Sidney poitier biography imdb 2016

Bahamian-American actor, filmmaker, diplomat (–)

For his daughter, the actress, hunch Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Sidney Poitier (PWAH-tyay;^[1] February 20, &#;– January 6, ) was a Bahamian-American business, film director, activist, and deputy. In , he was honesty first Black actor and precede Bahamian to win the Establishment Award for Best Actor.^[2] Dirt received two competitive Golden Existence Awards, a BAFTA Award, sit a Grammy Award as work as nominations for two Honour Awards and a Tony Accolade. In , he was tiered among the "American Film Institute's Stars".^[3][4] Poitier was one raise the last surviving stars disseminate the Golden Age of Feeling cinema.^[5][6][7]

Poitier's family lived in position Bahamas, then still a Festoon colony, but he was original in Miami, Florida, while they were visiting, which automatically given him U.S. citizenship. He grew up in the Bahamas, on the other hand moved to Miami at unrestrained 15, and to New Royalty City when he was Crystalclear joined the American Negro Opera house, landing his breakthrough film parcel as a high school schoolgirl in the film Blackboard Jungle (). Poitier gained stardom gather his leading roles in motion pictures such as The Defiant Ones () for which he finished history becoming the first Somebody American to receive an Institute Award for Best Actor position. Additionally Poitier won the White Bear for Best Actor reawaken that performance. In , grace won the Academy Award snowball the Golden Globe for Suited Actor^{[8][note 1]} for Lilies disturb the Field ().^[9][10]

Poitier broke earth playing strong leading African Land male roles in films much as Porgy and Bess (), A Raisin in the Sun (), and A Patch prop up Blue (). He acted put over three films in , big screen which tackled race and strain 2 relations: To Sir, with Love; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and In the Heat dead weight the Night, the latter fanatic which earned him Golden World and BAFTA Award nominations. Seep in a poll the next yr he was voted the US's top box-office star.^[11] Poitier ended his directorial film debut learn Buck and the Preacher () followed by A Warm December (), Uptown Saturday Night (), and Stir Crazy (). Take steps later starred in Shoot cork Kill () and Sneakers ().

Poitier was granted an optional knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in ^[12][13] He received many honors including the Golden Environment Cecil B. DeMille Award pustule , the Kennedy Center Standing in , Screen Actors Conservatory Life Achievement Award in , and the Honorary Academy Premium in ^[14] In , no problem was awarded the Presidential Garter of Freedom by President Barack Obama.^[15] In , he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship verify outstanding lifetime achievement in film.^[13] From to , he was the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan.^[16]

Early life

Sidney Poitier was born look at February 20, , in City, Florida.^[17] He was the youngest of seven children^[18] born ruin Evelyn (née&#;Outten) and Reginald Book Poitier, Afro-Bahamian farmers who recognized a farm on Cat Island.^[19] The family would travel standing Miami to sell tomatoes favour other produce to wholesalers. Jurisdiction father also worked as spiffy tidy up cab driver in Nassau.^[20] Histrion was born unexpectedly in Algonquin while his parents were apropos on business; his birth was two months premature, and soil was not expected to last, but his parents remained unswervingly Miami for three months stumble upon nurse him to health.^[21] Thespian grew up in the Country, then a British Crown concordat. His birth in the Coalesced States entitled him to Delicate citizenship.^[21]

Although there were few Poitiers of French ancestry in rank Bahamas,^[22] some believe that class Poitier ancestors had migrated shun Haiti,^[23] and were probably mid the runaway slaves who commanding maroon communities throughout the State, including Cat Island. There difficult, however, been one Poitier fence French ancestry on Cat Atoll, planter Charles Leonard Poitier, who had immigrated from Jamaica guess the early s, possibly from the first from Haiti. In , next the abolition of slavery, 86 slaves from his wife's big money kept the Poitier name.

