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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Brock Peters to Jonathan Prince
Sidney Poitier Biography (1927-)
Born February 20, 1927, in Miami, FL; raised in Nassau, Bahamas; son of Reginald James (a tomato farmer) and Evelyn (a tomato farmer; maiden name, Outten)Poitier; married Juanita Hardy (a dancer), April 29, 1950 (divorced, 1965);married Joanna Shimkus (an actress), January 23, 1976; children: (first marriage) Beverly Poitier Henderson, Pamela, Sherri, Gina; (second marriage) Anika, Sydney Tamiia (an actress). Addresses: Agent: Martin Baum, CreativeArtists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, director, producer, executive
- Birth Details
- February 20, 1927
- Miami, Florida, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Appearances
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From Whom Cometh My Help (documentary short film), U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1949
- Dr. Luther Brooks, No Way Out, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1950
- Reverend Msimangu, Cry, the Beloved Country (also known as African Fury), Lopert, 1952
- Corporal Andrew Robertson, Red Ball Express, Universal, 1952
- Inman Jackson, Go, Man, Go!, United Artists, 1954
- Gregory W. Miller, The Blackboard Jungle, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1955
- Gates, Goodbye, My Lady (also known as The Boy and the LaughingDog), Warner Bros., 1956
- Tommy Tyler, Edge of the City (also known as A Man Is Ten FeetTall), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1957
- Kimani Wa Karanja, Something of Value (also known as Africa Ablaze), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1957
- Rau-Ru, Band of Angels, Warner Bros., 1957
- Noah Cullen, The Defiant Ones, United Artists, 1958
- Oban, The Mark of the Hawk (also known as Accused), Universal, 1958
- Porgy, Porgy and Bess, Columbia, 1959
- Sergeant Eddie Towler, All the Young Men, Columbia, 1960
- Marcus, Virgin Island (also known as Our Virgin Island), Films-around-the-World, 1960
- Eddie Cook, Paris Blues, United Artists, 1961
- Walter Lee Younger, A Raisin in the Sun, Columbia, 1961
- Doctor, Pressure Point, United Artists, 1962
- Homer Smith, Lilies of the Field, United Artists, 1963
- Aly Mansuh, The Long Ships (also known as Dugi brodovi), Columbia, 1964
- Ben Munceford, The Bedford Incident, Columbia, 1965
- Simon of Cyrene, The Greatest Story Ever Told (also known as George Stevens Presents the Greatest Story Ever Told), United Artists, 1965
- Gordon Ralfe, A Patch of Blue, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1965
- Alan Newell, The Slender Thread, Paramount, 1965
- Toller, Ralph Nelson's Duel at Diablo (also known as Duel at Diablo), United Artists, 1966
- John Wade Prentice, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Columbia, 1967
- Detective Virgil Tibbs, In the Heat of the Night, United Artists,1967
- Mark Thackeray, To Sir, with Love, Columbia, 1967
- Jack Parks, For Love of Ivy, Cinerama, 1968
- Jason Higgs, The Lost Man, Universal, 1969
- Lieutenant Virgil Tibbs, They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, United Artists, 1970
- Narrator, King: A Filmed Record ... Montgomery to Memphis, Marion,1970
- John Kane, Brother John, Columbia, 1971
- Detective Lieutenant Virgil Tibbs, The Organization, United Artists, 1971
- Buck, Buck and the Preacher, Columbia, 1972
- Dr. Matt Younger, A Warm December, National General, 1973
- Steve Jackson, Uptown Saturday Night, Warner Bros., 1974
- Clyde Williams, Let's Do It Again, Warner Bros., 1975
- Shack Twala, The Wilby Conspiracy, United Artists, 1975
- Manny Durrell, A Piece of the Action, Warner Bros., 1977
- Narrator, Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist (also known as Paul Robeson: A Film Tribute), 1979
- Warren Stantin, Shoot to Kill (also known as Deadly Pursuit), Buena Vista, 1988
- Roy Parmenter, Little Nikita (also known as The Sleepers),Columbia, 1988
- Donald Crease, Sneakers, Universal, 1992
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World Beat, 1993
- Himself, A Century of Cinema, 1994
- Himself, Wild Bill, Hollywood Maverick: The Life and Times of WilliamA. Wellman, Wild Bill Pictures, 1995
- Carter Preston, The Jackal (also known as Le chacal and Der Schakal), Universal, 1997
- Reverend Msimangu (in archive footage), Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist, 1998
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Film Director
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Buck and the Preacher, Columbia, 1972
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A Warm December, National General, 1973
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Uptown Saturday Night, Warner Bros., 1974
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Let's Do It Again, Warner Bros., 1975
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A Piece of the Action, Warner Bros., 1977
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Stir Crazy, Columbia, 1980
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Hanky Panky, Columbia, 1982
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Fast Forward, Columbia, 1985
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Ghost Dad, Universal, 1990
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Television Appearances
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Miniseries
- Thurgood Marshall, Separate But Equal, ABC, 1991
- Gypsy Smith, Children of the Dust (also known as A Good Day toDie), CBS, 1995
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Movies
- Mark Thackeray, To Sir, with Love 2, CBS, 1996
- Nelson Mandela, Mandela and de Klerk, Showtime, 1997
- Dr. Jack Miller, Oprah Winfrey Presents: David and Lisa, ABC, 1998
- Will Cleamons, Free of Eden, Showtime, 1999
- Title role, The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn, CBS, 1999
- Henry Cobb, The Last Brickmaker in America, CBS, 2001
- Narrator, Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey, PBS, 2001
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Specials
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The American Film Institute Tenth Anniversary Special, CBS, 1977
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The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
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The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katherine Hepburn, PBS, 1986
- Narrator, Bopha!, PBS, 1987
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The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1989
- Host, Voyager: Rendezvous with Neptune, TBS, 1989
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The American Film Institute Salute to Gregory Peck, 1989
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Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come (also known as Frank Sinatra: 75th Birthday Celebration), CBS, 1990
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Celebrate the Soul of American Music, syndicated, 1991
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Back to School '92 (also known as Education First!), CBS, 1992
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The American Film Institute Salute to Sidney Poitier (also known as The 20th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award), NBC, 1992
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The 19th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, syndicated, 1992
