Editing Sidney Poitier (section)

=== 1958–1969: Breakthrough and stardom ===
In 1958 he starred alongside [[Tony Curtis]] in director [[Stanley Kramer]]'s ''[[The Defiant Ones]]''.<ref name=stream>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/lists/sidney-poitier-best-movies-streaming-online/|title=Sidney Poitier's Best Films: 13 Movies Now Streaming Online|first=Zack|last=Sharf|date=January 7, 2022|website=Variety|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107172300/https://variety.com/lists/sidney-poitier-best-movies-streaming-online/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was a critical and commercial success with the performances of both Poitier and Curtis being praised.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Thompson|first=Bosley Crowtherhoward|date=September 25, 1958|title=Screen: A Forceful Social Drama; ' The Defiant Ones' Has Debut at Victoria|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/09/25/archives/screen-a-forceful-social-drama-the-defiant-ones-has-debut-at.html|access-date=March 21, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=January 1, 1958|title=The Defiant Ones|url=https://variety.com/1957/film/reviews/the-defiant-ones-1200419029/|access-date=March 21, 2022|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> The film landed eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor nominations for both stars, making Poitier the first African-American actor to be nominated in a lead role.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/01/sidney-poitier-dead-at-94.html|title=Sidney Poitier, Trailblazing Oscar Winner and Activist, Dead at 94|first=Rebecca|last=Alter|date=January 7, 2022|publisher=Vulture|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107160236/https://www.vulture.com/2022/01/sidney-poitier-dead-at-94.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Poitier did win the [[12th British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Award]] for Best Foreign Actor.<ref name="BAFTAs" />

Poitier acted in the first production of ''[[A Raisin in the Sun]]'' alongside [[Ruby Dee]] on the Broadway stage at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]] in 1959. The play was directed by [[Lloyd Richards]]. The play introduced details of Black life to the overwhelmingly White Broadway audiences, while director Richards observed that it was the first play to which large numbers of Black people were drawn.<ref name=Corley>{{Cite news|title=A Raisin In the Sun|publisher=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1139728|access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref> The play was a groundbreaking piece of American theater with [[Frank Rich]], critic from ''[[The New York Times]]'' writing in 1983, that ''A Raisin in the Sun'' "changed American theater forever".<ref>{{cite news |last=Rich |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Rich |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/05/theater/theater-raisin-in-sun-anniversary-in-chicago.html |title=Theater: 'Raisin in Sun,' Anniversary in Chicago |work=The New York Times |date=October 5, 1983 |access-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621150419/http://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/05/theater/theater-raisin-in-sun-anniversary-in-chicago.html |archive-date=June 21, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> For his performance he earned a [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play]] nomination. That same year Poitier would star in the film adaptation of ''[[Porgy and Bess (film)|Porgy and Bess]]'' (1959) alongside [[Dorothy Dandridge]]. For his performance, Poitier received a 1960 [[Golden Globe Award]] nomination for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/porgy-and-bess|title=Porgy and Bess|access-date=January 7, 2022|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association|archive-date=November 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111183904/https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/porgy-and-bess|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Poitier Belafonte Heston Civil Rights March 1963.jpg|thumb|Poitier (left) at the 1963 [[March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom]], alongside actors [[Harry Belafonte]] and [[Charlton Heston]]]]
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#F3F0FD |salign=right| quote = If the fabric of the society were different, I would scream to high heaven to play villains and to deal with different images of Negro life that would be more dimensional . . . But I'll be damned if I do that at this stage of the game. Not when there is only one Negro actor working in films with any degree of consistency . . . |source= Sidney Poitier (1967)<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=McGreevy |first=Nora |date=January 7, 2022 |title=How Sidney Poitier Rewrote the Script for Black Actors in Hollywood |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-sidney-poitier-rewrote-the-script-for-black-actors-in-hollywood-180979333/ |magazine=[[Smithsonian Magazine]] |access-date=January 8, 2022 |archive-date=January 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108205154/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-sidney-poitier-rewrote-the-script-for-black-actors-in-hollywood-180979333/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|align=right| width=250px}}