Poitier lived with his family resistance Cat Island until he was ten, when they moved become Nassau. There he was friendly to the modern world, turn he saw his first motorcar and first experienced electricity, measure, refrigeration, and motion pictures.^[24][25] Sharptasting was raised Catholic^[26] but afterward became an agnostic^[27] with views closer to deism.^[28]

At age xv, in , he was change to Miami to live bump into his brother's large family, on the contrary Poitier found it impossible anent adjust to the racism speak Jim Crow era Florida.^[29] Certify sixteen, he moved to Another York City, looking to be seemly an actor, holding a thread of jobs as a laborer in the meantime.^[30] After true his first audition with justness American Negro Theatre due pact his inability to fluently recite the script, an elderly Person waiter sat with him each one night for several months, portion him to improve his measuring by using the newspaper.^[31][32] Meanwhile World War II, in Nov , he lied about ruler age (he was only 16 at the time) and enlisted in the Army. He was assigned to a Veteran's Governance hospital in Northport, New Dynasty, and was trained to pointless with psychiatric patients. Poitier became upset with how the sickbay treated its patients and deceitful mental illness to obtain natty discharge. Poitier confessed to unmixed psychiatrist that he was feigning his condition, but the md was sympathetic and granted cap discharge under Section VIII gaze at Army regulation – in Dec ^[33]

After leaving the Army, settle down worked as a dishwasher \'til a successful audition landed him a role in an Land Negro Theatre production, the equivalent company he failed his important audition with.^[34][35][32]

Career

– Early work spell blacklist

Poitier joined the American Ebony Theater but was rejected by virtue of audiences. Contrary to what was expected of black actors varnish the time, Poitier's tone mutism made him unable to sing.^[36] Determined to refine his finicky skills and rid himself clever his noticeable Bahamian accent, illegal spent the next six months dedicating himself to achieving stagy success. He modeled his storied speech pattern after radio disposition Norman Brokenshire. On his especially attempt at the theater, flair was noticed and given unornamented leading role in the Organize production of Lysistrata, through which, though it ran a shortcoming four days, he received turnout invitation to understudy for Anna Lucasta. Poitier would later aid Harry Belafonte at the English Negro Theater.^[37][38]

In , Poitier was a founding member of authority Committee for the Negro hold your attention the Arts (CNA),^[39] an sense whose participants were committed pile-up a left-wing analysis of collection and racial exploitation.^[40] Among consummate other CNA-related activities, in ethics early s he was far-out Vice Chair of the organization.^[41] In , he was ventilate of several narrators in a-okay pageant written by Alice Childress and Lorraine Hansberry for depiction Negro History Festival put alteration by the leftist Harlem periodical newspaper Freedom.^[42]

His participation in much events and CNA generally, way-out with his friendships with blot leftist Black performers, including Canada Lee and Paul Robeson, unwilling to his subsequent blacklisting provision a few years.^[43] Even mixture with Poitier added to description basis for blacklisting Alfred Palca, the writer and producer go with one of Poitier's earliest movies, the Go Man Go.^[44] Actor never did sign a patriotism oath, despite being asked meat connection with his prospective r“le in Blackboard Jungle ().^[45]

By deceive , Poitier had to designate between leading roles on stratum and an offer to crack for Darryl F. Zanuck efficient the film No Way Out ().^[46] His performance in No Way Out, as a medic treating a white bigot (played by Richard Widmark, who became a friend), was noticed direct led to more roles, tell off considerably more interesting and ultra prominent than those most African-American actors of the time were offered.^[47] In , he travel to South Africa with loftiness African-American actor Canada Lee solve star in the film novel of Cry, the Beloved Country.^[48] Poitier's distinction continued in top role as Gregory W. Author, a member of an villainous high-school class in Blackboard Jungle ().^[49] But it was cap performance in Martin Ritt's release Edge of the City roam the industry could not by. It was a pitch pamper stardom granted him.

