Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE is a famous Bahamian actor, director and diplomat who rose to prominence in the 1950’s for his films which dealt with the issues of Racism against the black community. Poitier has starred in several successful films such as ‘Lilies of the Field’, ‘To Sir, with Love’, ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ and its sequels. He has also directed films like ‘A Piece of the Action’, ‘Let’s Do It Again’ and ‘Uptown Saturday Night’.
Poitier has been felicitated with several awards in a career spanning over six decades. He became the first Black actor and the first actor from Bahamas to win an Academy Award for his work in ‘Lilies of the Field’. In 1997, he was conferred with an Honorary Academy Award for “remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being. In 1974, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Poitier r. He also received the highest civilian honour of USA, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2009.
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Early Life and Education
Poitier was born on 20 February 1927 in Miami, Florida, USA as the youngest of the eight children born to Bahamian farmers Evelyn and Reginald James Poitier. The Poitiers were in Miami when he was born two months prematurely. He was nursed in Miami after which his parents moved back to Bahamas. He is of French and Haitian descent.
Poitier was raised on Cat Island till he was 10 years old after which his family moved to Nassau. Poitier and his seven brothers were raised as Roman Catholics, but he later became agnostic. He moved to USA at age 15 and settled in New York City at age 16, doing odd jobs. Poitier was not formally educated and was taught to read from a waiter at his dishwashing job. He served as a mental hospital attendant in the US Army during World War II and feigned insanity to get discharged. Poitier began his acting career after auditioning for a role with the American Negro Theatre.
Sidney Poitier – Young Pictures
Career Rise
Poitier made his Broadway debut with ‘Lysistrata’ for which he earned rave critical acclaim. and started receiving film offers. He gained prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Luther Brooks. Poitier then appeared in supporting roles in several films in the early 1950’s and received his breakthrough with the 1955 social commentary film ‘Blackboard Jungle’ in which he played an anti-social student named Gregory Miller. Poitier received his first BAFTA nomination for the 1957 film ‘Edge of the City’. He also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and won the BAFTA for his portrayal of escaped Prisoner Noah Cullen in the 1958 film ‘The Defiant Ones’.
In 1961, Poitier appeared as Walter Lee Younger in the drama ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ which earned him a BAFTA and Golden Globe nomination. Poitier won his First Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of Homer Smith in the 1963 film ‘Lilies of the Field’. Poitier ‘s next appearance in the 1965 film ‘A Patch of Blues’ won him great critical acclaim, while also starring in the hit film ‘To Sir, With Love’. From 1967-71, Poitier played Det. Virgil Tibbs in the trilogy films ‘In the Heat of the Night’, ‘They call me MISTER Tibbs!’ and ‘The Organization’. Poitier made his directorial debut with the 1972 film ‘Buck and the Preacher’ in which he also starred. From 1997-2007, Poitier served as the Ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan and the Ambassador of the Bahamas to UNESCO.
Sidney Poitier – Wife
Poitier has been married twice. Poitier first married Juanita Hardy in April 1950. The couple became parents to four daughters together named Beverly, Pamela, Sherri and Gina. They divorced after fifteen years of marriage in 1965.
Poitier the married former actress Joanna Shimkus from Canada in January 1976. He fathered two more daughters with her actresses Anika Poitier and Sydney Tamiia.
Net Worth
Poitier has an estimated net worth of approximately $25 M