RIP Sidney Poitier

[ancientgran]

Very sad lost, he was such an impressive man and a trailer blazer for other black actors.

Yes, indeed. He set a very high standard of gentlemanliness (is that a word?) and was really quite hot (can I say that?), too.
A sad loss to the old school acting fraternity

Absolutely loved To Sir With Love. He was amazing in this

I was amazed when I heard about his background. I imagined he came from a middleclass background but apparently he arrived in New York and slept in public toilets as he had no money, he was illiterate and when he got a job in a restaurant washing dishes one of the waitresses taught him to read. He had such dignity, I love To Sir With Love, Guess whose Coming to Dinner and most of all In the Heat of the Night. He was brilliant in it as was Rod Steiger.

Wow OP I always assumed he was middle class to.
RIP Sidney Poitier

Why would you think he was middle class?

In any case, I've just seen the news on the radio times web site as I was going to look up tonight's programmes

Such a sad loss, incredible actor even when he was in smaller roles in less critically acclaimed films he outshone others

But yes first saw him in To Sir With Love which we were reading at school and when we finished the book we watched the film one lesson. In which he was amazing

But many years later I finally got around to watching Blackboard Jungle which is a darker similar narrative

I also enjoyed him in Sneakers and The Jackal

He always came across as a generally lovely chap on chat shows etc but he also wasn't perfect (long term affair with Diahann Carroll)

But yes an amazing actor and generally lovely person RIP

Sad news. There's a very good Cold War submarine thriller called The Bedford Incident which he starred in with Richard Widmark. Well worth catching.

A gentle man and a gentleman.

RIP Mr Poitier

@Graphista

Why would you think he was middle class?

In any case, I've just seen the news on the radio times web site as I was going to look up tonight's programmes

Such a sad loss, incredible actor even when he was in smaller roles in less critically acclaimed films he outshone others

But yes first saw him in To Sir With Love which we were reading at school and when we finished the book we watched the film one lesson. In which he was amazing

But many years later I finally got around to watching Blackboard Jungle which is a darker similar narrative

I also enjoyed him in Sneakers and The Jackal

He always came across as a generally lovely chap on chat shows etc but he also wasn't perfect (long term affair with Diahann Carroll)

But yes an amazing actor and generally lovely person RIP

I just thought he was someone who was well educated and well spoken so finding out he was sleeping in toilets when he was homeless and illiterate as a teenager was a surprise. Apparently he had a very strong Bahamian accent then.

I'm not sure why people wouldn't view him as quite middleclass.

He was a great actor. RIP Sidney Poitier.

I'm actually having a massive cry now. I don't want to get info politics but to my family he was a black role model and watching his films I can see how gorgeous he was when younger and aged beautifully too. Rest In Peace Rise in Glory

@seperatedmum

One of the most important actors of his generation, RIP. But what an inspirational life.

That's lovely you've posted about him ancientgran. I can't believe he was 94!
Very much an inspiration of a man, and a role model. I loved his films, especially the early ones, ground breaking.
RIP.

You're allowed to say he was hot, (but not as hot as Denzel, quite). I have seen 'In the heat of the night' on TV but I actually managed to get a DVD of it a few weeks ago. Now I expect it will be on TV quite soon! I saw 'Guess who's coming to dinner' at the cinema, yes, a long time ago. Thank you for mentioning 'Sneakers' - I think that was the one with Madeleine Stowe. I'll look it up. I didn't know about his background, it's interesting to find out.

Fantastic actor
And some great films
Had a screen presence that you rarely see now

I didn't know this lovely part of MN existed!
I'll lurk a lot on here from now on, it's great to be reminded of all these films of his.

A special actor. You certainly didn’t mistake or forget him. RIP

Rest in peace good sir.

Also very sad. A once in a lifetime man.

I remember him chained to Tony Curtis.

I am so pleased BBC News at 6 led with the news of his death. He deserved to be more than an afterthought after the Weather.

Absolutely, Saucery.

Very sad, I have shed a little tear tonight. One of the greats.

@eddiemairswife

I remember him chained to Tony Curtis.

Yes that was a good film, they were both good in it. I think it was The Defiant Ones.

Christ; the bit where he rounds the corner to Seales' mum's funeral and the bloody kids are all there - Judy Geeson has that black scarf actually tied under her chin and still manages to look insanely gorgeous. Gets me every time. Buckets.

most of all In the Heat of the Night. He was brilliant in it as was Rod Steiger.

Yes that was my favourite and they were both superb. Agree about the screen presence too- if he was in shot at all, your eyes were on him.