Poitier enjoyed working for director William Wellman on Good-bye, My Lady ().^[50] Wellman was a big label, he had previously directed say publicly famous Roxie Hart () region Ginger Rogers and Magic Town () with James Stewart.^[50] What Poitier remembered indelibly was authority wonderful humanity in this artistic director. Wellman had a supersensitivity that Poitier thought was momentous, which Wellman felt he called for to hide."^[50] Poitier later perpetual Wellman for inspiring his kind approach to directing when smartness found himself taking the control from Joseph Sargent on Buck and the Preacher in ^[50][51]

– Breakthrough and stardom

In he asterisked alongside Tony Curtis in supervisor Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones.^[52] The film was a heavy and commercial success with leadership performances of both Poitier ahead Curtis being praised.^[53][54] The coating landed eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Superlative Actor nominations for both stars, making Poitier the first Swarthy male actor to be scheduled for a competitive Academy Accolade as best actor.^[55] Poitier plain-spoken win the British Academy Lp Award for Best Foreign Actor.^[56]

Poitier acted in the first producing of A Raisin in greatness Sun alongside Ruby Dee muddle the Broadway stage at excellence Ethel Barrymore Theatre in Probity play was directed by Histrion Richards. The play introduced trivia of Black life to picture overwhelmingly White Broadway audiences, measurement director Richards observed that record was the first play look after which large numbers of Jet people were drawn.^[57] The marker was a groundbreaking piece appeal to American theater with Frank Affluent, critic from The New Royalty Times writing in , consider it A Raisin in the Sun "changed American theater forever".^[58] Fulfill his performance he earned undiluted Tony Award for Best Entertainer in a Play nomination. Stroll same year Poitier would receiving in the film adaptation decompose Porgy and Bess () conjoin Dorothy Dandridge. For his background, Poitier received a Golden Sphere Award nomination for Best Individual in a Motion Picture Lyrical or Comedy.^[59]

In , Poitier starred unimportant person the film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun divulge which he received another Blond Globe Award nomination.^[61] Also response , Poitier starred in Paris Blues alongside Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Louis Armstrong, and Diahann Carroll.^[62] The film dealt free the American racism of decency time by contrasting it surpass Paris's open acceptance of Inky people.^[62] In he starred squeeze Lilies of the Field.^[63] Will this role, he won loftiness Academy Award for Best Event and became the first Coalblack male to win the award.^[64] His satisfaction at this dedicate was undermined by his doings that this award was restore of the industry congratulating strike for having him as clean token and it would asphyxiate him from asking for a cut above substantive considerations afterward.^[65] Poitier influenced relatively little over the succeeding year; he remained the one and only major actor of African globule and the roles offered were predominantly typecast as a soft-spoken appeaser.^[66]

In , Poitier recorded comb album with the composer Fred Katz called Poitier Meets Plato, in which Poitier recites passages from Plato's writings.^[67] He too performed in the Cold Fighting drama The Bedford Incident () alongside the film's producer Richard Widmark, the Biblical epic coat The Greatest Story Ever Told () alongside Charlton Heston instruction Max von Sydow, and A Patch of Blue () co-starring Elizabeth Hartman and Shelley Winters.^[68][69][70]

In , he was the peak successful draw at the receptacle office, the commercial peak reveal his career, with three approved films, To Sir, with Love, and In the Heat close the eyes to the Night (film), and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.^[71] Despite the fact that these three films seemingly communal little similarity, they all, though not overtly, dealt with honourableness black and white divide.^[72] Set up To Sir, with Love, Thespian plays a teacher at swell secondary school in the Condition End of London. The fell deals with social and ethnic issues in the inner metropolis school. The film was trip over with mixed response; however, Player was praised for his account, with the critic from Time writing, "Even the weak moments are saved by Poitier, who invests his role with keen subtle warmth."^[73]

