Sidney Poitier

Former brother-in-law of light-heavyweight champion Archie Moore.

In 1963 he became the first black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role for his role as Homer Smith in Lilies of the Field . The first black man to win an Academy Award was James Baskett (although an Honorary Award) for his role in Song of the South.

When he came to New York from the Caribbean to become an actor, he was so impoverished at first that he slept in the bus station. To get his first major role in No Way Out , he lied to director Joseph L. Mankiewicz and told him he was 27, when actually only 22 years old.

Sits on USC School of Cinema-Televisions Board of Councilors.

Stanley Kramer approached him about co-starring in The Defiant Ones , which made him a bigger star, but admitted that if he did not take the role of "Porgy" in Porgy and Bess for Samuel Goldwyn it might kill his chances to get the role in The Defiant Ones as Goldwyn had that much clout in Hollywood.

Appointed an Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1974. Although this is often mistaken to have been an honorary knighthood, it is actually a substantive knighthood, as Poitier is a citizen of The Bahamas, a Commonwealth realm which at the time of his appointment recognized the British Honours System. He is thus entitled to be known as Sir Sidney Poitier, but does not himself use this title.

His Stir Crazy was the highest grossing film directed by a black filmmaker until Scary Movie , directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans almost 20 years later.

Of Haitian ancestry from his fathers side.

While trying to sing with some fellow actors in Off-Broadway theatre he found he was tone deaf.

Younger brother of Cyril Poitier.

In the 1960s, for many of his films, he was paid in a way known as "dollar one participation" which basically means he begins collecting a cut of the films gross from the first ticket sold.

Has an honorary doctorate degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Fluent in Russian.

First black actor to place autograph, hand, and footprints in the cement at Graumans Chinese Theatre (June 23, 1967).

Premiere Magazine ranked him as #20 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature.

Was named #22 greatest actor on the 50 Greatest Screen Legends by the American Film Institute

Was nominated for Broadways 1960 Tony Award as Best Actor for "A Raisin in the Sun," a role that he recreated in the film version of the same same, A Raisin in the Sun .

Future wife Joanna Shimkus encouraged him to direct his first film, Buck and the Preacher , after he and the original director could not agree creatively.

His performance as Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night is ranked #55 on Premiere Magazines 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.

His performance as Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night is ranked #20 on Premiere Magazines 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

During the early 1980s a man named David Hampton conned his way into the homes of several wealthy and prominent New Yorkers (including a dean at Columbia University) by falsely claiming to be Poitiers son. Playwright John Guare , fascinated by the way the story illustrated the magic that the mere mention of Poiters name held for people of his generation (especially white people), based his play "Six Degrees of Separation" on Hamptons story. The play was adapted into the movie Six Degrees of Separation in 1993, with Will Smith as the character based upon Hampton.

Along with Gary Cooper , is the most represented actor on the American Film Institutes 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time, with five of his films on the list. They are: A Raisin in the Sun at #65, The Defiant Ones at #55, Lilies of the Field at #46, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner at #35, and In the Heat of the Night at #21.

His performance as Detective Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night is ranked #19 on the American Film Institutes 100 Heroes & Villains.

Along with his name uttered in the lyrics, a photograph of Poitier is held by Busta Rhymes in the 1998 rap video "Gimme Some More".

Received the Screen Actors Guilds Life Achievement Award.

His role in The Bedford Incident marked the first time he would play a role in which his characters race was not an issue.

Considered for the male lead for The Owl and the Pussycat , opposite Diana Sands , who had played the part of "Doris" on Broadway.

Prostate cancer survivor.

Has four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters [2008].

Is a long time friend of singer, fellow actor and activist Harry Belafonte. They were born 9 days apart. They met in New York at age 20 before either was in show business.

Release of the book, "Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon" by Aram Goudsouzian.

Release of his book, "Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter".

Release of the book, "Sidney Poitier" by David Paige.

(April 1997) Appointed as ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan (he was born in the United States but is a citizen of the Bahamas).

Member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company.

Release of the book, "Sidney" by William Hoffman.

Release of the book, "Sidney Poitier" by Carol Bergman.

Release of his book, "The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography".

He was the visual inspiration for the original illustrations of superhero Green Lantern/John Stewart (created in 1971), the first Afro-American to be member of the Corps. Poitier was 44 years old at the time.

Close friends with Richard Widmark.

With the death of Maximilian Schell on February 1, 2014, he is the earliest surviving actor to have won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received his award for playing Homer Smith in Lilies of the Field at The 36th Annual Academy Awards .

When Sidney won his Best Actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field , the statuette was presented to him by Anne Bancroft (Santa Monica Civic Auditorium / April 13, 1964).

Became a father for the 5th time at age 45 when his partner, later 2nd wife, Joanna Shimkus gave birth to their daughter Anika Poitier on February 29, 1972.

Became a father for the 2nd time at age 27 when his 1st wife Juanita Hardy gave birth to their daughter Pamela Poitier on April 12, 1954.

Became a father for the 3rd time at age 29 when his 1st wife Juanita Hardy gave birth to their daughter Sherri Poitier on July 12, 1956.

Became a father for the 1st time at age 25 when his 1st wife Juanita Hardy gave birth to their daughter Beverly Poitier-Henderson on July 4, 1952.

Became a father for the 4th time at age 34 when his 1st wife Juanita Hardy gave birth to their daughter Gina Poitier on May 1, 1961.

Became a father for the 6th time at age 46 when his partner, later 2nd wife, Joanna Shimkus gave birth to their daughter Sydney Tamiia Poitier on November 15, 1973.

Was born nearly two months prematurely.

Is a long time friend of fellow actor and activist Harry Belafonte. They were born 9 days apart. They met in New York at age 20 before either was in show business.

Friends with Ossie Davis , Ruby Dee , Bill Cosby , and Joan Collins.

Actor Carroll OConnor co-starred in two films starring Sidney Poitier: The Defiant Ones and For the Love of Ivy. OConnor later headlined the In the Heat of the Night TV series, which was based on the Poitier film of the same name.

We all suffer from the preoccupation that there exists . . . in the loved,one, perfection.

[saluting film writers and directors, at the Oscars, 2002] They knew the,odds that stood against them. Still those filmmakers persevered,speaking through their art to the best in all of us. And I benefited,from their effort. The industry benefited from their effort. America,benefited from their effort. And, in many ways, the world has also,benefited from their effort.

So much of life, it seems, is determined by pure randomness.

Accept that environment compromises values far more than values do their number on environment.

I had chosen to use my work as a reflection of my values.

To simply wake up every morning a better person than when I went to bed.

I had to satisfy the action fans, the romantic fans, the intellectual fans. It was a terrific burden.

I know how easy it is for one to stay well within moral, ethical, and legal bounds through the skillful use of words - and to thereby spin, sidestep, circumvent, or bend a truth completely out of shape. To that extent, we are all liars on numerous occasions.

But my dad also was a remarkable man, a good person, a principled individual, a man of integrity.