Sir Sidney Poitier
, KBE ( or ; born February 20, 1927), is a Bahamian-American actor, film director, author, and diplomat. He broke through as a star in acclaimed performances in American films and plays, which, by consciously defying racial stereotyping, gave a new dramatic credibility for black actors to mainstream film audiences in the Western world.
In 1963, Poitier became the first black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor [1] for his role in Lilies of the Field
. [2] The significance of this achievement was later bolstered in 1967 when he starred in three very well received films—To Sir, with Love
; In the Heat of the Night
; and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
—making him the top box office star of that year. [3] In 1999, the American Film Institute named Poitier among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time, ranking 22nd on the list of 25.
Poitier has directed a number of popular movies such as Uptown Saturday Night
, and Let's Do It Again
(with friend Bill Cosby), and Stir Crazy
(starring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder). In 2002, 38 years after receiving the Best Actor Award, Poitier was chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to receive an Honorary Award, designated "To Sidney Poitier in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being." [4]
Since 1997 he has been the Bahamian ambassador to Japan. On August 12, 2009, Sidney Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.
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SIDNEY POITIER TICKETS
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Early life
Sidney Poitier grew up with his family on remote
Cat Island, in
the Bahamas. However, he was born in
Miami,
Florida,
USA, where his parents, Evelyn (
née Outten) and Reginald James Poitier,
[5] traveled to sell
tomatoes and other produce from their farm on Cat Island.
[6] His birth was premature and he was not expected to survive, but his parents remained three months in Miami to nurse him to health.
[7] Due to the accident of his birth, he automatically gained
U.S. citizenship.
[7]
Poitier spent his early years on
Cat Island, which had a population of 4,000 and no electricity. At the age of 10, Poitier traveled to
Nassau with his family. Poitier still has family throughout the Bahamas islands. His younger brother, Carl Poitier died in December 1989. His family attended the
Anglican and then the
Catholic church, and Poitier was also involved with local
voodoo traditions.
[9] As he got older, he displayed an increasing inclination toward juvenile delinquency. At the age of 15, his parents shipped him off to Miami to live with his older brother. At age 17, Poitier moved to
New York City and held a string of menial jobs. During this time, he was arrested for vagrancy after being thrown out of his housing complex for not paying rent, and decided to join the
United States Army. He worked as a dishwasher until a successful audition landed him a spot with the
American Negro Theater.
Acting career
Poitier tried his hand at the American Negro Theater, where he was handily rejected by audiences. They didn't see anything in him to be a great actor at the time. Determined to refine his acting skills and rid himself of his noticeable Bahamian accent, he spent the next six months dedicating himself to achieving theatrical success. On his second attempt at the theater, he was noticed and given a leading role in the
Broadway production
Lysistrata
, for which he got excellent reviews. By the end of 1949, he had to choose between leading roles on stage and an offer to work for
Darryl F. Zanuck in the film
No Way Out
(1950). His performance in
No Way Out
as a doctor treating a white bigot was noticed and led to more roles, each considerably more interesting and prominent than most black actors of the time were getting, though still less so than those white actors routinely obtained.
Poitier's breakout role was as a member of an incorrigible high school class in the 1955 film
Blackboard Jungle
. At age twenty-seven, like most of the actors in the film, he was not a
teenager. Poitier was the first male black actor to be nominated for a competitive Academy Award (for
The Defiant Ones
,
1958), and also the first to win the
Academy Award for Best Actor (for
Lilies of the Field
in 1963). (
James Baskett was the first to
receive
an Oscar, an
Honorary Academy Award for his performance as Uncle Remus in the
Walt Disney production of
Song of the South
in
1948, while
Hattie McDaniel predated them both, winning as
Best Supporting Actress for her role in
1939's
Gone with the Wind
).
He acted in the first production of
A Raisin in the Sun
on
Broadway in
1959, and later starred in the film version released in
1961. He also gave memorable performances in
The Bedford Incident
(
1965), and
A Patch of Blue
(1965) co-starring
Elizabeth Hartman and
Shelley Winters. In 1967, Poitier reached the commercial peak of his career by become the top movie star of that year with three extremely successful films, which include
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
(1967); and
To Sir, with Love
(1967). In addition, Poitier played his most successful character,
Virgil Tibbs, a
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania detective in the 1967 film
In the Heat of the Night
and its two sequels:
They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!
