Person Details

Birthday: 1927-03-01 11:14:38

Aliases: No known aliases

Gender: Male

Place of birth: New York, New York, U.S.

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 69

TV Involvements: 23


Most Famous Work

Biography

Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. (originally Belafonete; born March 1, 1927) is an American of Jamaican and Martiniquan descent who is a singer, actor, and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Belafonte has starred in several films. His first film role was in Bright Road (1953), in which he appeared alongside Dorothy Dandridge. The two subsequently starred in Otto Preminger's hit musical Carmen Jones (1954). In 1957's Island in the Sun, there are hints of an affair between Belafonte's character and Joan Fontaine. The film also starred James Mason, Dandridge, Joan Collins, Michael Rennie, and John Justin. In 1959, he starred in and produced Robert Wise's Odds Against Tomorrow, in which he played a bank robber. He also co–starred with Inger Stevens in The World, the Flesh and the Devil. Belafonte was offered the role of Porgy in Preminger's Porgy and Bess, where he would have once again starred opposite Dandridge, but he refused the role because he objected to its racial stereotyping. Dissatisfied with the film roles available to him, he returned to music during the 1960s. But in the early 1970s Belafonte appeared in more films among which are two with Poitier: Buck and the Preacher (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). In 1984, Belafonte produced and scored the musical film Beat Street, dealing with the rise of hip–hop culture. Belafonte next starred in a major film again in the mid-1990s, appearing with John Travolta in the race–reverse drama White Man's Burden (1995); and in Robert Altman's jazz age drama Kansas City (1996), the latter of which garnered him the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in the TV drama Swing Vote (1999). In late 2006, Belafonte appeared in the role of Nelson, a friend of an employee of the Ambassador Hotel played by Anthony Hopkins, in Bobby, Emilio Estevez's ensemble drama about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Belafonte's success did not protect him from racial discrimination, particularly in the American South. Belafonte refused to perform there from 1954 until 1961. In 1960, he appeared in a campaign commercial for Democratic Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural advisor to the Peace Corps. At the ACLU of Northern California's annual Bill of Rights Day Celebration In December 2007, Belafonte gave the keynote address and was awarded the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured the documentary film "Sing Your Song", a biographical film focusing on Belafonte's contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and his endeavors to promote social justice globally. Belafonte and Marguerite Byrd were married from 1948 to 1957. They have two daughters: Adrienne and Shari. Shari Belafonte, married to Sam Behrens, is a photographer, model, singer and actor. On March 8, 1957, Belafonte married second wife Julie Robinson. They have two children, David and Gina Belafonte. David Belafonte (a former model and actor) is an Emmy–winning producer and the executive director of the family–held company Belafonte Enterprises Inc. He married Danish model, singer and TV personality Malena Belafonte, born Mathiesen, who won silver in Dancing with the Stars in Denmark in 2009. In April 2008, Belafonte married Pamela Frank.

Most Famous Work

Numéro un
Average
6

Numéro un

(1975) Self
What's My Line?
Average
7

What's My Line?

(1950) Self - Mystery Guest
The Bell Telephone Hour
Average
6
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Average
7
CBS News Sunday Morning
Average
7
Tony Awards
Average
5

Tony Awards

(1956) Self - Presenter
PB&J Otter
Average
7

PB&J Otter

(1998) The Ice Moose (voice)
The Kennedy Center Honors
Average
7

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2024 Self
2023 N/A
Self
2022 Self - Inductee (archive footage)
Self
Self
Self - Subject (archive footage)
2021 Self
2020 Self
Self
Self (archive footage)
2018 Jerome Turner
Self
Self
Self
Self - Singer
Self
2017 Self
Self
Self (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
2016 Self
2015 Self
2014 self (archive footage)
Self
Self
2013 Self
Self
Self
2012 Self
Self
Self
2011 Self
Self (archive footage)
self
Self
Self (voice)
2006 Nelson
Self
N/A
Self
2005 Self - Guest
Self
Self
2004 Self
Self
Self
Self (archive footage)
Self
Self (archive footage)
2003 Self
2002 Self (uncredited)
Self
1999 Will Dunn
Self
1998 Self
The Ice Moose (voice)
Self
1997 Self
Self - Narrator
1996 Seldom Seen
Self
1995 Thaddeus Thomas
Magic Man (voice)
Self
1994 Self
Self
1993 Self (archive footage)
1992 Harry Belafonte
1991 Self - Singer
Self
1990 Self
1989 Self
1988 Self - Singer
Self
1986 Self (archive footage)
1985 Self
Self
1983 Self
1982 Self
Self
1981 Coach Eddie Robinson
Self
1980 Self
1979 Self
1978 Self
1977 Self
Self
1976 Self
Self - Special Guest Star
1975 Self
1974 Geechie Dan Beauford
Self
1973 Self
1972 Self
Self
Preacher
Self
1971 Self
Self
1970 Self
Alexander Levine
1969 Self (archive footage)
1968 Self - Guest
Self
1967 Self
Self - Cameo
Self
1966 Self
Self
Self - Laudatio
1963 Self
1962 Self - Guest Host
Self
Self
1961 Self
1960 Self
1959 Johnny Ingram
Ralph Burton
Self
1957 Self - Singer
David Boyeur
1956 Self - Singer
Self - Presenter
1955 self
1954 Joe
1953 Mr. Williams - School Principal
Self
Vince
1950 Self
Self - Mystery Guest
1948 Self (archive footage)
Self - Singer (archive footage)
Self - Singer
Self
self
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Sound

Year Role Movie/Tv
1984 Original Music Composer
Year Role Movie/Tv

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