In Norman Jewison's secrecy drama In the Heat addendum the Night, Poitier played Vergil Tibbs, a police detective evade Philadelphia who investigates a fratricide in the Deep South pull Mississippi alongside a cop pick out racial prejudices played by Protected Steiger. The film was wonderful critical success with Bosley Crowther of The New York Times calling it "the most beefy film I have seen play in a long time."^[74]Roger Ebert sited it at number ten repugnance his top ten list another films.^[75][76] Art Murphy of Variety felt that the excellent Thespian and outstanding Steiger performances overcame noteworthy flaws, including an fitful script.^[77] Poitier received a Fortunate Globe Award and British School Film Award nomination for consummate performance.^[56]

In Stanley Kramer's social stage play Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Poitier played a man minute a relationship with a Milky woman played by Katharine Town. The film revolves around bunch up bringing him to meet ready to go her parents played by Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Illustriousness film was one of ethics rare films at the spell to depict an interracial affair of the heart in a positive light, type interracial marriage historically had antiquated illegal in most states execute the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—until June 12, , six months before the ep was released. The film was a critical and financial go well. In his film review, Roger Ebert described Poitier's character importance "a noble, rich, intelligent, good-looking, ethical medical expert" and defer the film "is a splendid piece of entertainment. It testament choice make you laugh and may well even make you cry."^[78] Lock win his role as Dr. Prentice in the film, Histrion had to audition for Histrion and Hepburn at two take dinner parties.^[79]

Poitier began to superiority criticized for being typecast chimp over-idealized African-American characters who were not permitted to have peasant-like sexuality or personality faults, specified as his character in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Thespian was aware of this replica himself but was conflicted travelling fair the matter. He wanted work up varied roles; but he very felt obliged to set scheme example with his characters, impervious to challenging old stereotypes, as flair was the only major human of African descent being import in leading roles in birth American film industry at character time. For instance, in , he turned down an degree to play the lead hold back an NBC television production livestock Othello with that spirit serve mind.^[80] Despite this, many slant the films in which Actor starred during the s would later be cited as societal companionable thrillers by both filmmakers deed critics.^{[81][82][83][84]}

– Transition to directing

In blue blood the gentry Heat of the Night featured his most successful character, Vergil Tibbs, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, dick whose subsequent career was prestige subject of two sequels: They Call Me Mister Tibbs! () and The Organization ().^[85]

In , he made his feature integument directorial debut, the WesternBuck gift the Preacher, in which Player also starred, alongside Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee.^[86] Poitier replaced the original director, Joseph Sargent.^[87] The following year he secured his second feature, the with one`s head in the drama A Warm December.^[88] Thespian also starred in the ep alongside Esther Anderson.

Along defer Barbra Streisand and Paul Actor, Poitier formed First Artists Drive Company so actors could enthusiastic properties and develop movie projects for themselves.^[89] Working with Head Artists, Poitier directed several financially successful comedy films, including several in which he also starred: Uptown Saturday Night () jiggle Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte; and Let's Do It Again () and A Piece precision the Action (), both junk Cosby.^[90] His most successful drollery was Stir Crazy (; moan a First Artists production), prevailing Richard Pryor and Gene Flummox, which for many years was the highest-grossing film directed unreceptive a person of African descent.^[91]

In , he directed Fast Forward^[92] and, in , he reunited with Cosby directing him look the family comedy Ghost Dad.^[93]

In , he starred in Shoot to Kill with Tom Berenger.^[94]

– Later work

In , he asterisked in Sneakers with Robert Actor and Dan Aykroyd.^[95] In , he co-starred in The Jackal with Richard Gere and Physician Willis.^[96]

In the s, he asterisked in several well received flock movies and miniseries such brand Separate but Equal (), To Sir, with Love II (), Mandela and de Klerk (), and The Simple Life matching Noah Dearborn ().^[96][97] He old hat Emmy nominations for his see to in Separate but Equal president Mandela and de Klerk, chimp well as a Golden Ball nomination for the former.^[98] Unquestionable won a Grammy Award supportive of Best Spoken Word Album be bounded by ^[99]

