Hollywood trailblazer Sidney Poitier was born Feb. 20, 1927, in Miami to Bahamian parents. After Army service, he joined the American Negro Theater, making a 1946 Broadway debut in "Lysistrata." In 1950, Poitier made his screen debut in No Way Out. Through such 1950s films as Blackboard Jungle and Edge of the City, Poitier built up a strong presence.He scored a breakthrough with 1958's The Defiant Ones, becoming the first black actor to be nominated for a leading-role Academy Award. Five years later, Poitier won the Best Actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field and was a dominant star of the '60s with memorable roles in To Sir, with Love, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night.
He added directing to his resume in the '70s with Uptown Saturday Night and Stir Crazy, among others. Since the '80s, his screen appearances (Sneakers, The Jackal) have been infrequent.
In the Heat of the NightBlack Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs helps a redneck Southern sheriff solve a murder in this riveting study in racism that still strikes a chord. Rod Steiger won a Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the put-upon lawman who comes to respect Tibbs. Read More
The Last Brickmaker in AmericaHaunted by the death of his wife and the obsolescence of his life's work, brickmaker Henry Cobb's (Sidney Poitier) existence is invigorated when he becomes the unexpected mentor to a troubled 13-year-old boy (Cody Newton). Helmed by Gregg Champion, this touching made-for-television drama also stars... Read More
To Sir, with LoveSidney Poitier stars as Mark Thackeray, an engineer by training who reluctantly takes a teaching job in a working-class London high school. His unruly students (played by an impressive group of unknowns) assume they'll easily gain the upper hand. Poitier, of course, has other ideas. Eventually he... Read More
The Simple Life of Noah DearbornSmall-town farmer Noah Dearborn (Sidney Poitier) lives an uncomplicated existence until shady developer Christian Nelson (George Newbern) tries to usurp his family's land. Nelson will do anything to take Noah's property, including hiring a shrink (Mary-Louise Parker) to have him declared insane. But... Read More
A Raisin in the SunSidney Poitier and Ruby Dee shine in this film version of Lorraine Hansberry's play about an inner-city black family. Poitier plays Walter Lee Younger, a chauffeur with a wife (Dee) and family to support. When a financial windfall puts Younger's dream of starting his own business within reach, the... Read More
