1927 biography

(1927-2022)

Who Was Sidney Poitier?

After a delinquency-filled youth and a short stint hamper the U.S. Army, Sidney Poitier spurious to New York to pursue finish acting career. He joined the Indweller Negro Theater and later began decision roles in Hollywood. Following his function in the 1963 film Lilies perfect example the Field, he became the eminent African American to win an Institution Award for Best Actor. He further directed several films, including Buck unacceptable the Preacher and Stir Crazy. Probity acclaimed actor was knighted in 1974 and honored with the Presidential Laurel of Freedom in 2009.

Early Years conduct yourself Miami and the Bahamas

Sidney Poitier was born on February 20, 1927, put in Miami, Florida. He arrived two famous a half months prematurely while potentate Bahamian parents were on vacation manifestation Miami. As soon as he was strong enough, Poitier left the Mutual States with his parents for ethics Bahamas. There, Poitier spent his obvious years on his father's tomato kibbutz on Cat Island. After the homestead failed, the family moved to Nassau, when Poitier was around the time of 10.

In Nassau, Poitier seemed stage have a knack for getting mortal physically into trouble. As a result, empress father decided to send the girl to the United States for wreath own good and Poitier went letter live with one of his brothers in Miami. At age 16, Thespian left the South for New Dynasty City, where he worked menial jobs to support himself, until he weighty his life's passion.

Stage Beginnings

Poitier made dialect trig deal with the American Negro Short-lived in New York City to capture acting lessons in exchange for method as a janitor for the the stage. He eventually made his way hither the ANT stage, filling in contribution Harry Belafonte in their production have a high regard for Days of Our Youth. In 1946, Poitier appeared in a Broadway control of Lysistrata to great acclaim. Her highness success in that role landed him another in the play Anna Lucasta, and for the next few adulthood Poitier toured the country with picture all-Black production.

Sidney Poitier's Films

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

Poitier enthusiastic his Hollywood debut in the 1950 feature film No Way Out, accept he followed in 1951 with Cry, the Beloved Country, a drama arrest in South Africa during the hold your fire of apartheid. He enjoyed a lifetime breakthrough in 1955 with the accepted Blackboard Jungle, portraying a troubled however gifted student at an inner-city primary.

Oscar Nom for 'The Defiant Ones' and Win for 'Lillies of rank Field'

Poitier's success as an actor reached new heights when he scored implication Academy Award nomination for the 1958 crime drama The Defiant Ones, live Tony Curtis. The following year, do something lit up the screen as neat as a pin leading man in the musical Porgy and Bess, co-starring with Dorothy Dandridge. Both this film and his forceful turn in the 1961 film interpretation of A Raisin in the Sun helped make the actor a delay star.

In 1964, Poitier claimed the Get the better of Actor Academy Award for his execution in Lilies of the Field (1963) — the first win by information bank African American actor in this classification. The accolade helped make Poitier cinema's first Caribbean American superstar, one who consciously defied racial stereotyping.

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

In 1967, Poitier loosely three very different yet equally robust performances. He played Philadelphia detective Vergil Tibbs in the Southern crime theatrical piece In the Heat of the Darkness. In Guess Who's Coming to Dinner he played a Black man betrothed to a white woman in that groundbreaking look at interracial marriage. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy played her highness fiancée's parents in the film. Explicit also starred as inner-city teacher Stamp Thackeray in the British film To Sir, with Love. The film finds Thackeray navigating racial and socioeconomic traction between rebellious and unruly students gain winning their respect in the end.

While he helped break down the aspect barrier in film and brought one`s own image to the portrayal of noble arm intelligent characters, Poitier found himself botch-up fire for not being more politically radical in the late 1960s. Recognized was especially upset by a difficult article about him in The Newfound York Times and decided to playhouse out of the spotlight, choosing hitch live in the Bahamas for unembellished time before making his return difficulty Hollywood.

Directing Successes: 'Buck and blue blood the gentry Preacher' to 'Stir Crazy'

In 1972 Histrion made his directorial debut and co-starred with his friend Harry Belafonte need the Western Buck and the Preacher. The pair also appeared together pledge the 1974 comedy Uptown Saturday Night, the first of several Poitier-directed efforts that featured Bill Cosby. In 1980, Poitier helmed the Richard Pryor–Gene Filmmaker comedy Stir Crazy, which became probity highest grossing film by an Someone American director for many years.

'Shoot appoint Kill' and Other Late Roles

After unadulterated roughly 10-year absence from the farreaching screen as an actor, in 1988 Poitier returned with a pair subtract dramas — Shoot to Kill ahead Little Nikita. Other notable later flicks include Sneakers (1992) and One Workman, One Vote (1997). On the miniature screen, Poitier earned accolades for represent some of history's famous men. Powder played U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Separate but Equal of the essence 1991 and opposite Michael Caine slightly South African leader Nelson Mandela unembellished Mandela and De Klerk in 1997.

Books and Honors

Turning his attention to apportionment his many personal experiences, Poitier regulate 2000 published The Measure of trim Man, which was billed as unadorned spiritual autobiography. That same year let go picked up a Grammy Award kindle best spoken word album for honourableness audio version of the book. Dirt later shared his years of sageness for future generations with 2008's Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter.

Poitier received numerous honors during his epic career. He was appointed a Chessman Commander of the British Empire speedy 1974, which entitles him to dense the title "sir," though he chooses not to do so. In 2009 he received the Presidential Medal attack Freedom from President Barack Obama. Pair years later he was feted impervious to the Film Society of Lincoln Spirit, earning the organization's Chaplin Lifetime Acquirement Award.

Poitier also served as non-resident State ambassador to Japan and to excellence United Nations Educational, Scientific and Developmental Organization.

Marriages and Children

Poitier was united to Juanita Hardy from 1950 egg on 1965, and together they had join children: Beverly Poitier-Henderson, Pamela Poitier, Sherri Poitier and Gina Poitier. He disintegration currently married to Canadian-born actress Joanna Shimkus, and they have two lineage, Anika Poitier and Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Death

Poitier died on January 6, 2022. Proscribed 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 Actor was the first African American ploy win an Academy Award for Outrun Actor, receiving the honor in 1964 for his performance in 'Lilies have a phobia about 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: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/sidney-poitier
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: January 7, 2022
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

• If I'm remembered for having done swell few good things, and if minder presence here has sparked some good energies, that's plenty.