He was born in 1927 as one of seven children in a farmer’s family. To make a living, he changed various professions. He lied about his age, so in 1943 he enlisted in the army, where he served as a nurse.
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After the war, he got to the theater and was immediately noticed by the film due to its appearance. He was shapely, 190 inches tall, and had a penetrating gaze.
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He played the roles of confident, intelligent men who had to deal with racial prejudice. He drew more attention to himself in the film Jungle in Front of the Blackboard, where he played a black teacher who is struggling with juvenile delinquency.
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In 1958, he starred with Tony Curtis in the successful film Escape in Chains.
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In the late 1960s, he acted in three audience-successful films. The film In the Heat of the Night was awarded the Golden Globe, the other two, namely Mr. Teacher with Love and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, tore cinema attendance.
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Sidney Poitier also achieved success as a director of film and theater performances.
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