Contents
Sidney Poitier
Becoming the first Black winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Lilies of the Field · In the Heat of the Night
- Born
- 20 February 1927
- Birthplace
- Miami, Florida, United States
- Died
- 6 January 2022
More people
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier was a Bahamian-American actor and director whose leading roles challenged Hollywood’s racial limits.
Early life
Bahamas
Grew up on Cat Island and in Nassau.
New York
Worked ordinary jobs while developing his acting with the American Negro Theatre.
Career
- 1940s–1950s
Stage and film
Moved from theatre into screen roles.
- 1960s
Leading actor
Became a major star in films confronting social divisions.
- 1970s onward
Direction
Directed films while continuing selected acting work.
Selected films
Lilies of the Field
His performance won the 1964 Best Actor Oscar.
In the Heat of the Night
Played detective Virgil Tibbs.
To Sir, with Love
Played a teacher in a London school.
Beyond work
Civil rights
Supported the US civil-rights movement.
Diplomacy
Served as the Bahamas’ ambassador to Japan.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Academy Awards: 1964 ↗Photo: Unknown photographer. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