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The American Film Institute Salute to Elizabeth Taylor, ABC, 1993
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An American Reunion: New Beginnings, Renewed Hope (also known as An American Reunion: The People's Inaugural Celebration), HBO, 1993
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Hollywood Stars: A Century of Cinema, The Disney Channel, 1995
- Interviewee, James Earl Jones, Arts and Entertainment, 1995
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The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1995
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The Kennedy Center Honors, CBS, 1997
- (In archive footage) Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience inHollywood, AMC, 1998
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League of Legends, 1998
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An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of the Educational Excellence Benefiting the Negro College Fund, syndicated, 1999
- "Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light," American Masters, PBS, 2000
- Interviewee, Richard Widmark: Strength of Characters, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
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The BBC and the BAFTA Tribute to Michael Caine, 2000
- (In archive footage) Playboy: The Party Continues, 2000
- Interviewee, Quincy Jones: In the Pocket, PBS, 2001
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A Tribute to Barbra Streisand (also known as The 29th AmericanFilm Institute Life Achievement Award: A Salute to Barbra Streisand), Fox, 2001
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Muhammad Ali's All-Star 60th Birthday Celebration!, CBS, 2002
- (Uncredited; in archive footage) Inside the Playboy Mansion, Artsand Entertainment, 2002
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Awards Presentations
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The 36th Annual Academy Awards, 1964
- Presenter, The 37th Annual Academy Awards, 1965
- Presenter, The 40th Annual Academy Awards, 1968
- Presenter, The 41st Annual Academy Awards, 1969
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The 22nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1990
- Presenter, The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1991
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The Great Ones: The National Sports Awards, NBC, 1993
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The 1997 ESPY Awards, ABC and ESPN, 1997
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The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
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The 6th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 2000
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The 32nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 2001
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The 74th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2002
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The 10th Annual Trumpet Awards, TBS, 2002
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Episodic
- "Parole Chief," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1952
- Tommy Tyler, "A Man Is Ten Feet Tall," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1955
- "The Fascinating Stranger," Ponds Theatre (also known as KraftTelevision Theatre), ABC, 1955
- "A Tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt on Her Diamond Jubilee," Sunday Showcase, NBC, 1959
- Himself, Cinepanorama, 1961
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The Strolling '20s, CBS, 1966
- "A Time for Laughter," ABC Stage '67, ABC, 1967
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The New Bill Cosby Show, CBS, 1972
- Himself and Mecha-Poitier, "Mecha Streisand," South Park, Comedy Central, 1998
- Guest, The Oprah Winfrey Show, syndicated, 2000
- Guest on the series Changing Stages, PBS.
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Television Work
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Movies
- Executive producer, Free of Eden, Showtime, 1999
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Stage Appearances
- (Stage debut) Days of Our Youth, American Negro Theatre Playhouse,New York City, 1945
- (Broadway debut) Polydorus, Lysistrata, Belasco Theatre, 1946
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On Striver's Row, American National Theatre Playhouse, New York City, 1946
- Lester, Anna Lucasta, National Theatre, New York City, 1947
- Walter Lee Younger, A Raisin in the Sun, Ethel Barrymore Theatre,New York City, 1959
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The Night of 100 Stars II, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985
- Also appeared in productions of The Fisherman,
Freight,
Hidden Horizon,
Rain,
Riders to the Sea,
Sepia Cinderella, and You Can't Take It with You, all with American Negro Theatre.
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Major Tours
- Lester, Anna Lucasta, U.S. cities, 1948
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Stage Work
- Director, Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1968
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RECORDINGS
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Audio Books
- Narrator, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, by Sidney Poitier, Harper-Audio, 2000
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Videos
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The Directors: Norman Jewison, 1997
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The Making of "Changing Lanes," 2002
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WRITINGS
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Books
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This Life (autobiography), Knopf (New York City), 1980
- (With Carol Bergman) The Films of Sidney Poitier, Chelsea House, 1988
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The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, Harper San Francisco (San Francisco, CA), 2001
Further Reference
ADAPTATIONS
- The screenplay For Love of Ivy, released by Cinerama in 1968, wasbased on an original story by Poitier.
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 36, Gale, 2002
- Ewers, Catharine, The Long Journey, Signet, 1969
- Keyser, Lester J., and Andre H. Ruszkowski, The Cinema of Sidney Poitier, A. S. Barnes, 1980
- Marill, Alvin H., The Films of Sidney Poitier, Citadel, 1978
- Paige, David, Sidney Poitier, Creative Education, 1976
- Poitier, Sidney, This Life, Knopf, 1980
- Poitier, Sidney, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography,Harper San Francisco, 2001
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St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000
Periodicals
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American Film, September-October, 1991, p. 18
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Entertainment Weekly, fall, 1996, p. 70; February 22, 2002, p. 110
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Jet, December 18, 1995, p. 61; March 3, 1997, April 14, 1997, p 19; May 5, 1997, p. 6
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Parade, November 1, 1998, p. 18; June 4, 2000, p. 21
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Time, September 22, 1997, p. 103
Other
- "Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (television special), American Masters, PBS, 2000
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