Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte

Date of Birth:

Mar 01, 1927

Place of Birth:

New York City, New York, USA

Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor and activist, who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s. Belafonte is one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), although he won the Oscar in a non-competitive category. He earned his career breakthrough with the album Calypso (1956), which was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

Belafonte was best known for his recordings of "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)", "Jamaica Farewell", and "Mary's Boy Child". He recorded and performed in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He also starred in films such as Carmen Jones (1954), Island in the Sun (1957), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Buck and the Preacher (1972), and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). He made his final screen appearance in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman (2018).

Belafonte considered the actor, singer, and activist Paul Robeson a mentor, and he was a close confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He was a vocal critic of the policies of the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations. Belafonte acted as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile justice issues.

Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Harry Belafonte, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

filmography:

Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart

2017

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

2004

Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark

2014

The Strolling '20s The Strolling '20s

1966

Grambling's White Tiger Grambling's White Tiger

1981

Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America

2018

The World of Nat King Cole The World of Nat King Cole

2004

Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

2002

King in the Wilderness King in the Wilderness

2018

JFK: The Private President JFK: The Private President

2013

Anecdotes about Fidel Anecdotes about Fidel

2009

The Unforgettable Nat King Cole The Unforgettable Nat King Cole

1989

Muppet Music Moments Muppet Music Moments

2004

The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert

1988

The Man Behind the White Guitar The Man Behind the White Guitar

2019

Following Harry Following Harry

2024

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

2011

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

1970

Jim Henson Idea Man Jim Henson Idea Man

2024

Petula Petula

1968

BlacKkKlansman BlacKkKlansman

2018

I Am Not Your Negro I Am Not Your Negro

2017

Mr. SOUL! Mr. SOUL!

2018

Selma Selma

2014

The Madding Crowd The Madding Crowd

2017

JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala

2017

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

1999

The Tallest Tree in Our Forest The Tallest Tree in Our Forest

1977

Night of 100 Stars Night of 100 Stars

1982

The One and Only Dick Gregory The One and Only Dick Gregory

2021

The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show

2020

Dom Salvador & The Abolition Dom Salvador & The Abolition

2020

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years

1986

Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity

2015

The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years

1993

The World of Jim Henson The World of Jim Henson

1994

Best Ever Muppet Moments Best Ever Muppet Moments

2006

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

2014

Nationtime Nationtime

1972

We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song

1985

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

2022

The Greatest Night in Pop The Greatest Night in Pop

2024

Carmen Jones Carmen Jones

1954

Harry Belafonte in Concert Harry Belafonte in Concert

1960

Sunday Best Sunday Best

2023

Island in the Sun Island in the Sun

1957

The Muppet Revue The Muppet Revue

1985

Legenden: Audrey Hepburn Legenden: Audrey Hepburn

2005

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

2023

Martin Luther King and the March on Washington Martin Luther King and the March on Washington

2013

Sing Your Song Sing Your Song

2012

Uptown Saturday Night Uptown Saturday Night

1974

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

1990

Kansas City Kansas City

1996

The World, the Flesh and the Devil The World, the Flesh and the Devil

1959

Bobby Bobby

2006

White Man's Burden White Man's Burden

1995

Martin Luther King by Trevor Mcdonald Martin Luther King by Trevor Mcdonald

2018

Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism

2004

Odds Against Tomorrow Odds Against Tomorrow

1959

Buck and the Preacher Buck and the Preacher

1972

Rise Like Lions Rise Like Lions

2011

The Legendary Nat King Cole The Legendary Nat King Cole

2004

Is That Black Enough for You?!? Is That Black Enough for You?!?

2022

Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom

2012

Sidney Sidney

2022

Mo & Me Mo & Me

2006

Swing Vote Swing Vote

1999

Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits

1970

The University of Sing Sing The University of Sing Sing

2011

Free to Be… You and Me Free to Be… You and Me

1974

Harry Belafonte: Between Calypso and Justice Harry Belafonte: Between Calypso and Justice

2022

Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady

1997

The Peace! The Peace!

2005

Mama Africa Mama Africa

2011

Bright Road Bright Road

1953

Hava Nagila: The Movie Hava Nagila: The Movie

2012

Jazz '34 Jazz '34

1997

The Angel Levine The Angel Levine

1970

Prêt-à-Porter Prêt-à-Porter

1994

Moms Mabley Moms Mabley

2013

The Player The Player

1992

Show more

Comments