1927-
Actor

The Noble Mr. Poitier.

"You're like us, but you're not like us," says Lulu to the character played by Sidney Poitier in the 1967 British film To Sir, with Love. Such sentiments were shared by many filmgoers concerning the actor and the roles he played — especially white filmgoers, comforted during a decade of racial unrest by this handsome black man who played friendly, hard-working characters who, though allowed to reveal "ethnic" characteristics occasionally, spoke "standard" English flawlessly and almost always wore a tie. The first black leading man in Hollywood, he was also the only one to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.

A Responsible Model.

Born in Miami to parents from the Bahamas, where he spent his youth, Poitier began his acting career on the New York stage in 1946. He made his first film in 1950 and had several roles during the decade...