Sidney Petier's Childhood
Sidney Poitier was born February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida. He a premature baby by two and a half months. His parents Evelyn and Reginald James Poitier were Bahamians on vacation in Miami Florida at the time of his birth. They went back to the Bahamas when he was strong enough. His early years were spent there on his father tomato farm on Cat Island. At the age of ten his father’s tomato farm failed and they moved to Nassau.
In Nassau, he got in trouble a lot. As a result, he was sent to the united states to live with his brother. At the age of sixteen, Poitier went to New York City, supporting himself as a dish washer. When he saw an ad in the Amsterdam news he went to audition at the American Negro Theater. Frederick O’Neal, cofounder of
the theater gave him a script to audition with. He was rejected, thrown out, and told, “stop wasting people's time! Why don't you get yourself a job as a dishwasher?” (He sure proved him wrong.) Poitier was a prideful man and he was determined to be an actor.
Poitier continued his job and practiced to become a marvelous actor. Over many months, an elderly Jewish lady taught him how to read. Persistent, he went back to the American Negro Theater and persuaded the director to give him acting lessons in exchange for his janitorial service. The director agreed. Poitier became Harry Belafonte’s understudy in the play Days of Our Youth. One night he played the role and gained another role in Lysistrata, a Greek comedy. He was nervous, stated the wrong lines, and ran off the stage. For that brief moment, he played it so delightful he gained more roles.
In 1950 Poitier was featured in No Way Out. He played Dr. Luther Brooks, a black doctor who was assigned to play two racist white brothers. He was recognized by filmmakers from the play. Through-out the 1950s Poitier played in Cry, the Defiant One and Porgy and Bess. In the 1960s, he played a role in The Raisin in the Sun and the 1966 production Lilies in the Field. By this role he became the first black academy award winner for best actors. By 1967, Poitier was playing in To Sir with Love, and In the Heat of the Night. He also played in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! This movie was put into television series. He was not in those.
In the late 1960, he was “under fire” because he was not politically radical. He then decided to live in the Bahamas until it was less heated. In 1974 Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier Buck and the Preacher. By 1974 they played in Uptown Saturday Night with Bill Cosby.
In the 1980s, Sidney Poitier directed the comedy Stir Crazy. He then stopped acting until 1988 when he played in Shoot and Kill and Little Nikita. In 1995s, he played in the western drama Children of the Dust. In 1996s, he played in To Sir With Love II and the 1997 Showtime docudrama Mandela and de Klerk. The
Mandela and de Klerk was about Mandala the South African anti-apartheid who was sent to prison on Robben Island. It was also about his struggle to end apartheid and win freedom for the black majority in South Africa. By 2000 Poitier continued with directing and acting. He also wrote the book Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter.
In 1997, he was asked to serve as the Bahamas' Ambassador to Japan. The whole world is better cause of him because. He gave entertainment and laughter to people and showed that you can achieve your goals. He overcame the critics and growing up in a time when it was racial. He shows that if you put your mind to it you can achieve your goals.
In Nassau, he got in trouble a lot. As a result, he was sent to the united states to live with his brother. At the age of sixteen, Poitier went to New York City, supporting himself as a dish washer. When he saw an ad in the Amsterdam news he went to audition at the American Negro Theater. Frederick O’Neal, cofounder of
the theater gave him a script to audition with. He was rejected, thrown out, and told, “stop wasting people's time! Why don't you get yourself a job as a dishwasher?” (He sure proved him wrong.) Poitier was a prideful man and he was determined to be an actor.
Poitier continued his job and practiced to become a marvelous actor. Over many months, an elderly Jewish lady taught him how to read. Persistent, he went back to the American Negro Theater and persuaded the director to give him acting lessons in exchange for his janitorial service. The director agreed. Poitier became Harry Belafonte’s understudy in the play Days of Our Youth. One night he played the role and gained another role in Lysistrata, a Greek comedy. He was nervous, stated the wrong lines, and ran off the stage. For that brief moment, he played it so delightful he gained more roles.
In 1950 Poitier was featured in No Way Out. He played Dr. Luther Brooks, a black doctor who was assigned to play two racist white brothers. He was recognized by filmmakers from the play. Through-out the 1950s Poitier played in Cry, the Defiant One and Porgy and Bess. In the 1960s, he played a role in The Raisin in the Sun and the 1966 production Lilies in the Field. By this role he became the first black academy award winner for best actors. By 1967, Poitier was playing in To Sir with Love, and In the Heat of the Night. He also played in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! This movie was put into television series. He was not in those.
In the late 1960, he was “under fire” because he was not politically radical. He then decided to live in the Bahamas until it was less heated. In 1974 Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier Buck and the Preacher. By 1974 they played in Uptown Saturday Night with Bill Cosby.
In the 1980s, Sidney Poitier directed the comedy Stir Crazy. He then stopped acting until 1988 when he played in Shoot and Kill and Little Nikita. In 1995s, he played in the western drama Children of the Dust. In 1996s, he played in To Sir With Love II and the 1997 Showtime docudrama Mandela and de Klerk. The
Mandela and de Klerk was about Mandala the South African anti-apartheid who was sent to prison on Robben Island. It was also about his struggle to end apartheid and win freedom for the black majority in South Africa. By 2000 Poitier continued with directing and acting. He also wrote the book Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter.
In 1997, he was asked to serve as the Bahamas' Ambassador to Japan. The whole world is better cause of him because. He gave entertainment and laughter to people and showed that you can achieve your goals. He overcame the critics and growing up in a time when it was racial. He shows that if you put your mind to it you can achieve your goals.