🕯️

Sidney Poitier

Oscar Winners

Knowledge panel

Occupation

Oscar Winners

Born in

Miami

Born

February 20, 1927

Zodiac

Pisces

34,655

days lived

94

age at death

Born
February 20, 1927 in 🇺🇸Miami
Died
January 6, 2022 in Los Angeles (aged 94)
Zodiac
♓︎Pisces·rabbit 🐇
Updated Jul 2026

About

Sidney Poitier was a Bahamian-American actor, film director, activist, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Among his other accolades are two competitive Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award and a Grammy Award, in addition to nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. In 1999, he was ranked number 22 among the "American Film Institute's 100 Stars". Poitier was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Before Fame

Poitier grew up in the Bahamas and moved to Miami at age 15 and then to New York City at 16. He joined the American Negro Theatre, where he honed his acting skills before his film career took off.

Trivia

He was born in Miami, Florida, while his parents were visiting from the Bahamas, which automatically granted him U.S. citizenship. Poitier was voted the U.S.'s top box-office star in a poll conducted in 1968. He was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Family Life

Sidney Poitier was married twice, first to Juanita Hardy and later to Joanna Shimkus. He had eight children and several grandchildren.

Birth Chart

Natal Chart

Sidney's Birth Chart

Astrology
♈︎♉︎♊︎♋︎♌︎♍︎♎︎♏︎♐︎♑︎♒︎♓︎☉☽☿♀♂♃♄⛢♆♇
Fire
Earth
Air
Water
☉

Sun Sign

Pisces♓︎

☽

Moon Sign

Libra♎︎

Dominant Element

Water

⚠️ Rising sign requires birth time for accurate calculation

Planetary positions calculated for February 20, 1927

Connections4

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Adrien Brody

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Wallace Beery

Wallace Beery

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James Stewart

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Jeff Bridges

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Day Lookup ToolDay MilestonesOn This Day
⚖️Compare with someone
⚡ Timeline
2022
Day 34,654
Age 94

Death

Confidence
96%
Jan 6, 2022

Sidney Poitier passed away at the age of 94.

2016
Day 32,457
Age 88

BAFTA Fellowship Award

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 2016

Received the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film.

2009
Day 29,901
Age 81

Presidential Medal of Freedom

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 2009

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

2002
Day 27,344
Age 74

Honorary Academy Award

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 2002

Received an Honorary Academy Award for his extraordinary talent and unique body of work.

1997
Day 25,518
Age 69

Bahamian Ambassador to Japan

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1997

Appointed as the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan, serving until 2007.

1995
Day 24,787
Age 67

Kennedy Center Honor

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1995

Received a Kennedy Center Honor for his contributions to American culture.

1992
Day 23,691
Age 64

Starred in Sneakers

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1992

Appeared in the heist film 'Sneakers'.

1988
Day 22,230
Age 60

Starred in Shoot to Kill

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1988

Starred in the action thriller 'Shoot to Kill'.

1982
Day 20,039
Age 54

Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1982

Received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.

1974
Day 17,117
Age 46

Honorary Knighthood

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1974

Granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.

Day 17,117
Age 46

Directed Uptown Saturday Night

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1974

Directed and starred in the comedy film 'Uptown Saturday Night'.

1972
Day 16,386
Age 44

Directorial Debut

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1972

Made his directorial film debut with 'Buck and the Preacher'.

1967
Day 14,560
Age 39

Starred in three major films

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1967

Starred in 'To Sir, with Love', 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner', and 'In the Heat of the Night', all addressing race relations.

1964
Day 13,464
Age 36

Academy Award for Best Actor

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1964

Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'Lilies of the Field', becoming the first black actor to do so.

Day 13,464
Age 36

Golden Globe for Best Actor

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1964

Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in 'Lilies of the Field'.

1958
Day 11,273
Age 30

Academy Award Nomination

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1958

Became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'The Defiant Ones'.

1955
Day 10,177
Age 27

Breakthrough Film Role

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1955

Gained his breakthrough film role as a high school student in 'Blackboard Jungle'.

1943
Day 5,794
Age 15

Moved to New York City

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1943

Moved to New York City at the age of 16.

1942
Day 5,429
Age 14

Moved to Miami

Confidence
96%
Jan 1, 1942

Moved back to Miami at the age of 15.

1927
Day 0
Age 0

Born

Confidence
96%
Feb 20, 1927

Born in Miami, Florida, to Bahamian parents.