▲Poitier (left) alongside actors Harry Belafonte and Charlton Heston. This was the occasion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech.

▲Poitier picked up his second Academy Award, an Honorary Oscar, in recognition of his "extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence."

▲Incredibly, this was Poitier's third film of 1967, and another box-office hit. However, critics picked up on Poitier's character as having no flaws and a resume of good deeds. In other words, he was apparently too perfect and respectable to ruffle the feathers of even the most conservative of white families.

▲Mixed reviews greeted this film, which saw Poitier team up with the late River Phoenix for the first of two outings (the other being 'Sneakers' in 1992). 'Little Nikita' has since become a minor cult classic.

▲Poitier appeared opposite Paul Newman in another Martin Ritt-directed movie. 'Paris Blues' was noted for dealing with American racism of the time, and that of Paris' far more tolerant attitude towards black people. The soundtrack album quickly became a collectors' item.

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Poitier's breakout role saw him play a rebellious yet musically talented student, in this tough social commentary film about teachers in an interracial inner-city school.

▲Not a patch on Fred Zinnemann's 'The Day of the Jackal,' this poor remake was critically panned, though it did see a healthy return at the box office. Poitier played FBI Deputy Director Carter Preston, a character loosely based on the original's Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel.

▲A box-office success, this film, set in an inner-city school in the East End of London, saw Poitier back in familiar territory. Comparisons with his earlier role in 'Blackboard Jungle' were inevitable, and the critical response was far from flattering. The film's title song, sung by Lulu, was a hit in America.

▲His role in this celebrated crime drama cemented Poitier's reputation as one of the leading African-American actors of the day.

▲The tense standoff between Tibbs and Chief Gillespie (Rod Steiger) is seriously gripping stuff, and the film ended up winning five Academy Awards.

▲In the movie, Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a black police officer from Philadelphia who becomes involved in a murder investigation.

▲It's this theme that irked so many critics, who believed the plot should have dealt more bluntly with the potential complications of an interracial marriage. The film's numerous accolades included two Academy Awards and two BAFTA Awards.

▲Billed as a comedy-drama, 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' was one of the few films of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light.

▲By the early 1970s. Poitier had turned his hand to directing films, starring in some of them too. He's pictured here directing 'A Warm December' (1973).

▲Poitier received BAFTA and Golden Globe Best Actor nominations for his role in this highly regarded drama. Co-star Shelley Winters won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

▲'Fast Forward' (1985) is Poitier's only foray into the world of dance. Choosing to direct the film, he later found out that the Bollywood extravaganza 'Dance Dance' (1987) was inspired by his movie.

▲Poitier triumphed by winning the 1963 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as an African-American itinerant worker, believed by a group of nuns to have been sent by God to build them a new chapel.

▲His next film did poorly at the box office, and was met with mixed reviews. However, it's notable for being the first feature-length movie directed by Sydney Pollack.

▲Born in 1927 in Miami, Florida, Poitier held dual Bahamian-American citizenship.

▲Other awards and honors accepted during a long and distinguished career include Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1974), the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (1982), an AFI Life Achievement Award (1992), and a BAFTA Fellowship (2016).

▲Arriving with Barbra Streisand to receive a Star of Stars Award, from the National Association of Theatre Owners at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco.

▲Poitier and old friend Harry Belafonte speak onstage during the 43rd NAACP Image Awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

▲Directed by Martin Ritt, the film was unusual for its time because of its portrayal of an interracial friendship. It received positive reviews from critics, and saw Poitier nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

▲His 1980 offering 'Stir Crazy,' which starred Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, was the first time a film directed by an African American earned more than US$100 million, equivalent to US$306 million when adjusted for inflation.

▲Poitier met his second wife, Joanna Shimkus, during the making of this crime drama. Quincy Jones provided the funky soundtrack.

▲Pictured: Poitier receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama at the White House.

▲A milestone in films dealing with deep-rooted racism in the American South, 'In the Heat of the Night' remains one of Poitier's signature roles.

▲Two years later, he appeared with John Cassavetes in this gripping drama.

▲Poitier acted in the first production of the play 'A Raisin in the Sun,' on stage in New York City.

▲Co-starring Tony Curtis, the film tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one black and one white, who are shackled together and who must cooperate with each other in order to survive. Highly lauded by critics, the film scoped several awards, including the Silver Bear award for Best Actor for Poitier at the 1958 Berlin Film Festival.

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Poitier pictured with wife Joanna Shimkus and daughters Anika and Sydney. He had four more daughters from his first wife, Juanita Hardy.

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Two years later, he starred in the film version, and subsequently won the Gary Cooper Award for his efforts at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Directed by Otto Preminger and based on the 1935 opera, 'Porgy and Bess' was critically and commercially unsuccessful, despite winning one Oscar and one Golden Globe. Poitier was dismissive of his performance, and had only grudgingly accepted the role of Porgy.

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Noted for appearing in some of the most distinguished films to deal with race and race relations, Sidney Poitier was also known for his stage work and directing skills. Most notably, however, he is remembered for being the first black star to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Sadly, this acting legend left us at the age of 94 on January 6, 2022.

In tribute to a movie career spanning 60 years, click through this gallery and take a look at some of the film and stage roles Poitier was most famous for.

Celebrating Sidney Poitier: a life in movies

The Hollywood legend was born on February 20, 1927

20/02/23 por StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Retrospective

In tribute to a movie career spanning 60 years, click through this gallery and take a look at some of the film and stage roles Poitier was most famous for.