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red dog 1

(27,857 posts) Tue Feb 20, 2018, 06:31 PM Feb 2018

Today is Sidney Poitier's birthday

Sidney Poitier was born February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida while his Bahamian parents were visiting.
His birth was two months premature and he was not expected to survive, but his parents remained in Miami for three months to nurse him to health.

In 1943, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Army during World War ll.
He only served briefly as a mental hospital attendant and feigned insanity to get discharged, after which he worked as a dishwasher until a successful audition landed him a spot with the American Negro Theater.

Poitier was the first male actor of Bahamian descent to be nominated for an Academy Award, for "The Defiant Ones" (1958).
He was also the first actor of Bahamian descent to win the Academy Award, for "Lilies of the Fields' in 1963.

In 1967, he was the most successful draw at the box office, the commercial peak of his career, with three popular films, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner".."To Sir, with Love"...and
"In the Heat of the Night"

Poitier directed several films, the most successful being the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder comedy "Stir Crazy"..which for many years was the highest-grossing film directed by a person of African descent.

He has been married to Joanna Shimkus, a Canadian former actress of Lithuanian-Jewish and Irish descent, since January 23, 1976.
He has four daughters with his first wife, Juanita, and two with his second.
In addition to his six daughters, Poitier has eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

8 replies

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Highlight:

Today is Sidney Poitier's birthday (Original Post) red dog 1 Feb 2018 OP

"A Patch of Blue" Nictuku Feb 2018 #1

I got to meet him once DFW Feb 2018 #2

Thanks for that story red dog 1 Feb 2018 #8

Happy Birthday Mr. Poitier! Va Lefty Feb 2018 #3

Love him Catherine Vincent Feb 2018 #4

They don't come any classier. Boomerproud Feb 2018 #5

I discovered Pressure Point from 1962 a few months ago TexasBushwhacker Feb 2018 #6

Great actor. n/t malthaussen Feb 2018 #7

Nictuku

(3,617 posts)

1. "A Patch of Blue"

Reply to red dog 1 (Original post)

Tue Feb 20, 2018, 06:39 PM

Feb 2018

One of my favorite movies "A Patch of Blue" was played on TCM over the weekend.

I remember seeing it (on the TV) as a child and it was the first time I had ever considered what it must be like to be someone else. What it must be like to be blind. I remember closing my eyes and trying to see if I could get across the room.

It effected me so much that I still remember it.

Interestingly, the racism that was exposed in the movie didn't stick with me as much as trying to understand what a blind person must be going through. I can only think that I didn't understand that part of the film, being young and innocent. And I was blessed by being raised by non-racists, so it wasn't part of my world (yet).

Sidney Poitier is an amazing actor. I highly respect that man.

DFW

(54,443 posts)

2. I got to meet him once

Reply to red dog 1 (Original post)

Tue Feb 20, 2018, 06:46 PM

Feb 2018

It was at a World's Fair. I forget whether it was New York or Montreal. My dad was invited to some VIP lounge and Sidney Poitier was there with his first wife and their children. He was as nice and gracious as he could be, a real prince of a guy.