SIDNEY POITIER (1927 - 2022)

Sidney Poitier, who became Hollywood's first Black movie star and the first to receive an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, has passed away on January 6th at the age of ninety-four. This groundbreaking performer was also deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement and humanitarian and diplomatic service. With a low-key demeanor and natural charm, Poitier commanded the screen with remarkable skill and effortless grace, making him one of the greatest of screen actors.

Although his family lived in the Bahamas, Poitier was born in Miami due to his parents being in the US while traveling, giving him citizenship. He grew up on Cat Island before the family moved to Nassau. As a teen, Poitier began to exhibit some bad behavior and fearing that he was heading for serious trouble, his parents sent him off to live with his older brother in Miami. Since Jim Crow laws were in full effect at this time, Poitier's first experience with enforced racial segregation was jarring to him and would push back against this system whenever he could.

But he soon left Florida and headed to New York, struggling to make a living with several odd jobs. Lying about his age, the sixteen year old Poitier joined the army during WWII and worked as an orderly at a veterans hospital on Long Island. This job became too much for him and pretended to be mentally ill in order to be discharged. Back in the City, he attempted to join the American Negro Theater but was rejected due to his heavy West Indian accent and lack of theatrical skills. Poitier worked hard to rid himself of his accent and six months later, auditioned again and was accepted.

Poitier worked regularly on stage before Hollywood came calling with Darryl F. Zanuck offering him a role in the film, "No Way Out" in 1950. His performance as a doctor who tries to treat a Caucasian bigot (Richard Widmark) earned him notice and more work. The actor's breakout would be in a supporting role as a rebellious student in "Blackboard Jungle", the 1955 social drama about teachers working in an inner-city school. Glenn Ford starred and the film is notable for the use of rock & roll in it's soundtrack. He teamed up with Tony Curtis for another film dealing with racial politics in Stanley Kramer's "The Defiant Ones" in 1958. The story of two escaped prisoners who are shackled together and must work together in order to survive was a critical and box-office success, earning Poitier his first Academy Award nomination and became the first Black actor to ever receive the honor. Poitier returned to the stage as an original cast member of the 1959 Broadway production of "A Raisin in the Sun" and would later star in the film version in 1961.

Poitier would come back to the screen in the films, "Porgy and Bess" and "Paris Blues" before winning the Oscar in 1963 for his role in "Lilies of the Field". His subsequent work in "Patch of Blue", "To Sir With Love", "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" would make Poitier a major movie star. 

After the director, Joseph Sargent dropped out, Poitier moved behind the camera to direct his first feature film, "Buck and the Preacher", a western made in 1972 which he co-starred with his friend, Harry Belafonte. He would direct and co-star in the comedies, "Uptown Saturday Night", "Let's Do It Again" and "A Piece of the Action". His most successful film as a director was the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder 1980 comedy, "Stir Crazy". 

Poitier's later work as an actor-for-hire would include "Shoot to Kill", "Sneakers" and "The Jackal" in 1997 which would be his final role in a theatrical movie. He would appear in several television movies and miniseries throughout the 1990's including "Separate but Equal", "To Sir, with Love II" (directed by Peter Bogdanovich), and "Mandela and de Klerk".

As an actor of many "firsts",  the achievements of Sidney Poitier tended to be viewed as a symbol of how far this country had come. And while that was not a complete nor accurate assessment, the actor did help show that success in Hollywood was possible while being able to maintain your dignity and have some control over your career. Poitier helped to open doors for other African-Americans performers, giving them the opportunity to create and display their talents. Throughout his life, Sidney Poitier has remained a symbol of class, excellence and positivity. He will be missed but his great talent and compassionate spirit will never be forgotten.