Harry Belafonte Biography (1927-)

Full name, Harold George Belafonte, Jr.; born March 1, 1927, in New York, NY;son of Harold George (a chef) and Melvine (a domestic worker; maiden name, Love) Belafonte; married Marguerite Mazique Byrd, 1948 (divorced, 1957); married Julie Robinson (a dancer), March 8, 1957; children: (first marriage) Shari(an actress and singer) and Adrienne; (second marriage) Gina (an actress, producer, and dialogue coach) and David. Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-2775.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Actor, producer, singer, songwriter
Birth Details
March 1, 1927
New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • (Film debut) School principal, Bright Road, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
  • Joe, Carmen Jones, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
  • David Boyeur, Island in the Sun, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  • Ralph Burton, The World, the Flesh and the Devil, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
  • Johnny Ingram, Odds against Tomorrow, United Artists, 1959
  • Narrator, King: A Filmed Record ... Montgomery to Memphis, 1970
  • Alexander Levine, The Angel Levine, United Artists, 1970
  • The preacher, Buck and the Preacher, Columbia, 1972
  • Geechie Dan Beauford, Uptown Saturday Night, Warner Bros., 1974
  • Himself, Free to Be ... You & Me, 1974
  • Himself, A veces miro mi vada, 1982
  • Narrator, First Look, 1984
  • Narrator, We Shall Overcome, 1989
  • Himself, The Player, 1992
  • Himself, Pret-a-Porter (also known as Ready to Wear), 1994
  • Thaddeus Thomas, White Man's Burden, 1995
  • Seldom Seen, Kansas City, Fine Line Features, 1996
  • Himself, Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist, 1998
  • Film Work
  • Executive producer, Odds against Tomorrow, 1959
  • Producer and music producer, Beat Street, 1984
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Regular, Sugar Hill Times, CBS, 1949
  • Movies
  • Coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling's White Tiger, NBC, 1981
  • Justice Will Dunn, Swing Vote, ABC, 1999
  • Miniseries
  • Himself, Eyes on the Prize II, 1990
  • Specials
  • Tonight with Belafonte, CBS, 1959
  • Belafonte, New York, CBS, 1960
  • The Dinah Shore Special, NBC, 1965
  • Petula, NBC, 1968
  • The Julie Andrews Special, ABC, 1969
  • An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte, NBC, 1969
  • Host, Harry and Lena, ABC, 1970
  • Guest, A World of Love, CBS, 1970
  • The Diahann Carroll Show, NBC, 1971
  • The Rowan and Martin Special, NBC, 1973
  • Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be ... You and Me, ABC, 1974
  • I Sing What I See, German television special, 1980
  • Night of 100 Stars, ABC, 1982
  • Harry Belafonte: Don't Stop the Carnival, HBO, 1985
  • Host, We Are the World: A Year of Giving, CBS, 1985
  • An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., NBC, 1986
  • The Television Academy Hall of Fame, Fox, 1987
  • Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration, 1988
  • Narrator, We Shall Overcome, PBS, 1988
  • Harry Belafonte: Global Carnival, Arts and Entertainment, 1989
  • Award recipient, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1989
  • The Unforgettable Nat "King" Cole, The Disney Channel, 1989
  • Himself, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, CBS, 1990
  • Host and narrator, Routes of Rhythm with Harry Belafonte, PBS, 1990
  • Host, A Tribute to Harry Chapin, PBS, 1991
  • Host, AFI Salute to Sidney Poitier, NBC, 1992
  • Presenter, Haiti: Killing the Dream, PBS, 1992
  • The People's Palace: Secrets of the New York Public Library, PBS, 1992
  • November 22, 1963: Where Were You? A Larry King Special Live from Washington, 1993
  • An American Reunion: New Beginnings, Renewed Hope, 1993
  • The World of Jim Henson, PBS, 1994
  • Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream, TBS, 1995
  • The American Music Awards, 1995
  • Host and narrator, "We Are the World": A 10th Anniversary Tribute,1995
  • The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996
  • Himself, Danny Kaye: A Legacy of Laughter, PBS, 1996
  • Images of Life: Photographs That Changed the World, CBS, 1996
  • Honoree (Pinnacle Award), The Fourth Annual Trumpet Awards, 1996
  • Narrator, Jazz '34 (also known as Robert Altman's Jazz'34), PBS, 1996
  • Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • An Evening with Harry Belafonte & Friends, PBS, 1997
  • The GI Bill: The Law That Changed America, PBS, 1997
  • Sidney Poitier: The Defiant One, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • Assassinated: The Last Days of King and Kennedy, TBS, 1998
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Man and the Dream, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
  • Interviewee, Robert F. Kennedy: A Memoir, Discovery Channel, 1998
  • Interviewee, Paul Robeson: Here I Stand, PBS, 1999
  • Scandalize My Name, Stories from the Blacklist, Starz!, 1999
  • The 30th NAACP Image Awards, 1999
  • Interviewee, Stand and Be Counted, TLC, 2000
  • Presenter, Essence Awards 2000, 2000
  • The 10th Annual IFP Gotham Awards, 2000
  • Episodic
  • Stage '67, ABC, 1967
  • Himself, The Muppet Show, 1978
  • Live! Dick Clark Presents, ABC, 1988
  • The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, CBS, 1988
  • Voice of the Magic Man, "Jack and the Beanstalk," Happily Ever After:Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
  • Also appeared in Sesame Street.
