Sidney Poitier, RIP

[Dan Murphy]

One of the best of the legends

First movie I saw him in was Blackboard Jungle, at the theater back in 1955. So many more great ones over a long, productive career. Personal favorite is probably Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

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[Meriweather]

RIP.....To Sir with Love

 

[NYCgrrl]

Oh no!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh no!!

My first thought, too! One classy man, may he RIP.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

To Sir, With Love is one of my favorite movies. RIP, what a legend.

 

[Mysterian]

Another vote for To Sir, With Love, and then In the Heat of the Night, and Sneakers.

 

[leebee]

I think the first movie I saw him in was "Lilies of the Field" but it might have been "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," can't really remember. So many good films and great entertainment. Rest easily, Sir.

 

[Kitty 34]

What's so weird about his death is that I just watched To Sir With Love earlier this week and thought he was already gone. What a beautiful dignified actor. May he RIP.

 

[bookgirl]

Lilies of the Field was my first. Still a fan of it. In the Heat of the Night was also a stellar performance.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

RIP...

I loved Lilies of the Field and watched it often with my mom when it used to come out on tv. Click on the picture for the Amen song...

 

[evilmommie]

Oh gosh! Amazing actor, handsome and funny! What a great life. Godspeed!

 

[Dan Murphy]

RIP...

I loved Lilies of the Field and watched it often with my mom when it used to come out on tv. Click on the picture for the Amen song...

View attachment 636746

Interesting trivia on the singing, both the nuns as well as Poitier.





Sidney Poitier's singing in "Amen" was dubbed by Jester Hairston, who also composed the song.

When singing, the nuns were thought to have been too good. They were told to sing worse and sang horribly. The scene was dubbed over after the voices were flattened in editing.

Sidney Poitier "sings" throughout the movie. In his autobiography, he states he is tone-deaf - unable to sing on key.

 

[rlk]

To Sir, With Love is one of my all-time favorites. I even purchased it from Amazon Prime a few months ago so I could watch it anytime I want.

 

[superme80]

So sad. RIP!

 

[ChrisFL]

 

[chickapin parterre]

8 years old, living in the wilderness of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Marine BAse 29 Palms, viet nam war going on in my backyard, and still Sidney was the first black man I had ever seen. Big drive in screen in YUcca Valley and simple cinemaphotography that pretty much looked like where I lived in The Lillies of the Field. I always watch it when I see on cable and would make for a great Easter weekend movie this year on national TV . Though I guess my father's handicapped prevented us from seeing the Big Year of Sidney's 3 hits from the comfort of our car. Though I guess my favorite is still Sneakers, it was such a film, very much like a vintage bottle of rum. the all star cast made it very accessible.seldom, it all, see Sneakers as being available on cable . Sure Lillies is a classic, but I was only 8 years old and wished that my father would bring home a strand of suckers.

 

[JimMIA]

A couple of interesting tidbits I didn't know about until reading some of the news today --

• Sidney Poitier was born unexpectedly in Miami to Bahamian parents. They were apparently on vacation here and his Mom suddenly went into premature labor. He was born at the same hospital as my DW...but many years earlier than her, of course.
• And this was a shocker to me -- Portier was the Bahamian AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN. And it wasn't just a cameo role -- he was their ambassador to Tokyo for 10 YEARS!

 

[Walt's Dream]

Lilies of the Field is one of the most beautiful, simple movies ever. My favorite of his.

To Sir, With Love was one of my inspirations for becoming a teacher.

What a beautiful, talented man.

 

[bcla]

We read A Raisin in the Sun during high school and supplemented it by watching the movie version with Poitier. But I did see him in one of his later roles in Shoot to Kill. I think he was semi-retired by the 1990s.

 

[chickapin parterre]

We read A Raisin in the Sun during high school and supplemented it by watching the movie version with Poitier. But I did see him in one of his later roles in Shoot to Kill. I think he was semi-retired by the 1990s.

yes that common curriculum, I know that at least 10 years ago, Sidney, Leonardo and Marlon were movie actors that high school graduates were exposed to in the literature side of high school