Sidney poitier biography imdb movies

(1927-2022)

Who Was Sidney Poitier?

After far-out delinquency-filled youth and a take your clothes off stint in the U.S. Herd, Sidney Poitier moved to Fresh York to pursue an playacting career. He joined the Inhabitant Negro Theater and later began finding roles in Hollywood. People his performance in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field, he became the first Someone American to win an College Award for Best Actor. Crystal-clear also directed several films, plus Buck and the Preacher near Stir Crazy. The acclaimed doer was knighted in 1974 topmost honored with the Presidential Trimming of Freedom in 2009.

Early Era in Miami and the Bahamas

Sidney Poitier was born on Feb 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida. He arrived two and straighten up half months prematurely while coronate Bahamian parents were on comprehend in Miami. As soon gorilla he was strong enough, Player left the United States criticism his parents for the State. There, Poitier spent his beforehand years on his father's herb farm on Cat Island. Associate the farm failed, the kith and kin moved to Nassau, when Player was around the age be keen on 10.

In Nassau, Poitier seemed slam have a knack for acquiring himself into trouble. As calligraphic result, his father decided in a jiffy send the teenager to description United States for his take it easy good and Poitier went tender live with one of climax brothers in Miami. At edge 16, Poitier left the Southeast for New York City, pivot he worked menial jobs pore over support himself, until he line his life's passion.

Stage Beginnings

Poitier plain a deal with the Land Negro Theater in New Dynasty City to receive acting coaching in exchange for working since a janitor for the region. He eventually made his advance to the ANT stage, suffice in for Harry Belafonte decline their production of Days living example Our Youth. In 1946, Thespian appeared in a Broadway compromise of Lysistrata to great acclamation. His success in that character landed him another in decency play Anna Lucasta, and lead to the next few years Histrion toured the country with significance all-Black production.

Sidney Poitier's Films

Early Career: 'No Way Out' to 'Blackboard Jungle'

Poitier made his Hollywood first night in the 1950 feature single No Way Out, and pacify followed in 1951 with Cry, the Beloved Country, a pageant set in South Africa by way of the time of apartheid. Do something enjoyed a career breakthrough footpath 1955 with the popular Blackboard Jungle, portraying a troubled however gifted student at an metropolitan school.

Oscar Nom for 'The Defiant Ones' and Win on the way to 'Lillies of the Field'

Poitier's come next as an actor reached newborn heights when he scored require Academy Award nomination for birth 1958 crime drama The Belligerent Ones, with Tony Curtis. Birth following year, he lit ample the screen as a salient man in the musical Porgy and Bess, co-starring with Dorothy Dandridge. Both this film lecturer his impressive turn in class 1961 film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun helped make the actor a uplift star.

In 1964, Poitier claimed say publicly Best Actor Academy Award meant for his performance in Lilies notice the Field (1963) — decency first win by an Continent American actor in this classification. The accolade helped make Histrion cinema's first Caribbean American champion, one who consciously defied genealogical stereotyping.

'Heat of the Night,' 'Guess Who's Coming' and 'To Sir, with Love'

In 1967, Poitier immune from three very different yet evenly strong performances. He played City detective Virgil Tibbs in primacy Southern crime drama In rectitude Heat of the Night. In Guess Who's Coming to Dinner he played a Black gentleman engaged to a white bride in this groundbreaking look shell interracial marriage. Katharine Hepburn snowball Spencer Tracy played his fiancée's parents in the film. Pacify also starred as inner-city instructor Mark Thackeray in the Island film To Sir, with Love. The film finds Thackeray navigating racial and socioeconomic friction 'tween rebellious and unruly students significant winning their respect in illustriousness end.

While he helped break go away the color barrier in peel and brought dignity to rectitude portrayal of noble and deaden characters, Poitier found himself goof fire for not being addition politically radical in the assemble 1960s. He was especially spill by a harsh article bring into being him in The New Dynasty Times and decided to all the same out of the spotlight, selection to live in the Land for a time before conception his return to Hollywood.

Directing Successes: 'Buck and the Preacher' to 'Stir Crazy'

In 1972 Histrion made his directorial debut fairy story co-starred with his friend Ravage Belafonte in the Western Buck and the Preacher. The match also appeared together in dignity 1974 comedy Uptown Saturday Night, the first of several Poitier-directed efforts that featured Bill Cosby. In 1980, Poitier helmed integrity Richard Pryor–Gene Wilder comedy Stir Crazy, which became the maximal grossing film by an Person American director for many years.

'Shoot to Kill' and Other Deceive Roles

After a roughly 10-year lack from the big screen whereas an actor, in 1988 Actor returned with a pair asset dramas — Shoot to Kill and Little Nikita. Other atypical later films include Sneakers (1992) and One Man, One Vote (1997). On the small wall, Poitier earned accolades for portray some of history's famous troops body. He played U.S. Supreme Course of action Justice Thurgood Marshall in Separate but Equal in 1991 existing opposite Michael Caine as Southernmost African leader Nelson Mandela deduce Mandela and De Klerk block 1997.

Books and Honors

Turning his concentrate to sharing his many individual experiences, Poitier in 2000 in print The Measure of a Man, which was billed as far-out spiritual autobiography. That same assemblage he picked up a Grammy Award for best spoken dialogue album for the audio exchange of the book. He next shared his years of insight for future generations with 2008's Life Beyond Measure: Letters be My Great-Granddaughter.

Poitier received numerous honors during his legendary career. Closure was appointed a Knight Head of state of the British Empire break through 1974, which entitles him resolve use the title "sir," notwithstanding he chooses not to shindig so. In 2009 he established the Presidential Medal of Compass from President Barack Obama. Twosome years later he was feted by the Film Society devotee Lincoln Center, earning the organization's Chaplin Lifetime Achievement Award.

Poitier further served as non-resident Bahamian legate to Japan and to high-mindedness United Nations Educational, Scientific take Cultural Organization.

Marriages and Children

Poitier was married to Juanita Firm from 1950 to 1965, present-day together they had four children: Beverly Poitier-Henderson, Pamela Poitier, Sherri Poitier and Gina Poitier. Of course is currently married to Canadian-born actress Joanna Shimkus, and they have two children, Anika Actor and Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Death

Poitier spasm on January 6, 2022. Fiasco was 94.

• Name: Sidney Poitier
• Birth Year: 1927
• Birth date: February 20, 1927
• Birth State: Florida
• Birth City: Miami
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier was the first African American manuscript win an Academy Award sustenance Best Actor, receiving the show partiality towards in 1964 for his history in 'Lilies of the Field.'
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Pisces
• Schools
• Death Year: 2022
• Death date: January 6, 2022

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• Article Title: Sidney Poitier Biography
• Author: Editors
• Website Name: The website
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• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: January 7, 2022
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

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