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Sidney Poitier
Poitier (left) with Harry Belafonte (center) and Charlton Heston (right) at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C
Born	February 20, 1927 (1927-02-20) (age 81) Cat Island, Bahamas
Years active	1943 - present
Spouse(s)	Juanita Hardy (1950-1965) Joanna Shimkus (1976-)
Awards won Academy Awards Best Actor 1963 Lilies of the Field Academy Honorary Award 2002 Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Awards Best Foreign Actor 1958 The Defiant Ones Britannia Award 2006 Lifetime Contributions to International Film Golden Globe Awards Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama 1963 Lilies of the Field Cecil B. DeMille Award 1982 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards Best Spoken Word Album 2001 The Measure of a Man NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-series or Dramatic Special 1999 The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Screen Actors Guild Awards Life Achievement Award 2000 Lifetime Achievement Other Awards Silver Bear for Best Actor 1958 The Defiant Ones 1963 Lilies of the Field AFI Life Achievement Award 1992 Lifetime Achievement

Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE (pronounced /ˈpwɑːtieɪ/; born February 20, 1927) is an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Grammy-winning Bahamian-American actor, film director, and author. 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. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Not to be confused with Sidney Poitier. ... Image File history File links Poitier_Belafonte_Heston_Civil_Rights_March_1963. ... Harold George Belafonte, Jr. ... Charlton Heston (born October 4, 1924) is an US-american film actor, known for playing larger-than-life heroic roles such as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes, and Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur. ... March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cat Island is one of the central Bahamas, and one of its districts, and boasts the nations highest point. ... Joanna Shimkus (born 30 October, 1943 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) is a Canadian former actress of Lithuanian descent. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... The Academy Honorary Award is given irregularly by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards. ... BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Defiant Ones is a 1958 film which tells about two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive. ... The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... The Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures has been given annually since 1952 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Globe Award ceremonies in Hollywood, California. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. ... The NAACP Image Award is an award presented annually by the NAACP to honor the top African-Americans in film, television, music and literature. ... The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Categories: NAACP Image Awards ... The Actor: The Screen Actors Guild Award Statue The Screen Actors Guild Awards are an annual award given by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to recognize outstanding performances by members. ... The Screen Actors Guilds National Honors and Tributes Committee bestows an annual Life Achievement Award for outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession. ... The Defiant Ones is a 1958 film which tells about two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... [--168. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ...

In 1963, Poitier became the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor—for his role in Lilies of the Field. 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.^[1] Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. ... For other uses, see To Sir, with Love (disambiguation). ... In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 film, based on the John Ball novel published in 1965 of the same name, which tells the story of a Northern Black police detective who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. ... For the 1981 album by Black Uhuru, see Guess Whos Coming to Dinner (album). ...

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 the Honorary Award, designated "To Sidney Poitier in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being."^[2] Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy-film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney Poitier. ... Lets Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. ... William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ... DVD cover Stir Crazy is a 1980 comedy film starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor as two men framed for a bank robbery and each ending up with a 125 year prison sentence. ... Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... Gene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933) is an American actor who is best known for his role as Willy Wonka, his collaborations with Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein, and his four movies with Richard Pryor: Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, See No Evil... Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study building on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in the Hollywood, district. ... The Academy Honorary Award is given irregularly by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards. ...

Since 1997 he has been the Bahamian ambassador to Japan. For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

Biography

Early life

This section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

By Poitier's own account, he was born in Miami, Florida but spent his childhood in The Bahamas and later moved back to the United States.^{[citation needed]} By other accounts, he was born at sea en route to Miami, Florida, where his Bahamian parents, Evelyn (née Outten) and Reginald James Poitier,^[3] traveled to sell tomatoes and other produce from their farm on tiny Cat Island. Poitier was born prematurely and was not originally expected to survive the boat ride; his birth was recorded in Miami (though he may not have been born there), as the vessel was already closer to Florida. He spent his early years on remote Cat Island, which had a population of 4,000 and no electricity. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Miami redirects here. ... Née redirects here. ... For other uses, see Tomato (disambiguation). ... Cat Island is one of the central Bahamas, and one of its districts, and boasts the nations highest point. ...

