Original Sidney Poitier Movie Posters

Welcome to the official Film/Art Gallery collection of original Sidney Poitier vintage movie posters, from his critically acclaimed catalog of timeless cinematic performances.

Sidney Poitier, a native of Cat Island, The Bahamas, grew up in poverty as the son of farmers Evelyn and Reginald James Poitier, who also drove a cab. He had small formal education and at the age of 15 was sent to Miami to live with his brother, in order to prevent a developing inclination toward delinquency. In the U.S., he experienced the racial chasm that divides the country, a great shock to a boy coming from a society with a majority of African descent.

At 18, he went to New York, did basic jobs, and slept in a bus terminal toilet. He had a brief stint in the Army and worked at a veteran's hospital which was followed by more menial jobs in Harlem. An impetuous audition at the American Negro Theatre was rejected so forcefully that Poitier dedicated the next six months to overcoming his accent and improving his performing skills. On his second try, he was accepted. Spotted in rehearsal by a casting agent, he won a bit part in the Broadway production of "Lysistrata", for which he earned good reviews. By the end of 1949, he had to select between leading roles on stage and an offer to work for Darryl F. Zanuck in the film No Way Out (1950). His performance as a doctor treating a white bigot got him plenty of notice and led to more roles. All things considered, the parts were still less interesting and noticeable than those white on-screen characters routinely obtained. But seven years later, after turning down a few ventures he considered belittling, Poitier got a number of parts that catapulted him into a category rarely if ever accomplished by an African American man of that time, that of a leading man. One of these films, The Defiant Ones (1958), earned Poitier his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor. Five years later, he won the Oscar for Lilies of the Field (1963), the first African American to win for a leading role.

He remained active on stage and screen as well as in the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. His roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) and To Sir, with Love (1967) were landmarks in helping to break down some social barriers between blacks and whites. Poitier's talent, inner voice, keenness, and inborn likability put him on the rise to balance with the white stars of the day. He took on directing and producing chores in the 1970s, achieving success in both arenas.

Film/Art Gallery's collection of Sidney Poitier movie posters for Sidney Poitier includes an Ercole Brini (Studio) artwork for the 1967 Sidney Poitier hit, To Sir with Love. Also includes a rare NYC Subway Sidney Poitier poster by Bob Peak for the film For Love of Ivy. Also showcased is the artwork by Saul Bass.

Film/Art Gallery movie posters are original prints and film poster collectibles. These are original movie posters. We do not carry any movie poster reproductions or reprints of any kind.