Sidney Poitier (1927–2022) was an actor and director. He was best known for his groundbreaking and trailblazing work in the 1950s and 1960s. His breakthrough performances in film include The Defiant Ones (1958), Porgy and Bess (1959), A Raisin in the Sun (1961), Paris Blues (1961), Lilies of the Field (1963), A Patch of Blue (1965), To Sir, with Love, In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (all 1967).
Filmography Actor Year Title Role Notes 1947 Sepia Cinderella Extra Uncredited 1950 No Way Out Dr. Luther Brooks 1951 Cry, the Beloved Country Reverend Msimangu 1952 Red Ball Express Corporal Andrew Robertson 1954 Go Man Go Inman Jackson 1955 Blackboard Jungle Gregory W. Miller 1956 Good-bye, My Lady Gates Watson 1957 Edge of the City Tommy Tyler Something of Value Kimani Band of Angels Rau-Ru Obam 1958 Virgin Island Marcus Noah Cullen 1959 Porgy and Bess Porgy 1960 All the Young Men Sergeant Eddie Towler 1961 Walter Lee Younger Paris Blues Eddie Cook 1962 Pressure Point Doctor 1963 Ali Mansuh Lilies of the Field Homer Smith 1965 Ben Munceford Simon of Cyrene Gordon Ralfe Alan Newell 1966 Duel at Diablo Toller 1967 To Sir, with Love Mark Thackeray In the Heat of the Night Detective Virgil Tibbs Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Dr. John Wade Prentice 1968 For Love of Ivy Jack Parks 1969 Jason Higgs 1970 They Call Me Mister Tibbs! Virgil Tibbs 1971 Brother John John Kane Virgil Tibbs 1972 Buck and the Preacher Buck Also Director 1973 Matt Younger Also Director 1974 Uptown Saturday Night Steve Jackson Also Director 1975 Shack Twala Let's Do it Again Clyde Williams Also Director 1977 Manny DurrellAlso Director 1979 Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist The Narrator Short subject 1988 Shoot to Kill FBI Agent Warren Stantin Little Nikita Roy Parmenter 1991 Separate but Equal Thurgood Marshall Television film 1992 Sneakers Donald Crease 1995 Children of the Dust Gypsy Smith 2 episodes 1996 To Sir, with Love II Mark Thackeray Television film 1997 Mandela and de Klerk Nelson Mandela FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston 1998 Free of Eden Will CleamonsTelevision film David and Lisa Dr. Jack Miller 1999 The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Noah Dearborn 2001 The Last Brickmaker in America Henry Cobb
Documentary appearances From Whence Cometh My Help (1949) King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970) (Narrator) (1994) (1996) Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey (2001) (Narrator) (2004) Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (2008) Sidney (2022)
Director Buck and the Preacher (1972) (Also uncredited as producer) (1973) Uptown Saturday Night (1974) Let's Do it Again (1975) (1977) Stir Crazy (1980) Hanky Panky (1982) Fast Forward (1985) Ghost Dad (1990)
Television Performer Year Title Notes 1952 CBS Television Workshop Episode: Careless Love Omnibus Episode: The Trial of Anne Boleyn
Talk show appearances Year Title Notes 1962 The Jack Paar Tonight Show 1 episode 1969 The Mike Douglas Show 1972 The Dick Cavett Show The New Bill Cosby Show 1975 The Merv Griffin Show 1979 The Mike Douglas Show 2000–2007 The Oprah Winfrey Show 5 episodes 2008 Larry King Live 1 episode
Stage Actor + Year Title Role Venue(s) 1946LysistrataPolydorusBelasco Theatre, Broadway 1947Anna LucastaLesterNational Theater, Broadway 1947-1948North American tour 1948The FishermanHenryAmerican Negro Theatre, New York 1950Longitude '49BrooksNew Playwrights, New York 1959A Raisin in the SunWalter Lee YoungerEthel Barrymore Theater, Broadway
Director 1968: Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights - Golden Theatre, Broadway
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