At the age of 10, Poitier traveled to Nassau with his family. His family attended the Anglican and then the Catholic church, and Poitier was also involved with local voodoo traditions.^[4] 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. For other uses of Nassau, see Nassau (disambiguation). ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Voodoo is a religious tradition originating in West Africa, which became prominent in the New World due to the importation of African slaves. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The United States Army is the largest, and by some standards oldest, established branch of the armed forces of the United States and is one of seven uniformed services. ...

Acting career

Poitier tried his hand at the American Negro Theater, where he was handily rejected by audiences. 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. For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Lysistrata (Attic Greek: Λυσιστράτη Lysistratê, Doric Greek: Λυσιστράτα Lysistrata), loosely translated to she who disbands armies, is an anti-war Greek comedy, written in 411 BC by Aristophanes. ... Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902–December 22, 1979) was a producer, writer, actor and director who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors (the length of his career being rivalled only by that of Adolph Zukor). ... No Way Out is a film released by on August 16, 1950 by 20th Century Fox . ...

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). Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film about teachers in an inner-city school. ... Teen redirects here. ... The Defiant Ones is a 1958 film which tells about two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive. ... The year 1958 in film involved some significant events. ... Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... James Baskett (February 16, 1904–July 9, 1948) was an American actor known for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in the 1946 Disney feature film Song of the South, for which he was given an Honorary Academy Award, making him the first male performer of African descent to receive an... The Academy Honorary Award is given irregularly by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards. ... For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... Song of the South is a feature film produced by Walt Disney, released on November 12, 1946 by RKO Radio Pictures and based on the Uncle Remus cycle of stories by Joel Chandler Harris. ... The year 1948 in film involved some significant events. ...

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), A Patch of Blue (1965) co-starring Elizabeth Hartman and Shelley Winters; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967); and To Sir, with Love (1967). Poitier played 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). For the 1961 film, see A Raisin in the Sun (film). ... Note on spelling: While most Americans use er (as per American spelling conventions), the majority of venues, performers and trade groups for live theatre use re. ... See also: 1958 in film 1959 1960 in film 1950s in film 1960s in film years in film film Events The Three Stooges make their 180th and last short film, Sappy Bullfighters. ... The year 1961 in film involved some significant events. ... The Bedford Incident is a Cold War film from 1965 starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, and co-produced by Richard Widmark. ... The year 1965 in film involved some significant events. ... A Patch of Blue is a 1965 Academy Award winning film directed by Guy Green about the relationship between an African American man (played by Sidney Poitier) and a blind white female teenager (Elizabeth Hartman), and the problems that plague their relationship when they fall in love in a racially... Mary Elizabeth Hartman (December 23, 1943 – June 10, 1987) was an American actress best known for her performance in the 1965 film A Patch of Blue, a role for which she won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Female Newcomer and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. ... Shelley Winters (August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress. ... For the 1981 album by Black Uhuru, see Guess Whos Coming to Dinner (album). ... The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. ... For other uses, see To Sir, with Love (disambiguation). ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 film, based on the John Ball novel published in 1965 of the same name, which tells the story of a Northern Black police detective who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. ... They call me MISTER Tibbs was a 1970 sequel to In the Heat of the Night (1967). ... // Events February 11 - The film The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr premieres in New York City. ... The Universal Zulu Nation, originally known simply as The Organization, is an international hip hop awareness group, which arose among reformed street gang members in New York City in the 1970s, formed and headed by Hip Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. ... See also: 1970 in film 1971 1972 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 8 - Bob Dylans hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ...