(1970) and
The Organization
(1971).
However, Poitier began to be criticized for typecasting himself as playing overidealized black characters who were not permitted to have any sexuality or personality faults, such as his character in
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
. Poitier was aware of this pattern himself, but was conflicted on the matter; he wanted more varied roles, but also felt obliged to set a good example with his characters to defy previous stereotypes on account that he was the only major black actor in the American film industry. For instance, Poitier, along with his producers, was able to make Virgil Tibbs a dignified and astute detective who is capable of making errors in judgment, such as when he thought that a rich white bigot was the culprit of a murder until he realized his loathing of the man was influencing his judgment, and is willing to forcefully stand up for himself in the face of bigotry such as in the famous scene where he immediately struck back at that bigot when he slapped him.
Directorial career
Poitier has directed several films, the most successful being the
Richard Pryor-
Gene Wilder comedy
Stir Crazy
, which for years was the highest grossing film directed by a person of African descent. His feature film directorial debut was the western
Buck and the Preacher
in which Poitier also starred in alongside
Harry Belafonte. Poitier replaced original director
Joseph Sargent. The trio of Poitier, Cosby, and Belafonte reunited again (with Poitier again directing) in
Uptown Saturday Night
. Poitier also directed Cosby in
Let's Do It Again
,
A Piece of the Action
, and
Ghost Dad
. Poitier also directed the first popular dance battle movie
Fast Forward
in 1985.
Personal life
Poitier was first married to Juanita Hardy from April 29, 1950 until 1965. He has been married to
Joanna Shimkus, a Canadian-born former actress of
Lithuanian descent, since January 23, 1976. He has four daughters by his first marriage and two by his second: Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, Gina, Anika, Sydney Tamiia (see: actress
Sydney Tamiia Poitier).
Actress
Diahann Carroll has claimed in a memoir that Poitier had promised to marry her and subsequently broke his promise.
He has written three autobiographical books,
This Life
(
1980),
The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
(2000) and
Life Beyond Measure - letters to my Great-Granddaughter
(2008). The second one became an
Oprah's Book Club selection.
Later life
In April 1997, Poitier was appointed as ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan, a position he currently holds. He is also the ambassador of the Bahamas to
UNESCO. During the period of 1998 to 2003, he served as a Member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company.
[10]
In 2001, Poitier received an
Academy Honorary Award for his overall contribution to American cinema.
August 2009, Poitier received the Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Filmography
Actor
Year
| Film
| Role
| Notes
|
1947
| Sepia Cinderella
| Extra
| uncredited
|
1949
| From Whence Cometh My Help
| Himself
| documentary
|
1950
| No Way Out
| Dr. Luther Brooks
|
|
1951
| Cry, The Beloved Country
| Reverend Msimangu
|
|
1952
| Red Ball Express
| Cpl. Andrew Robertson
|
|
1954
| Go, Man, Go!
| Inman Jackson
|
|
1955
| Blackboard Jungle
| Gregory W. Miller
|
|
1956
| Good-bye, My Lady
| Gates
|
|
1957
| Edge of the City
| Tommy Tyler
| Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
|
Something of Value
| Kimani Wa Karanja
|
|
Band of Angels
| Rau-Ru
|
|
The Mark of the Hawk
| Obam
|
|
1958
| Virgin Island
| Marcus
|
|
The Defiant Ones
| Noah Cullen
| BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
|
1959
| Porgy and Bess
| Porgy
| Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
|
1960
| All the Young Men
| Sgt. Eddie Towler
|
|
1961
| A Raisin in the Sun
| Walter Lee Younger
| Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor — Motion Picture Drama
|
Paris Blues
| Eddie Cook
|
|
1962
| Pressure Point
| Doctor (Chief Psychiatrist)
|
|
1963
| The Long Ships
| Aly Mansuh
|
|
Lilies of the Field
| Homer Smith
| Academy Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
|
1965
| The Bedford Incident
| Ben Munceford
|
|
The Greatest Story Ever Told
| Simon of Cyrene
|
|
A Patch of Blue
| Gordon Ralfe
| Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
|
The Slender Thread
| Alan Newell
|
|
1966
| Duel at Diablo
| Toller (contract horse dealer)
|
|
1967
| To Sir, with Love
| Mark Thackeray
|
|
In the Heat of the Night
| Det. Virgil Tibbs
| Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
|
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
| Dr. John Wade Prentice
|
|
1968
| For Love of Ivy
| Jack Parks
|
|
1969
| The Lost Man
| Jason Higgs
|
|
1970
| King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
| Narrator
| documentary
|
They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!