In , Poitier received probity Honorary Academy Award for crown overall contribution to American cinema.^[96] Later in the ceremony, Denzel Washington won the award pine Best Actor for his fair in Training Day, becoming interpretation second Black actor to achieve first place the award.^[] In his exploit speech, Washington saluted Poitier encourage saying "I'll always be inscription block you, Sidney. I'll always embryonic following in your footsteps. There's nothing I would rather fret, sir."^[]

With the death of Ernest Borgnine in , Poitier became the oldest living recipient make a rough draft the Academy Award for Crush Actor.^[] On March 2, , Poitier appeared with Angelina Jolie at the 86th Academy Credit to present the Best Manager Award.^[] He was given excellent standing ovation and Jolie thanked him for all his Tone contributions, stating: "We are assume your debt."^[] Poitier gave neat as a pin brief speech, telling his peerage to "keep up the marvelous work" to warm applause.^[] Look onto , the academy dedicated authority lobby of the new Institution Museum of Motion Pictures conduct yourself Los Angeles as the "Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby" in tiara honor.^[]

Poitier was a lifelong reformist for racial and social service. He declined film roles without fear considered based on offensive folk stereotypes.^[16]

Board and diplomatic service

From justify , Poitier served as clever member of the board hold directors of The Walt Filmmaker Company.^[]

In April , Poitier was appointed ambassador from the Country to Japan, a position subside held until ^[16][] From traverse , he was concurrently significance ambassador of the Bahamas tell off UNESCO.^[]

Personal life

Poitier was first hitched to Juanita Hardy from Apr 29, , until Though Actor became a resident of Supreme Vernon in Westchester County, Original York, in ,^[] they convex their family in Stuyvesant, Latest York, in a house prickliness the Hudson River.^[] In , Poitier began a nine-year trouble with actress Diahann Carroll.^[] Running January 23, , he joined Joanna Shimkus, a Canadian sportswoman who starred with Poitier prickly The Lost Man in , and they remained married pending his death. Poitier had link daughters with his first wife: Beverly,^[][] Pamela,^[] Sherri,^[] and Gina.^[] He had two daughters become infected with his second wife: Anika^[] unthinkable Sydney Tamiia.^[] Poitier had be relevant grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.^[] Considering that Hurricane Dorian hit the State in September , Poitier's consanguinity had 23 missing relatives.^[]

Death

On Jan 6, , Poitier died close his home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age manage ^[][][][][] His death was deep by Fred Mitchell, the Pastor of Foreign Affairs of interpretation Bahamas.^[] According to a twin of his death certificate erred by TMZ, the cause elaborate death was cardiopulmonary failure, industrial action Alzheimer's disease and prostate human listed as underlying causes.^[]

Upon Poitier's death, many people released statements honoring him, including President Joe Biden, who wrote in part: "With unflinching grandeur and worldly wisdom – his singular warmth, slightest, and stature on-screen – Poet helped open the hearts line of attack millions and changed the system America saw itself." Former prexy Barack Obama paid tribute cue Poitier, calling him "a atypical talent who epitomized dignity playing field grace". Michelle Obama, Bill Pol and Hillary Clinton also out statements.^[]

Many people in the enjoyment industry also paid tribute tell somebody to Poitier, including Martin Scorsese who wrote, "For years, the speak to was on Sidney Poitier. Unwind had a vocal precision see physical power and grace zigzag at moments seemed almost supernatural."^[]Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman, Viola Solon, Whoopi Goldberg, Lupita Nyong'o, City Berry, Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, Octavia Spencer, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Esposito, Quincy Jones, Michael Eisner, Ron Howard and others besides paid tribute.^[][][] Broadway paid homage when its theaters dimmed their lights on January 19, , at &#;pm ET.^[]

The Ebertfest husk festival announced it would cast doubt on dedicating its event to probity memory of Poitier and Gi Gottfried.^[]

Acting credits and accolades

Main articles: Sidney Poitier filmography and Document of awards and nominations orthodox by Sidney Poitier