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.^{[citation needed]} 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. Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... Gene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933) is an American actor who is best known for his role as Willy Wonka, his collaborations with Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein, and his four movies with Richard Pryor: Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, See No Evil... Stir crazy may mean: Stir Crazy (movie) Stir crazy (condition) Stir Crazy (restaurant) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Harold George Belafonte, Jr. ... Joseph Sargent (born 22 July 1925, Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American film director. ... Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy-film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney Poitier. ... A Piece of the Action (1977). ... Ghost Dad is a 1990 comedy film directed by Sidney Poitier and starring Bill Cosby, in which a widowers spirit is able to communicate with his children after his death. ...

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 children by his first marriage and two children by his second marriage, all girls. His fifth daughter is actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier. is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Joanna Shimkus (born 30 October, 1943 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) is a Canadian former actress of Lithuanian descent. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Sidney Poitier. ...

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. See also: 1979 in literature, other events of 1980, 1981 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Oprahs Book Club is a book club segment of the American talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, highlighting books chosen by host Oprah Winfrey. ...

Later Life

In April 1997, Poitier was appointed as ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan, where he served for the next 10 years. Since 1998, he has been a Member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company.

Filmography

Actor

No Way Out is a film released by on August 16, 1950 by 20th Century Fox . ... Cry, the Beloved Country is a 1951 drama film directed by Zoltan Korda. ... Sign posted along the Red Ball route The Red Ball Express was an enormous convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forces moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. ... Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film about teachers in an inner-city school. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... Band of Angels is a 1957 romantic drama film starring Clark Gable, Sidney Poitier, and Yvonne De Carlo. ... The Defiant Ones is a 1958 film which tells about two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Porgy and Bess is a 1959 movie based on George Gershwins opera of the same name. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... All the Young Men is a 1960 feature film starring Alan Ladd and Sidney Poitier. ... A Raisin in the Sun is a 1961 feature film starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Roy Glenn and Claudia McNeil. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Paris Blues is a 1961 American feature film. ... The Long Ships is a 1963 Yugoslavian English language motion picture released by Columbia Pictures very loosely based on the Swedish novel The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Bedford Incident is a Cold War film from 1965 starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, and co-produced by Richard Widmark. ... This article is about the film. ... A Patch of Blue is a 1965 Academy Award winning film directed by Guy Green about the relationship between an African American man (played by Sidney Poitier) and a blind white female teenager (Elizabeth Hartman), and the problems that plague their relationship when they fall in love in a racially... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Duel at Diablo is a 1966 western movie starring James Garner and Sidney Poitier. ... For other uses, see To Sir, with Love (disambiguation). ... In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 film, based on the John Ball novel published in 1965 of the same name, which tells the story of a Northern Black police detective who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... For the 1981 album by Black Uhuru, see Guess Whos Coming to Dinner (album). ... For Love of Ivy is a 1968 romantic comedy film directed by Daniel Mann. ... They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! is a 1970 sequel to In the Heat of the Night (1967). ... Virgil Tibbs is a fictional character who is one of the two leading male characters in John Balls 1965 novel In the Heat of the Night. ... Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy-film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney Poitier. ... The Wilby Conspiracy is a 1975 thriller film directed by Ralph Nelson and written by Rodney Amateau, based on the novel by Peter Driscoll. ... Lets Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. ... A Piece of the Action (1977). ... Shoot to Kill (also known internationally as Deadly Pursuit) is an adventure thriller movie released in 1988 starring Sidney Poitier as a FBI agent tracking a psychopathic killer trying to escape across the mountains into Canada. ... Little Nikita is a 1988 film featuring River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long or excessively detailed compared to the rest of the article. ... A Century of Cinema is a 1994 documentary directed by Caroline Thomas about the art of filmmaking (coinciding with cinemas 100th anniversary), containing numerous interviews with some of the most influential characters of the twentieth century. ... The Jackal - Poster 1 The Jackal - Poster 2 This article is about the movie. ...

Director

Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy-film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney Poitier. ... Lets Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. ... DVD cover Stir Crazy is a 1980 comedy film starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor as two men framed for a bank robbery and each ending up with a 125 year prison sentence. ... Ghost Dad is a 1990 comedy film directed by Sidney Poitier and starring Bill Cosby, in which a widowers spirit is able to communicate with his children after his death. ...

