Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier

Acting
Born 1927-02-20 - Died 2022-01-06Miami, Florida, USA

Biography

Sidney Poitier KBE (February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was a Bahamian and American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he became the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, for Lilies of the Field. Other accolades include two competitive Golden Globe Awards, a competitive British Academy of Film and Television Arts award (BAFTA), and a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album. Major films featuring Poitier in a starring role include Blackboard Jungle (1955), The Defiant Ones (1958), To Sir, with Love (1967), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Sneakers (1992), and The Jackal (1997). Later in his career, he turned to directing with features such as Buck and the Preacher (1972), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Stir Crazy (1980), and Ghost Dad (1990). At the time of his death, Poitier was one of the last major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.

Movies (84)

The Jackal
6.4

The Jackal

1997Movie6.4
Sneakers
6.9

Sneakers

1992Movie6.9
In the Heat of the Night
7.7

In the Heat of the Night

1967Movie7.7
The Greatest Story Ever Told
6.4

The Greatest Story Ever Told

1965Movie6.4
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
7.6

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

1967Movie7.6
To Sir, with Love
7.4

To Sir, with Love

1967Movie7.4
Sidney
7.0

Sidney

2022Movie7.0
Paris Blues
6.5

Paris Blues

1961Movie6.5
A Raisin in the Sun
7.7

A Raisin in the Sun

1961Movie7.7
The Bedford Incident
7.0

The Bedford Incident

1965Movie7.0
The Defiant Ones
7.1

The Defiant Ones

1958Movie7.1
Shoot to Kill
6.6

Shoot to Kill

1988Movie6.6
Blackboard Jungle
6.9

Blackboard Jungle

1955Movie6.9
Night of 100 Stars II
6.8

Night of 100 Stars II

1985Movie6.8
The Organization
6.3

The Organization

1971Movie6.3
Lilies of the Field
7.2

Lilies of the Field

1963Movie7.2
A Patch of Blue
7.6

A Patch of Blue

1965Movie7.6
They Call Me Mister Tibbs!
5.9

They Call Me Mister Tibbs!

1970Movie5.9
To Sir, with Love II
6.4

To Sir, with Love II

1996Movie6.4
The Red Ball Express
6.0

The Red Ball Express

1952Movie6.0
No Way Out
6.9

No Way Out

1950Movie6.9
The Wilby Conspiracy
6.4

The Wilby Conspiracy

1975Movie6.4
Duel at Diablo
6.4

Duel at Diablo

1966Movie6.4
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
6.8

Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

2007Movie6.8
Little Nikita
6.1

Little Nikita

1988Movie6.1
Band of Angels
6.3

Band of Angels

1957Movie6.3
The Slender Thread
7.1

The Slender Thread

1965Movie7.1
Edge of the City
7.2

Edge of the City

1957Movie7.2
Paul Newman: The Restless
7.5

Paul Newman: The Restless

2023Movie7.5
Porgy and Bess
6.3

Porgy and Bess

1959Movie6.3
Uptown Saturday Night
6.2

Uptown Saturday Night

1974Movie6.2
The Long Ships
6.1

The Long Ships

1964Movie6.1
Buck and the Preacher
6.3

Buck and the Preacher

1972Movie6.3
Nationtime: Gary
8.0

Nationtime: Gary

1972Movie8.0
Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist
8.3

Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist

1998Movie8.3
Hollywood Legenden
4.5

Hollywood Legenden

2004Movie4.5
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
7.7

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

1988Movie7.7
A Warm December
6.5

A Warm December

1973Movie6.5
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
7.3

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

1970Movie7.3
Pressure Point
6.5

Pressure Point

1962Movie6.5
The Resurrection of Christ

The Resurrection of Christ

2026Movie
For Love of Ivy
6.2

For Love of Ivy

1968Movie6.2
The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn
8.3

The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn

1986Movie8.3
The Lost Man
4.3

The Lost Man

1969Movie4.3
Poitier's Walter Lee

Poitier's Walter Lee

2018Movie
Sepia Cinderella
5.2

Sepia Cinderella

1947Movie5.2
Remembering Gene Wilder
7.3

Remembering Gene Wilder

2024Movie7.3
Virgin Island
6.3

Virgin Island

1959Movie6.3
Let's Do It Again
7.0

Let's Do It Again

1975Movie7.0
David and Lisa
6.0

David and Lisa

1998Movie6.0
Mr. SOUL!
7.0

Mr. SOUL!