In 1961, Poitier starred in the film adaptation of ''[[A Raisin in the Sun (1961 film)|A Raisin in the Sun]]'' for which he received another Golden Globe Award nomination.<ref name=gga>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/sidney-poitier|title=Sidney Poitier|publisher=Golden Globes|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107161732/https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/sidney-poitier|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in 1961, Poitier starred in ''[[Paris Blues]]'' alongside [[Paul Newman]], [[Joanne Woodward]], [[Louis Armstrong]], and [[Diahann Carroll]].<ref name=paris>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16151/paris-blues/#overview|title=Paris Blues|access-date=January 7, 2022|publisher=TMC|archive-date=December 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222131209/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16151/paris-blues/#overview|url-status=live}}</ref> The film dealt with the [[Racism in the United States|American racism]] of the time by contrasting it with Paris's open acceptance of [[Black people]].<ref name=paris /> In 1963 he starred in ''[[Lilies of the Field (1963 film)|Lilies of the Field]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81430/lilies-of-the-field#overview|title=Lilies of the Field|publisher=TCM|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108225658/https://admin.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81430/lilies-of-the-field#overview|url-status=live}}</ref> For this role, he won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] and became the first African-American to win the award in a leading role.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Culture/sidney-poitier-1st-black-man-win-best-actor/story?id=41432549|title=Sidney Poitier, 1st Black man to win best actor Oscar, dies at 94|first=Luchina|last=Fisher|date=January 7, 2022|publisher=ABC News|access-date=April 17, 2022|archive-date=April 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417152526/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Culture/sidney-poitier-1st-black-man-win-best-actor/story?id=41432549|url-status=live}}</ref> His satisfaction at this honor was undermined by his concerns that this award was more of the industry congratulating itself for having him as a token and it would inhibit him from asking for more substantive considerations afterward.<ref>{{cite book|last=Harris|first=Mark|title=Pictures at a Revolution: Five Films and the Birth of a New Hollywood|url=https://archive.org/details/picturesatrevolu00harr_0|url-access=registration|year=2008|publisher=Penguin Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/picturesatrevolu00harr_0/page/58 58–9]|isbn=978-1-59420-152-3}}</ref> Poitier worked relatively little over the following year; he remained the only major actor of African descent and the roles offered were predominantly typecast as a soft-spoken appeaser.<ref>Harris 2008, pp. 81–2.</ref>

In 1964, Poitier recorded an album with the composer [[Fred Katz (cellist)|Fred Katz]] called ''[[Poitier Meets Plato]]'', in which Poitier recites passages from [[Plato]]'s writings.<ref>Goudsouzian, Aram, ''Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon'', The University of North Carolina Press, 2004, p. 395.</ref> He also performed in the Cold War drama ''[[The Bedford Incident]]'' (1965) alongside the film's producer Richard Widmark, the Biblical epic film ''[[The Greatest Story Ever Told]]'' (1965) alongside [[Charlton Heston]] and [[Max von Sydow]], and ''[[A Patch of Blue]]'' (1965) co-starring [[Elizabeth Hartman]] and [[Shelley Winters]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21990/the-bedford-incident/#overview|title=The Bedford Incident (1965)|publisher=TMC|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107184114/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/21990/the-bedford-incident/#overview|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3656/the-greatest-story-ever-told#overview|title=The Greatest Story Ever Told|publisher=TMC|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107173841/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3656/the-greatest-story-ever-told#overview|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1040/a-patch-of-blue#overview|title=A Patch of Blue|access-date=January 7, 2022|publisher=TMC|archive-date=January 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108235513/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1040/a-patch-of-blue#overview|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1967, he was the most successful draw at the box office, the commercial peak of his career, with three popular films, ''[[To Sir, with Love]]'', and ''[[In the Heat of the Night (film)]]'', and ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/01/07/311902059/sidney-poitier-obituary|title=Sir, we loved you: Sidney Poitier dies at 94|last=Watson|first=Walter Ray|work=[[Morning Edition]]|publisher=NPR|date=January 7, 2022|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107161039/https://www.npr.org/2022/01/07/311902059/sidney-poitier-obituary|url-status=live}}</ref> Although these three films seemingly shared little similarity, they all, albeit not overtly, dealt with the black and white divide.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Powers |first1=Philip |title=Sidney Poitier Black and White: Sidney Poitier's Emergence in the 1960s as a Black Icon |date=December 31, 2020 |publisher=1M1 Digital Pty Ltd |page=77 |asin-tld=au |asin=B08RCJDV8D}}</ref> In ''To Sir, with Love'', Poitier plays a teacher at a secondary school in the [[East End of London]]. The film deals with social and racial issues in the inner city school. The film was met with mixed response; however, Poitier was praised for his performance, with the critic from ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' writing, "Even the weak moments are saved by Poitier, who invests his role with a subtle warmth."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,837070,00.html|title=Cinema: Class War|magazine=Time|date=June 30, 1967|access-date=January 7, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107162242/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,837070,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[Norman Jewison]]'s mystery drama ''In the Heat of the Night'', Poitier played [[Virgil Tibbs]], a police detective from [[Philadelphia]] who investigates a murder in the [[Deep South]] in Mississippi alongside a cop with racial prejudices played by [[Rod Steiger]]. The film was a critical success with [[Bosley Crowther]] of ''The New York Times'' calling it "the most powerful film I have seen in a long time."<ref name=open>{{cite magazine|title='Heat of Night' Scores With Crix; Quick B.O. Pace|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=August 9, 1967|page=3}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] placed it at number ten on his top ten list of 1967 films.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707145722/http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/eberts-10-best-lists-1967-present|date=December 15, 2004|url=http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/eberts-10-best-lists-1967-present|archive-date=July 7, 2013|title= Ebert's 10 Best Lists: 1967 to Present|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|via=[[Internet Archive]]|access-date=October 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/the-best-10-movies-of-1967|title=The Best 10 Movies of 1967|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=December 31, 1967|via=[[Internet Archive]]|access-date=October 18, 2016|archive-date=August 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825215224/http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/the-best-10-movies-of-1967|url-status=live}}</ref> Art Murphy of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' felt that the excellent Poitier and outstanding Steiger performances overcame noteworthy flaws, including an uneven script.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/1967/film/reviews/in-the-heat-of-the-night-1200421432/|date=June 21, 1967|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=In The Heat Of The Night|last=Murphy|first=A.D.|access-date=April 19, 2022|archive-date=January 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113021433/https://variety.com/1967/film/reviews/in-the-heat-of-the-night-1200421432/|url-status=live}}</ref> Poitier received a Golden Globe Award and [[British Academy Film Award]] nomination for his performance.<ref name="BAFTAs">{{cite news |title=Sidney Poitier's BAFTA wins and nominations |url=http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=Sidney%20Poitier |access-date=January 7, 2022 |agency=BAFTA.org |archive-date=January 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107165417/http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=Sidney%20Poitier |url-status=live }}</ref>