Television

An Emmy Award. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... To Sir, with Love II (1996) is an American television movie, a sequel to a British 1967 film. ... An Emmy Award. ... The cover of the DVD release shows the images of the eponymous characters faces. ...

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 title "Sir".
• 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."

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the sixteen sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Elizabeth II as their respective monarch. ... The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals personal bravery, achievement or service to the United Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Screen Actors Guilds National Honors and Tributes Committee bestows an annual Life Achievement Award for outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession. ... For other uses, see Ambassador (disambiguation). ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Categories: NAACP Image Awards ... The NAACP Image Award winners for the Hall of Fame Award: Category: ... The 43rd Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001. ... The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. ... Black Bart Rick Harris was a professional wrestler better known as Black Bart. ... Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was a highly acclaimed Academy Award-winning American film and stage actor, best known for his roles as plain-speaking idealists. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... The Defiant Ones is a 1958 film which tells about two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive. ... John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001), better known as Jack Lemmon, was a two-time Academy Award and Cannes Award-winning American actor and comedian. ... Some Like It Hot is a 1959 comedy film directed by Billy Wilder. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 Academy Award winning film directed by Robert Mulligan and based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. ... Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... Sir Reginald Rex Carey Harrison, KBE (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an Academy Award- and Tony Award-winning English theatre and film actor. ... My Fair Lady is an Academy Award-winning 1964 film adaptation of the stage musical, My Fair Lady, based in turn on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 Academy Award winning film directed by Robert Mulligan and based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William E. Barrett, which was made into a 1963 film. ... Peter Seamus OToole (born August 2, 1932, uncertain but presumed correct date[1]) is an eight-time Academy Award-nominated Irish actor. ... Becket is a 1964 film adaptation of the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. ... For the similarly-named American actress, see Jean Kelly. ... The Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures has been given annually since 1952 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Globe Award ceremonies in Hollywood, California. ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch[1] on December 9, 1916) is an iconic Academy Award-winning American actor and film producer known for his cleft chin, his gravelly voice and his recurring roles as the kinds of characters Douglas himself once described as sons of bitches. He is also father... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other persons named Elizabeth Taylor, see Elizabeth Taylor (disambiguation). ... Jack Cardiff (born 18 September 1914) is a British cinematographer, director and photographer. ... Ernest Lehman (born December 8, 1915 in New York City - died July 2, 2005 in Los Angeles, California) was a successful screenwriter in Hollywood. ... The Academy Honorary Award is given irregularly by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards. ... Robert Redford (born August 18, 1936)[1] is an Academy Award-winning American motion picture director, actor, producer, businessman, model, environmentalist and philanthropist. ... Peter Seamus OToole (born August 2, 1932, uncertain but presumed correct date[1]) is an eight-time Academy Award-nominated Irish actor. ...

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.

United States citizens of African descent, African Americans, make up a demographic minority of a national population composed primarily of those of European-Caucasian ancestry. ... David Hampton (1964-2003) was an African-American con artist who gained infamy in the 1980s after bilking a group of wealthy Manhattanites out of thousands of dollars by convincing them he was Sidney Poitiers son. ... For the Jimi Hendrix song, see 1983. ... For the Battlestar Galactica episode, see Six Degrees of Separation (Battlestar Galactica). ...

References

External links

• Sidney Poitier biography and video interview excerpts by The National Visionary Leadership Project
• Official publisher web page
• Sidney Poitier at the Internet Movie Database
• Sidney Poitier at the TCM Movie Database
• Sidney Poitier at the Internet Broadway Database
• Poitier breaks new ground with Oscar win (BBC, April 13, 1964)
• African-Americans: Sidney Poitier
• Sidney Poitier to get Marian Anderson Award (July 26, 2006)
• The Purpose Prize: Sidney Poitier