  • Television Work
  • Movies
  • Executive producer, The Affair, HBO, 1995
  • Miniseries
  • Executive producer, Parting the Waters, 2000
  • Specials
  • Producer, Harry and Lena, ABC, 1970
  • Executive producer, Harry Belafonte: Don't Stop the Carnival,HBO, 1985
  • Executive producer, An Evening with Harry Belafonte & Friends,PBS, 1997
  • Television Producer
  • Other
  • The Strolling '20s, 1965
  • A Time for Laughter, ABC, 1967
  • Stage Appearances
  • (Broadway debut) John Murray Anderson's Almanac, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1953
  • Three for Tonight, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1955
  • Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982
  • Parade of Stars Playing the Palace, Palace Theatre, New York City,1983
  • Made stage debut in Juno and the Paycock, American Negro Theater.
  • Stage Work
  • Producer, To Be Young Gifted and Black, 1969
  • Coproducer, Asinamal!, Jack Lawrence Theatre, New York City, 1987
  • Cabaret Appearances
  • Royal Roost Nightclub, New York City, 1950
  • Village Vanguard, New York City, 1950
  • Golden Nugget, Atlantic City, NJ, and Las Vegas, NV, 1985-1986
  • RECORDINGS
  • Albums
  • Mark Twain, RCA, 1954
  • Calypso, RCA, 1956
  • Belafonte, RCA, 1956
  • An Evening with Belafonte, RCA, 1957
  • Harry Belafonte Songs of the Caribbean, RCA, 1957
  • Belafonte Sings the Blues, RCA, 1958
  • Love Is a Gentle Thing, RCA, 1959
  • (With Lena Horne) Porgy and Bess, RCA, 1959
  • Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, RCA, 1959
  • My Lord What a Mornin', RCA, 1960
  • Swing Dat Hammer, RCA, 1960
  • Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall, RCA, 1960
  • Jump Up Calypso, RCA, 1961
  • To Wish You a Merry Christmas, RCA, 1962
  • Midnight Special, RCA, 1962
  • The Many Moods of Belafonte, RCA, 1962
  • Streets I Have Walked, RCA, 1963
  • Belafonte at the Greek Theater, RCA, 1964
  • Ballads, Blues, and Boasters, RCA, 1964
  • (With Miriam Makeba) An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba, RCA, 1965
  • (With Nana Mouskouri) An Evening with Belafonte/Mouskouri, RCA, 1966
  • In My Quiet Room, RCA, 1966
  • Calypso in Brass, RCA, 1967
  • Belafonte on Campus, RCA, 1967
  • Belafonte Sings of Love, RCA, 1968
  • Homeward Bound, RCA, 1970
  • Belafonte by Request, RCA, 1970
  • Belafonte Warm Touch, RCA, 1971
  • This Is Belafonte, RCA, 1971
  • Don't Stop the Carnival, RCA, 1972
  • Play Me, RCA, 1973
  • Turn the World Around, Columbia Records, 1977
  • Loving You Is Where I Belong, Columbia Records, 1981
  • Paradise in Gazankulu, EMI, 1988
  • Harry Belafonte: All Time Greatest Hits, RCA, 1988, volumes 2 and3, 1989
  • Belafonte '89, EMI, 1989
  • Belafonte '89 (abridged version), EMI, 1990
  • Also recorded Pure Gold, RCA.
  • Singles
  • We Are the World, 1985
  • Videos
  • Himself, We Are the World: The Video Event, 1985
  • WRITINGS
  • Film Songs
  • David Boyeur, Island in the Sun, 1957
  • (Additional music) Beat Street, 1984
  • The Muppet Christmas Carol, 1992
  • Suedsee, Eigene Insel, 1999
  • Songs
  • (With Millard Thomas) "Suzanne (Ev'ry Night When the Sun Goes Down),"1952
  • (With Irving Burgie) "Island in the Sun," 1956
  • "Cocoanut Woman," 1957
  • (With Alan Greene and Malvina Reynolds) "Turn Around," 1958
  • Also wrote (with William Attaway and Norman Luboff) "Jump Down, Spin Around."

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books:
    • Fogelson, Genia, Harry Belafonte, September, 1996, Holloway, 1980.
    • Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 4, Gale Research, 1993.
    • Contemporary Musicians, Volume 8, Gale Research, 1992.
    • Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 20, 2000.
    • Notable Black American Men, Gale Research, 1998.
    Periodicals:
    • Ebony, p. 30.
    • Life, February 4, 1966 .