Quiz

His album "Midnight Special" (1962) featured the first-ever recorded appearance by a then young harmonica player named Bob Dylan.

In 1968, Belafonte appeared on a Petula Clark TV special on NBC. In the middle of a song, Clark smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm. The show's sponsor, Plymouth Motors, wanted to cut out the segment, but Clark, who had ownership of the special, told NBC that the performance would be shown intact or not at all. American newspapers published articles reporting the controversy and, when the special aired, it grabbed huge ratings.

Was the first African-American man to receive an Emmy Award, with his first solo TV special "Tonight with Belafonte" (1959).

In 1985, he was one of the organizers behind the Grammy Award winning song "We Are the World", a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa, and performed in the Live Aid concert that same year.

Recorded the first million-selling LP album with "Calypso" (RCA: 1956), which started a craze for this traditional Jamaican folk music in the United States.

From 1954-61, Belafonte refused to perform in the American South due to the issues of racism and segregation.

Won Broadway's 1954 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for "John Murray Anderson's Almanac", becoming the first Black performer to receive a Tony Award.

Performed "Turn the World Around" at Jim Henson's memorial service.

Belafonte created controversy in October 2002 when he made disparaging remarks about then-President George W. Bush's African-American Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican. Powell refused to comment or to inflame the situation.

Appeared in the American Negro Theatre play "Days of Our Youth" (1946). His friend Sidney Poitier succeeded Belafonte and was spotted by a talent agent who ignited his Hollywood career. Both actors are activists and long-time friends. Born only nine days apart, they met in New York in 1947, before either was even in show business.

He was a Kennedy Center Honoree (1989), he was awarded the National Medal of Arts (1994), and he won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).

Awarded six Gold Records, Belafonte has received Grammy Awards for the albums "Swing That Hammer" (1960) and "An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba" (1965). The latter album featuring legendary African singer Miriam Makeba dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under apartheid.

Underwent surgery for prostate cancer (1996).

A best-selling artist on RCA Victor records, his most successful albums with the label have included "Calypso", "Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean", "Belafonte at Carnegie Hall", "Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall", "Jump Up Calypso", "My Lord, What a Mornin'", "Belafonte at the Greek Theater", "The Midnight Special", "Streets I Have Walked", "Belefonte Sings of Love" and "Homeward Bound".

Served in the United States Navy.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6721 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Appeared on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) and performed a controversial "Mardi Gras" number with footage intercut from the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. CBS censors deleted the entire segment from the program.

Attended George Washington High School in New York City, where he was on the track team.

He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C. (1994).

Within 8 years, Belafonte had survived both health crises, in between prostate cancer and a stroke, which took away his inner-ear balance. Just 4 years before his death, he was blind.

An admirer and personal friend of Cuban President Fidel Castro.

Vocal, public supporter -- along with Susan Sarandon and Cynthia Nixon, among many other celebrities -- of Democrat Bill de Blasio for Mayor of New York City. De Blasio won that city's 2013 mayoral election.

Took classes at the New School for Social Research under the GI Bill. His classmates included Rod Steiner, Elaine Stritch, Walter Matthau, Wally Cox and Marlon Brando.

A veteran critic of U.S. foreign policy, his controversial political statements on this subject have included opposing the U.S. embargo on Cuba, praising Soviet peace initiatives, attacking the U.S. invasion of Grenada, praising the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, honoring Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, praising Fidel Castro, and condemning President George W. Bush's administration and the Iraq War. In a Martin Luther King Day speech at Duke University in 2006, Belafonte compared the American government to the 9/11 terrorists.

Upon his death, he really did not want a funeral, but decided to have a celebration of life, at the Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts in New York City.

At age 17, Belafonte dropped out of George Washington High School, in New York City, in 1944, to join the U.S. Army.

Had met Diana Ross, when she was 21, and had been friends, for 58 years, between 1965 until his death in 2023. When Ross's band The Supremes were supposed to make a TV appearance, it was Belafonte who went backstage to meet the group, just in time.

Friends with Jesse Williams.

Between 1979 and 1989, Belafonte served as Board of Directors for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Harry Belafonte was the only performer, who sang for 75 years, whose tunes were calypso, and was one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), although he won the Oscar in a non-competitive category.

His ashes were sprinkled into the Caribbean Sea off the coasts of both Martinique and Jamaica.

His parents were, Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., was a chef, and Melvine (née Love) Wright, was a housekeeper.

Has two great-grandchildren: Isabella and Gabriel.

His singing debut was at a Manhattan nightclub, the Royal Roost, during the intermission of a Lester Young performance. His backing musicians were Al Haig, Tommy Potter, Max Roach & Charlie Parker. They all volunteered to perform for "the kid.".

Harry Belafonte died on April 25, 2023, at age 96, the same day as William Emerson, almost a year older than him, at age 97. Coincidentally, they were both singers and pianists.

Between 1932 and 1940, Belafonte had lived with one of his grandmothers in her native country of Jamaica, until he returned to New York City, where he lived with his parents.

Both Belafonte and Maurice Neme of Oranjestad, Aruba formed a joint venture to create a luxurious private community on Bonaire named Belnem, a portmanteau of the two men's names. Together, they both served as their first directors.

Brother of Dennis Belafonte.

According to an announcement by Kermit the Frog during the program, Harry Belafonte sang his "The Banana Boat Song" for the very first time on TV during his guest appearance on "The Muppet Show".

Surname pronounced "Bay-lah-fon-tay".

Before he was a successful singer, actor and actor, he was a member of The Charlie Parker Band.

Before he was a successful singer, actor and an activist, he was working as a janitor's assistant .

Despite being lifelong friends and seeing the memorial service was private and for family only, which was absolutely due to the pandemic crisis, Belafonte couldn't attend Sidney Poitier's funeral. Belafonte would pass away, a year later.

Shared the same birthday as Ron Howard.

Had attended the same high school with Alan Greenspan.

Shared the same month as Alan Greenspan, but was a year, behind him. Greenspan's birthday is March 6, 1926, Belafonte's was March 1, 1927.

Harry Belafonte passed away on April 25, 2023, at age 96, two days, before former politician and trashy talk show host Jerry Springer would passed away, at age 79.

When he signed in as the mystery guest on What's My Line? (1950), episode Harry Belafonte (1955), he signed in as 'Harry Belafonté'.