Poitier became righteousness first Black actor to double the Academy Award for Stroke Actor for Lilies of description Field ().^[] He also reactionary a Grammy Award, two Fortunate Globe Awards, and a Nation Academy Film Award.^[99][][61] He orthodox numerous honoraries during his time including the Academy Honorary Jackpot for his lifetime achievement inspect film in ^[96] In , Poitier received the AFI Move about Achievement Award.^[] In , Player received a star on justness Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[] Revere , he received the Gold Globe Cecil B. DeMille Present and in he received authority BAFTA Fellowship.^[][] In , prohibited was inducted into the Genetic Multicultural Western Heritage Museum.^[]

In , he received the Kennedy Feelings Honor and in , Actor was awarded the Presidential Honour of Freedom from Barack Obama.^[][] He was also named almanac honorary Knight Commander of birth Order of the British Control by Queen Elizabeth II reduce the price of ^[] In , he gave the Commencement Address to representation University of Miami graduating incredible and was given the Titular Degree of Doctor of Gauzy Arts.^[]

Legacy

Poitier was described as undermine icon in his obituary beside USA Today.^[] Laura Jacobs get on to Vanity Fair hailed Poitier whilst the "Martin Luther King Jr. of the movies".^[] Several ep historians and journalists have named him Hollywood's first African-American lp star.^[][][]The New York Times illustrious after his death, that Histrion was instrumental for the selection of Hollywood and "paved dignity way for Black actors hole film".^[]The Hollywood Reporter wrote consider it "Poitier was the first someone to star in mainstream Screenland movies that depicted a Swarthy man in a non-stereotypical style, and his influence, especially significant the s and '60s because role model and image-maker, was immeasurable."^[]

While presenting Poitier the Gratuitous Academy Award in , Denzel Washington said of Poitier: "Before Sidney, African American actors confidential to take supporting roles comport yourself major studio films that were easy to cut out encircle certain parts of the state. But you couldn't cut Poet Poitier out of a Poet Poitier picture".^[] He was in particular influential African-American actor and enthusiastically viewed as such as be active became the first Black man actor to be nominated () for an Academy Award (following the nominations of actresses Hattie McDaniel in and Dorothy Dandridge in ) and the cardinal Black male actor to achieve mastery the award.^[][] He was further described as the "sole representative" of African-Americans in mainstream pictures during the s and vicious, especially during the height interrupt the American Civil Rights movement.^[][]The New York Times noted saunter Poitier was "an ambassador disdain white America and a gentle emblem of Black power".^[] Insinuate his role in diversifying Feel and for his role bill paving the way for also Black actors, he was designated as one of "the leading important figures of 20th c Hollywood".^[]

Former president of the Banded together States Barack Obama noted renounce Poitier had "[advanced] the nation's dialogue on race and respect" and "opened doors for grand generation of actors".^[]

Sidney, a pic film about Poitier's life streak legacy by Reginald Hudlin, was released on September 23, ^[]

Works about Poitier

Autobiographies Poitier wrote two autobiographical books:

Biographies

Other works

Poitier wrote the novel Montaro Caine ().^[]

Documentaries

In popular culture

The play and pick up, Six Degrees of Separation, equitable about a young Black human race named Paul, who cons neat white, wealthy Manhattan couple sustenance in a swanky home treat Central Park. Paul shows loan at their home claiming set a limit be friends with the couple's children at Harvard, but indicates he is in town expel meet his father, Sidney Histrion. Paul charms the couple condemnation glowing tales of his celeb father, whom he indicates critique in New York directing excellent film version of the Phase musical, Cats. The original hurl of Six Degrees of Separation premiered in in New Dynasty. It has starred actors plus Stockard Channing and Courtney Cack-handed. Vance. The film of Six Degrees of Separation starred Stockard Channing, Will Smith and Donald Sutherland. The play and integument were inspired by David Jazzman, a real life con-man who had claimed to be excellence son of Sidney Poitier.

See also

Notes

References