched by Jessie. In the 1980s, Jessie purchased the rights to the band name Otis Day and The Knights from Universal Studios and formed a real-life version of the band with some members of his family and toured the country for years afterward, with Jessie assuming the identity of Otis Day. The group released a concert video, Otis My Man, in 1987 and recorded an album, produced by George Clinton, that came out in 1989 titled Shout which flopped. It included updated versions of "Shout" and "Shama Lama Ding Dong" sung by Jessie. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 21, 1951 (75)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 21 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 27% in 30 days

What are Otis Day's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
32%
Self
18%
Morality
18%
Power
16%
Survival
9%
Bonds
7%
Prejudice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 1 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 4 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
3
Joyful
3
Absurd
2
Manic
2
Melancholic
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Otis Day's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Otis Day's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

21 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • Drawn Together(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Fat Albert (voice)

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Where Are They Now?: A Delta Alumni Update (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Otis Day

  • D.C. Cab(1983)

    as Bongo

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Star Chamber(1983)

    as Stanley Flowers

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Rage! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Resident #3 (as Otis Day)

  • Gorp(1980)

    as Sweet Moe

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Where the Buffalo Roam(1980)

    as Man #1

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Beyond Westworld(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Lingo

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • National Lampoon's Animal House(1978)

    as Otis Day

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Thank God It's Friday(1978)

    as Malcolm Floyd

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Which Way Is Up?(1977)

    as Sugar

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Fun with Dick and Jane(1977)

    as Robber

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Scott Joplin(1977)

    as John The Baptist

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Car Wash(1976)

    as Lloyd

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings(1976)

    as Rainbow

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Sparkle(1976)

    as Ham

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Darktown Strutters(1975)

    as V.D.

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Medical Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Leon

  • Firehouse(1973)

    as Oldest Boy

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The New Centurions(1972)

    as Mugging Suspect (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Halls of Anger(1970)

    as Lerone Johnson

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 21 titles from 1970 to 2004; peak year 1977.

Biggest box office

Where the Buffalo Roam (1980)

$6.7M worldwide

Highest rated

The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)

Midcredits 73rd

Most popular right now

The Star Chamber (1983)

Film career

19702004

Peak 1977 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1972Screen debut· The New Centurions

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting21 of 21: 21 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score56th

By decade

1970s13 · acting1980s6 · acting2000s2 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Otis Day's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Darktown Strutters (1975)

74th percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

Midcredits 89th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Otis Day work with?

People who share at least 2 of Otis Day's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Billy Dee Williams shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers