beloved by generations for his intense, larger than life demeanor, as well as his activism for racial equality. it s especially poignant in america today. here s a brief look back at the man and his lasting impact. they call me mr. tibbs. reporter: sidney poitier played characters who jumped off the screen, opposite rod steiger in the heat of the night. now where did you earn it? i m a police officer. amen reporter: and in the lillies of the field as handyman martin smith. lots of luck, mother. yeah you. reporter: the one that won him the first ever lead oscar for an african-american. it is a long journey to this moment. reporter: raised in the bahamas, he moved to harlem as a teenager and endured the usual hard scrabble climb to an
screen. in account the heat of the night . where did you earn it? i m a police officer. and in the lilies of the field . i ain t building no shackle. yeah, you. the one that led him the first ever oscar for an african american. it is a long journey to this moment. raised in the bahamas, he endured the hard scrabble climb to an actor s life. then in a film about race inch. you watch yourself, black boy. watch how you talk to me. just shut up. poitier played a doctor. the film was credited with ending hollywood had its first african american screen star. go ahead and say it. a first he later points out
in the heat of the night . i m a police officer. amen. reporter: and in the field as handyman homer smith. i ain t building no shop. yeah, you. reporter: the role that won him the first ever lead actor oscar for a black performer. it is a long journey to this moment. reporter: raised in the bahamas, he moved to harlem as a teenager and endured the usual hard scrabble climb to an actor s life then came no way out, the ground breaking joseph mankiewicz film about racism. you watch yourself, black boy. reporter: in 67 he reached hollywood mountain top its top earning leading man, righteous enough to slap and return the white politician who had slapped him. and in guess who s coming to dinner, an interracial couple telling his disapproving father time to change. you think of
in the heat of the night. now, where did you earn it? i m police officer. amen reporter: and in the lilies of the field as handy man homer smith. lots of luck, mother. i ain t building no. yeah, you. reporter: the role that won him the first-ever lead actor oscar for an african-american. it is a long journey to this moment. reporter: raised in the bahamas, he had moved to harlem as a teenager and endured the usual hard-scrabble climb to an actor s life. then came no way out, the groundbreaking 1959 joseph mankiewicz film about racism. you watch yourself, black boy. watch how you talk to me. just shut up! reporter: poitier played a doctor in a performance so powerful the film was credited with ending the british colonial rule in the bahamas and in the intense 22-year-old perform, hollywood had its first african-american screen star. why you black