| Virgil Tibbs
|
|
1971
| Brother John
| John Kane
|
|
''Not Me Boss
| ''
|
|
|
The Organization
| Detective Lieutenant Virgil Tibbs SFPD Homicide
|
|
1972
| Buck and the Preacher
| Buck
|
|
1973
| A Warm December
| Matt Younger
|
|
1974
| Uptown Saturday Night
| Steve Jackson
|
|
1975
| The Wilby Conspiracy
| Shack Twala
|
|
Let's Do it Again
| Clyde Williams
|
|
1977
| A Piece of the Action
| Manny Durrell
|
|
1979
| Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist
| Narrator
| short subject
|
1988
| Shoot to Kill
| Warren Stantin
|
|
Little Nikita*
| Roy Parmenter
|
|
1992
| Sneakers
| Donald Crease
|
|
1994
| A Century of Cinema
| Himself
| documentary
|
1996
| Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick
| Himself
| documentary
|
1997
| The Jackal
| FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston
|
|
2001
| Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey
| Narrator
| documentary
|
2004
| MacKenzie
| Himself
| documentary
|
2008
| Mr. Warmth:The Don Rickles Project
| Himself
| documentary
|
- Based on the true story of a fuel community-{Norweb}-"Nazi Sleeper Cell"
in the North of UK; & in rural Soviet Union; & simply re-worked to fit in with cold war paranoia.
Director
Year
| Film
|
1972
| Buck and the Preacher
|
1973
| A Warm December
|
1974
| Uptown Saturday Night
|
1975
| Let's Do it Again
|
1977
| A Piece of the Action
|
1980
| Stir Crazy
|
1982
| Hanky Panky
|
1985
| Fast Forward
|
1990
| Ghost Dad
|
Television
Year
| Title
| Role
| Notes
|
1991
| Separate but Equal
| Thurgood Marshall
| Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
|
1995
| Children of the Dust
| Gypsy Smith
|
|
1996
| To Sir, with Love II
| Mark Thackeray
|
|
1997
| Mandela and De Klerk
| Nelson Mandela
| Nominated - Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie
|
1998
| David and Lisa
| Dr. Jack Miller
|
|
1999
| The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
| Noah Dearborn
|
|
Free of Eden
| Will Cleamons
|
|
2001
| The Last Brickmaker in America
| Henry Cobb
|
|
Awards and recognition
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, awarded in 1974. Because Poitier is a citizen of The Bahamas, a Commonwealth realm that subscribes to the British Honours System, this is a substantive (as opposed to honorary) knighthood, which entitles him to the style "Sir." Poitier does not use the style in the USA, nor does his wife use the style "Lady Poitier".
- 1992 AFI Life Achievement Award
- 1995 SAG Life Achievement Award
- 1997 Appointed non-resident Bahamian Ambassador to Japan
- 1999 Kennedy Center Honors
- 2000 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
- 2001 NAACP Image Award - Hall of Fame Award
- 2001 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album - Rick Harris, John Runnette (producers) and Sidney Poitier for The Measure of a Man
- 2002 Honorary Oscar - "For his extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence."
- 2009 Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom [11]
See also
- List of African American firsts
- David Hampton, an impostor who posed as Poitier's son "David" in 1983, which inspired a play and a film, Six Degrees of Separation
.
References
- James Baskett won an Honorary Academy Award for his performance in Walt Disney's ''Song of the South'' (1946). It was not a competitive award. See Awards for James Baskett, Internet Movie Database
- Sidney Poitier Awards, Internet Movie Database
- Top Ten Money Making Stars
- ''Sidney Poitier awards: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences''. Awards database - Oscars.org.
- Sidney Poitier Biography (1927-)
- Tavis Smiley interviews Sidney Poitier
- Adam Goudsouzian, ''Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon'' (2004), p.8.
- Adam Goudsouzian, ''Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon'' (2004), p.8.
- The religion of Sidney Poitier, actor
- Actor Takes Center Stage as Disney Trial Grinds On
- "President Obama Names Medal of Freedom Recipients", White House Office of the Press Secretary, July 30, 2009