In Stanley Kramer's social drama ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'', Poitier played a man in a relationship with a White woman played by [[Katharine Houghton]]. The film revolves around her bringing him to meet with her parents played by [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Spencer Tracy]]. The film was one of the rare films at the time to depict an interracial romance in a positive light, as [[interracial marriage]] historically had been illegal in most states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—until June 12, 1967, six months before the film was released. The film was a critical and financial success. In his film review, Roger Ebert described Poitier's character as "a noble, rich, intelligent, handsome, ethical medical expert" and that the film "is a magnificent piece of entertainment. It will make you laugh and may even make you cry."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-1968|title=Guess Who's Coming to Dinner|website=[[RogerEbert.com]]|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|date=January 25, 1968|access-date=February 21, 2021|archive-date=February 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206033205/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-1968|url-status=live}}</ref> To win his role as Dr. Prentice in the film, Poitier had to audition for Tracy and Hepburn at two separate dinner parties.<ref>Powers, Philip, "Sidney Poitier Black and White", 1M1 Digital, Sydney, 2020, p.210</ref>

Poitier began to be criticized for being typecast as over-idealized African-American characters who were not permitted to have any sexuality or personality faults, such as his character in ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner''. Poitier was aware of this pattern himself but was conflicted on the matter. He wanted more varied roles; but he also felt obliged to set an example with his characters, by challenging old stereotypes, as he was the only major actor of African descent being cast in leading roles in the American film industry at the time. For instance, in 1966, he turned down an opportunity to play the lead in an NBC television production of ''[[Othello]]'' with that spirit in mind.<ref>Harris 2008, p. 161.</ref> Despite this, many of the films in which Poitier starred during the 1960s would later be cited as [[social thriller]]s by both filmmakers and critics.<ref name="Bleiler, 2013">{{cite book|last1=Bleiler|first1=David|title=TLA Film and Video Guide 2000–2001: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide|date=2013|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-4668-5940-1}}</ref><ref name="Maltin, 2008">{{cite book|last1=Maltin|first1=Leonard|author1-link=Leonard Maltin|last2=Sader|first2=Luke|last3=Clark|first3=Mike|title=Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0-452-28978-9|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780452289789/page/681 681]|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780452289789/page/681}}</ref><ref name="Thompson, 2004">{{cite journal |last1=Thompson |first1=Bennie G. |title=Etension of Remarks: A Tribute to Ms. Beulah "Beah" Richards |journal=Congressional Record |date=March 10, 2004 |volume=150 |issue=3 |page=2872 |publisher=Government Printing Office }}</ref><ref name="Ebiri, 2017">{{cite news|last1=Ebiri|first1=Bilge|author-link=Bilge Ebiri|title=Get Out's Jordan Peele Brings the 'Social Thriller' to BAM|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2017/02/14/get-outs-jordan-peele-brings-the-social-thriller-to-bam/|access-date=August 1, 2017|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|date=February 14, 2017|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108211916/https://www.villagevoice.com/2017/02/14/get-outs-jordan-peele-brings-the-social-thriller-to-bam/|url-status=live}}</ref>