Sidney Poitier

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Sidney Poitier (1927- ): Born in the West Indies, Sidney Poitier was the first African American to become a leading man. He successfully confronted the racial-sexual barrier, and rode the crest of the civil rights movement, but not even his popularity could create intelligent roles, so he turned to producing and directing. Sidney said: “Acting isn’t a game of pretend. It’s an exercise in being real.”