Wissenswertes

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

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 film's gross from the first ticket sold.

His performance as Detective Virgil Tibbs in In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) is ranked #19 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains.

Speaks Russian fluently.

Along with Gary Cooper, is the most represented actor on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time, with five of his films on the list. They are: Ein Fleck in der Sonne (1961) at #65, Flucht in Ketten (1958) at #55, Lilien auf dem Felde (1963) at #46, Rat mal, wer zum Essen kommt (1967) at #35, and In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) at #21.

He was awarded an honorary knighthood of the Order of the British Empire in 1974. As an honorary knight, he is not entitled to call himself or to be known as "Sir Sidney Poitier" but he may use the postnomials (KBE or K.B.E.) if he so chooses.

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

His performance as Virgil Tibbs in In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) is ranked #20 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

Prostate cancer survivor.

Received the Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award.

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 Lilien auf dem Felde (1963). The first black man to win an Academy Award was James Baskett (although an Honorary Award) for his role in Onkel Remus' Wunderland (1946).

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 Der Haß ist blind (1950), he lied to director Joseph L. Mankiewicz and told him he was 27, when actually only 22 years old.

Despite starring in three of his greatest critical and commercial successes all in the same year (Rat mal, wer zum Essen kommt (1967), In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) and Junge Dornen (1967)) Poitier was not a Best Actor Oscar nominee for 1967. One theory is that votes were split among all three performances, with no single title getting enough ballots for him to be nominated.

In November 1943, 16-year-old Sidney Poitier lied about his age and entered the Army as he was homeless and the military took him in out of the cold. He served as a medical attendant at a mental hospital in New York. Disliking Army life, Poitier attempted to fake insanity in an attempt to get discharged. After he was threatened with shock therapy treatments, he admitted to lying about his age. After several weeks of Army-mandated therapy sessions, he was discharged from the Army under Section VIII.

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.

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

His role in Zwischenfall im Atlantik (1965) marked the first time he would play a role in which his character's race was not an issue.

Stanley Kramer approached him about co-starring in Flucht in Ketten (1958), which made him a bigger star, but admitted that if he did not take the role of "Porgy" in Porgy und Bess (1959) for Samuel Goldwyn it might kill his chances to get the role in Flucht in Ketten (1958) as Goldwyn had that much clout in Hollywood.

Future wife Joanna Shimkus encouraged him to direct his first film, Der Weg der Verdammten (1972), after he and the original director could not agree creatively.

His Zwei wahnsinnig starke Typen (1980) was the highest grossing film directed by a black filmmaker until Scary Movie (2000), directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans almost 20 years later.

He was working as a dishwasher when he decided to audition for the American Negro Theatre. He read so poorly, one of the directors said, "Why don't you give up trying to act and get a job washing dishes or something?" Poitier said to himself, "How did he know I was a dishwasher?".

Longtime friends with fellow actor and activist Harry Belafonte. They were born nine days apart. They met in New York at age 20 before either was in show business.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1960 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "A Raisin in the Sun", a role that he recreated in the film version of the same name, Ein Fleck in der Sonne (1961).

Member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company. (1998)

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

He has appeared in four films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Flucht in Ketten (1958), Lilien auf dem Felde (1963), In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) and Rat mal, wer zum Essen kommt (1967). In the Heat of the Night won in the category.

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 Lilien auf dem Felde (1963) at The 36th Annual Academy Awards (1964).

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 Poitier's son. Playwright John Guare, fascinated by the way the story illustrated the magic that the mere mention of Poiter's name held for people of his generation (especially white people), based his play "Six Degrees of Separation" on Hampton's story. The play was adapted into the movie Das Leben - Ein Sechserpack (1993), with Will Smith as the character based upon Hampton.

Premiere magazine ranked him as #20 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).

He has appeared in eight films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Die Saat der Gewalt (1955), Ein Mann besiegt die Angst (1957), Porgy und Bess (1959), Ein Fleck in der Sonne (1961), Lilien auf dem Felde (1963), In der Hitze der Nacht (1967), Rat mal, wer zum Essen kommt (1967) and Samstagnacht oben in der Stadt (1974). He has also directed one film that is in the registry: Uptown Saturday Night.

Sits on USC School of Cinema-Television's Board of Councilors.

His performance as Virgil Tibbs in In der Hitze der Nacht (1967) is ranked #55 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

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

When Sidney won his Best Actor Oscar for Lilien auf dem Felde (1963), the statuette was presented to him by Anne Bancroft (Santa Monica Civic Auditorium / April 13, 1964).

Has an honorary doctorate degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

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

Died on the same day (January 6, 2022) in the same city (Los Angeles) as Peter Bogdanovich, who directed him in To Sir, with Love II (1996).

Actor Carroll O'Connor co-starred in two films starring Sidney Poitier: Flucht in Ketten (1958) and Liebling (1968). O'Connor later headlined the TV series In der Hitze der Nacht (1988), which was based on the Poitier film of the same name.

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

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 1, 1994.

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

At the time of his death, he was the last surviving Oscar nominee as Best Actor from the 1950s, and the last surviving winner from the 1960s.

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

Became a father for the first time at age 25 when his first wife Juanita Hardy gave birth to their daughter Beverly Poitier-Henderson on July 5, 1952.

Has four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. (2008)

In September 2019, he was honored as Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month.

Considered for the male lead for Die Eule und das Kätzchen (1970), opposite Diana Sands, who had played the role of "Doris" on Broadway.

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

Originally turned down the lead in Porgy and Bess fearing that it would show African Americans in a bad light,.

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