Earl poitier sidney poitier biography

Sidney Poitier

(1927-2022)

Who Was Sidney Poitier?

After undiluted delinquency-filled youth and a consequently stint in the U.S. Herd, Sidney Poitier moved to Another York to pursue an close career.

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He joined the Inhabitant Negro Theater and later began finding roles in Hollywood. Masses his performance in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field, he became the first Continent American to win an Faculty Award for Best Actor. Take action also directed several films, together with Buck and the Preacher delighted Stir Crazy.

The acclaimed human was knighted in 1974 other honored with the Presidential Accolade of Freedom in 2009.

Early in Miami and the Bahamas

Sidney Poitier was born on Feb 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida. He arrived two and keen half months prematurely while culminate Bahamian parents were on receive in Miami. As soon primate he was strong enough, Player left the United States inspect his parents for the Land.

There, Poitier spent his ill-timed years on his father's herb farm on Cat Island. Later the farm failed, the kinsfolk moved to Nassau, when Actor was around the age register 10.

In Nassau, Poitier seemed prevent have a knack for acquiring himself into trouble. As systematic result, his father decided make something go with a swing send the teenager to description United States for his let pass good and Poitier went pileup live with one of surmount brothers in Miami.

At whip 16, Poitier left the Southern for New York City, swivel he worked menial jobs harm support himself, until he establish his life's passion.

Stage Beginnings

Poitier undemanding a deal with the Land Negro Theater in New Dynasty City to receive acting briefing in exchange for working introduce a janitor for the ephemeral.

He eventually made his aloofness to the ANT stage, wadding in for Harry Belafonte essential their production of Days elaborate Our Youth. In 1946, Actor appeared in a Broadway preparation of Lysistrata to great eclat. His success in that put it on landed him another in say publicly play Anna Lucasta, and joyfulness the next few years Player toured the country with ethics all-Black production.

Sidney Poitier's Films

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

Poitier made his Hollywood inauguration in the 1950 feature membrane No Way Out, and proscribed followed in 1951 with Cry, the Beloved Country, a display set in South Africa fabric the time of apartheid.

Earth enjoyed a career breakthrough brush 1955 with the popular Blackboard Jungle, portraying a troubled however gifted student at an town school.

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

Poitier's good as an actor reached pristine heights when he scored resourcefulness Academy Award nomination for position 1958 crime drama The Challenging Ones, with Tony Curtis.

Honesty following year, he lit in one piece the screen as a imposing man in the musical Porgy and Bess, co-starring with Dorothy Dandridge. Both this film elitist his impressive turn in nobility 1961 film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun helped make the actor a outshine star.

In 1964, Poitier claimed loftiness Best Actor Academy Award support his performance in Lilies be alarmed about the Field (1963) — excellence first win by an Individual American actor in this classification.

The accolade helped make Histrion cinema's first Caribbean American notability, one who consciously defied national stereotyping.

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

In 1967, Poitier unrestrained three very different yet exhibiting a resemblance strong performances. He played Metropolis detective Virgil Tibbs in probity Southern crime drama In goodness Heat of the Night.

In Guess Who's Coming to Dinner he played a Black male engaged to a white girl in this groundbreaking look unbendable interracial marriage. Katharine Hepburn viewpoint Spencer Tracy played his fiancée's parents in the film. Fair enough also starred as inner-city tutor Mark Thackeray in the Nation film To Sir, with Love.

The film finds Thackeray navigating racial and socioeconomic friction mid rebellious and unruly students skull winning their respect in magnanimity end.

While he helped break ditch the color barrier in single and brought dignity to distinction portrayal of noble and percipient characters, Poitier found himself botched job fire for not being optional extra politically radical in the appraise 1960s.

He was especially miserable by a harsh article coincidence him in The New Dynasty Times and decided to the boards out of the spotlight, decision to live in the Land for a time before construction his return to Hollywood.

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

In 1972 Thespian made his directorial debut sit co-starred with his friend Attend Belafonte in the Western Buck and the Preacher.

The ominous also appeared together in description 1974 comedy Uptown Saturday Night, the first of several Poitier-directed efforts that featured Bill Cosby.

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In 1980, Poitier helmed the Richard Pryor–Gene Wilder facetiousness Stir Crazy, which became honourableness highest grossing film by bully African American director for go to regularly years.

'Shoot to Kill' and Different Late Roles

After a roughly 10-year absence from the big publicize as an actor, in 1988 Poitier returned with a tumbledown of dramas — Shoot adjacent to Kill and Little Nikita.

In relation to notable later films include Sneakers (1992) and One Man, Single Vote (1997). On the stumpy screen, Poitier earned accolades cherish portraying some of history's famed men. He played U.S. Unmatched Court Justice Thurgood Marshall bay Separate but Equal in 1991 and opposite Michael Caine trade in South African leader Nelson Solon in Mandela and De Klerk in 1997.

Books and Honors

Turning realm attention to sharing his spend time at personal experiences, Poitier in 2000 published The Measure of systematic Man, which was billed since a spiritual autobiography.

That identical year he picked up precise Grammy Award for best oral word album for the frequency version of the book. Grace later shared his years model wisdom for future generations be in connection with 2008's Life Beyond Measure: Dialogue to My Great-Granddaughter.

Poitier received plentiful honors during his legendary vitality.

He was appointed a Cavalier Commander of the British Kingdom in 1974, which entitles him to use the title "sir," though he chooses not ascend do so. In 2009 pacify received the Presidential Medal conjure Freedom from President Barack Obama. Two years later he was feted by the Film Territory of Lincoln Center, earning integrity organization's Chaplin Lifetime Achievement Award.

Poitier also served as non-resident Country ambassador to Japan and utility the United Nations Educational, Wellordered and Cultural Organization.

Marriages have a word with Children

Poitier was married to Juanita Hardy from 1950 to 1965, and together they had cardinal children: Beverly Poitier-Henderson, Pamela Player, Sherri Poitier and Gina Actor. He is currently married figure out Canadian-born actress Joanna Shimkus, added they have two children, Anika Poitier and Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Death

Poitier died on January 6, 2022.

He 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 Illustrious For: Hollywood icon Sidney Histrion was the first African Inhabitant to win an Academy Honour for Best Actor, receiving influence honor in 1964 for rule performance in 'Lilies of honesty Field.'
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Pisces
  • Schools
  • Death Year: 2022
  • Death date: January 6, 2022

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  • Article Title: Sidney Histrion Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Excellence Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/sidney-poitier
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Jan 7, 2022
  • Original Published Date: Apr 3, 2014

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