RIP Sidney Poitier 94

[Mike Newell]

Sidney Poitier has died aged 94. Classy Actor and Decent Man . Always Worth watching in any of his movies. Special mention to classics In Heat of the Night, Guess who is coming to Dinner, Blackboard Jungle, To Sir with Love, Lilies of the Field and The Defiant Ones.

[Lincoln Thorn]

What a week of losing well decorated film veterans! I really hope this isn't a a rule of three situation, two has been too many already.

[Ed Gordon]

Clip from In The Heat Of The Night

[Brian Fretwell]

What a week of losing well decorated film veterans! I really hope this isn't a a rule of three situation, two has been too many already.

Well in the UK we had an Member of Parliament die yesterday, that could make the three.

[Mike Newell]

Not exactly the same Brian. However, Joe Dante the film director (no he’s not dead as far as I know) but his dog Louis a giant poodle is. Apparently, he became addicted to cocaine whilst paying numerous visits to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy mansion. I presume Joe was there too. He licked remnants of Cole of peoples faces and the dusty floor ( the dog that is) Touching story. Could explain why Joe’s career has been more miss than hit pardon the pun.

[Osi Osgood]

A good actor. It seems like his best years were the 60's when he was a ground breaking actor, though he was not the first black person to win an Oscar. I think that privilege belongs to Hattie McDaniels, for Gone With the Wind.

[Paul Adsett]

Loved all Sidney's films. He brought great dignity and integrity to all his roles. He played well off Richard Widmark in The Bedford Incident, a great cold war thriller, and one of my favorite's.

[Graham Ritchie]

I watched "In The Heat Of The Night" on blu-ray a while back, its a outstanding film. What I do remember also was in the "making of" the personal dangers to Sidney Poitier faced in the town where it was filmed. One incident in the motel car park where they were staying, had concerned film makers come to his aid, only to find Sidney Poitier sitting away from his motel door, armed and ready to take on anyone that came through it.

The film was to receive 5 academy awards including best picture. Also we should not forget Rod Steiger as the sheriff, who not only trying to keep Virgil Tibbs "Poitier" alive, but had to deal with a town that was turning against him as well.

In my mind "In The Heat Of The Night" was an amazing achievement to put onto film, during the dangerous and turbulent times of the 1960s.

[Larry Arpin]

I always like reading Leonard Maltin's recollections on celebrities he has met:

https://leonardmaltin.com/remembering-sidney-poitier/

Fondly remember watching A PATCH OF BLUE in the theater when first released.

[Ali Hipperson]

I have to now buy on DVD 'Lillies of The Field' for my sister, as this is one of her favourite films and she fondly remembers it as we were growing up in Toronto 🙂

[Janice Glesser]

Lilies of the Field is one of my favorite films in my collection.

[Ali Hipperson]

Wonderful Janice! 👍😊

[Ed Gordon]

Kino Lorber has a few Poitier DVD/Bluray on sale now: