Sidney Poitier

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Profession: Actor and Director

Nationality:

Biography: The first black man and first Bahamian to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his 1958 appearance in "The Defiant Ones".

In 1964, he won another Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role as a handyman helping a group of German-speaking nuns build a chapel in "Lilies of the Field".

Born: February 20, 1927
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, USA

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit
Star Sign: Pisces

Died: January 6, 2022 (aged 94)

Articles and Photos

One, Two, Three o'Clock, Four o'Clock . . . riot!
A chubby middle-aged performer caused riots across the world when his music was used as the soundtrack to a movie featuring rebellious teenagers.
July 6, 1925

Married Life

1950-04-29 American actor Sidney Poitier (23) weds model Juanita Hardy; divorce in 1965
1976-01-23 Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier (48) weds Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus

Historical Events

1959-03-11 Lorraine Hansberry's stage drama "A Raisin in the Sun", 1st Broadway play by a black woman, starring Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC; later transfers to the Belasco Theatre; runs for 530 performances
1960-06-25 Lorraine Hansberry's stage drama "A Raisin in the Sun", 1st Broadway play by a black woman, starring Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier, closes at the Belasco Theatre, NYC, after 530 performances
1961-05-29 "A Raisin in the Sun", film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's stage play, starring the Broadway cast including Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, John Fiedler, and Ivan Dixon premieres
1964-03-11 21st Golden Globes: The Cardinal, Sidney Poitier, & Leslie Caron win
1964-04-13 36th Academy Awards: "Tom Jones" (Best Film), Patricia Neal (Hud) and Sidney Poitier (Lilies Of The Field) win; Poitier first Black actor in a leading role to win a competitive Oscar
1967-06-14 British film "To Sir, with Love" written and directed by James Clavell, and starring Sidney Poitier is 1st released in the US
1967-08-02 "In the Heat of the Night" film directed by Norman Jewison, based on John Ball's novel of the same name, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger premieres in New York (5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Actor for Steiger, 1968)
1967-12-11 "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, premieres in NYC (Hepburn - Academy Award for Best Actress 1968)