2018Movie7.0
Something of Value
5.5

Something of Value

1957Movie5.5
Good-bye, My Lady
7.8

Good-bye, My Lady

1956Movie7.8
The Mark of the Hawk
3.4

The Mark of the Hawk

1957Movie3.4
The Making of ‘Sneakers’
7.5

The Making of ‘Sneakers’

2003Movie7.5
Separate but Equal
6.5

Separate but Equal

1991Movie6.5
Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick
7.8

Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick

1995Movie7.8
Mandela and de Klerk
7.0

Mandela and de Klerk

1997Movie7.0
A Piece of the Action
5.8

A Piece of the Action

1977Movie5.8
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
6.7

Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light

2000Movie6.7
Sidney Poitier - The Man Who Changed Hollywood
3.6

Sidney Poitier - The Man Who Changed Hollywood

2023Movie3.6
The Last Brickmaker in America
8.0

The Last Brickmaker in America

2001Movie8.0
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
6.2

The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn

1999Movie6.2
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
6.5

Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback

2023Movie6.5
I Love Quincy

I Love Quincy

1984Movie
Free of Eden
9.7

Free of Eden

1999Movie9.7
Go Man Go
5.4

Go Man Go

1954Movie5.4
Sing Your Song
6.9

Sing Your Song

2012Movie6.9
Brother John
6.5

Brother John

1971Movie6.5
A Star Without a Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story

A Star Without a Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story

2022Movie
The Madding Crowd

The Madding Crowd

2017Movie
Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley
6.7

Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley

2013Movie6.7
Quincy Jones: In the Pocket
10.0

Quincy Jones: In the Pocket

2001Movie10.0
Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist
7.3

Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist

1979Movie7.3
Martin Luther King and the March on Washington
10.0

Martin Luther King and the March on Washington

2013Movie10.0
The Strolling '20s

The Strolling '20s

1966Movie
All the Young Men
6.7

All the Young Men

1960Movie6.7
Cry, the Beloved Country
6.3

Cry, the Beloved Country

1951Movie6.3
Afro Promo
8.0

Afro Promo

1997Movie8.0
Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart
6.2

Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart

2017Movie6.2
Richard Widmark: Strength of Characters

Richard Widmark: Strength of Characters

2000Movie
Three Young Americans in Search of Survival

Three Young Americans in Search of Survival

1969Movie
A Cinderella Named Elizabeth
6.5

A Cinderella Named Elizabeth

1965Movie6.5
A Man Is Ten Feet Tall

A Man Is Ten Feet Tall

1955Movie

TV Shows (20)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962Series7.5
The Mike Douglas Show
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show

1961Series5.8
Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards

1944Series7.0
The Merv Griffin Show
6.8

The Merv Griffin Show

1962Series6.8
The Philco Television Playhouse
6.6

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948Series6.6
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956Series
Film '72
5.1

Film '72

1971Series5.1
Omnibus
7.0

Omnibus

1952Series7.0
Omnibus
7.2

Omnibus

1967Series7.2
The Dick Cavett Show
6.8

The Dick Cavett Show

1968Series6.8
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
7.5

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

1957Series7.5
The Oscars
7.0

The Oscars

1953Series7.0
The Kennedy Center Honors
7.4

The Kennedy Center Honors

1978Series7.4
Cinépanorama
8.7

Cinépanorama

1956Series8.7
ABC Stage 67
6.8

ABC Stage 67

1966Series6.8
Hollywood Black
3.0

Hollywood Black

2024Series3.0
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
6.3

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

1973Series6.3
Kraft Television Theatre
10.0

Kraft Television Theatre

1953Series10.0
Children of the Dust
7.1

Children of the Dust

1995Series7.1
Separate but Equal
6.0

Separate but Equal

1991Series6.0