Sir Sidney Poitier at 20; years old
Sir Sidney Poitier at 20; years old
At 20, Sidney Poitier was a dishwasher in New York City, struggling to read beyond a third grade level. One day, he saw a newspaper ad that read “Actors Wanted” and took it as a sign. At the audition, he was mocked for his reading and accent and told to go back to dishwashing. Deeply offended, he vowed on the street that day to become an actor to prove that man wrong.
Still washing dishes, Poitier auditioned at the American Negro Theater in Harlem. Though initially rejected, he offered to work as a janitor in exchange for lessons. Eventually, he became an understudy by chance, replacing Harry Belafonte one night. A producer in the audience gave him a small part, and despite early stage fright and mistakes, critics took notice.
In 1954 he was offered a film role as a janitor who stayed silent after gangsters killed his daughter. Poitier turned it down, saying it went against his values as a father. Though broke and owing hospital fees, he refused the 750 dollar role, pawned his furniture, and returned to dishwashing. The agent who had offered the role, Martin Baum, was so impressed by his integrity that he became Poitier’s agent for life.
Poitier won an Oscar for Lilies of the Field in 1963. In In the Heat of the Night (1967), he insisted on changing a key scene where his character is slapped to include a powerful response he slaps back. He also demanded it remain in all showings, including in the South. The moment became iconic, and the film won five Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Did you know that Ozzie Poitier is directly related to Sidney Poitier?
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