About

Known credits:
95
Birthday:
1927-03-01
Place of birth:
New York City, New York, USA
Website:
N/A

Harry Belafonte

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting
2024 Following Harry Actor N/A
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2024 Jim Henson Idea Man Actor Self (archive footage) 59
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2024 The Greatest Night in Pop Actor Self (archive footage) 64
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2023 Sunday Best Actor N/A
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2023 Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes Actor Self N/A
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2022 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Actor Self - Inductee (archive footage) 59
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2022 Is That Black Enough for You?!? Actor Self 59
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2022 Sidney Actor Self 59
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2022 Harry Belafonte: Between Calypso and Justice Actor Self - Subject (archive footage) 59
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2021 The One and Only Dick Gregory Actor Self 59
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2020 Dom Salvador & The Abolition Actor Self 59
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2020 The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show Actor Self 59
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2019 The Man Behind the White Guitar Actor Self N/A
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2018 BlacKkKlansman Actor Jerome Turner 74
Good
2018 Mr. SOUL! Actor Self 59
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2018 Bobby Kennedy for President Actor Self 71
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2018 Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America Actor Self N/A
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2018 Martin Luther King by Trevor Mcdonald Actor Self - Singer N/A
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2018 King in the Wilderness Actor Self 59
Average
2017 Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart Actor Self 59
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2017 JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala Actor Self N/A
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2017 I Am Not Your Negro Actor Self (archive footage) 67
Fair
2017 The Madding Crowd Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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2016 Jackie Robinson Actor Self 70
Good
2015 Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity Actor Self N/A
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2014 Selma Actor Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 71
Good
2014 Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee Actor Self 59
Average
2014 Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark Actor Self 59
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2013 Moms Mabley Actor Self 59
Average
2013 Martin Luther King and the March on Washington Actor Self 59
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2013 JFK: The Private President Actor Self N/A
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2012 Hava Nagila: The Movie Actor Self 59
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2012 Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom Actor Self 59
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2012 Sing Your Song Actor Self 59
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2011 Rise Like Lions Actor Self N/A
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2011 Mama Africa Actor Self (archive footage) 59
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2011 The University of Sing Sing Actor Self 59
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2011 The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 Actor Self (voice) 60
Fair
2009 Anecdotes about Fidel Actor N/A
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2006 Bobby Actor Nelson 61
Fair
2006 When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts Actor Self 72
Good
2006 Mo & Me Actor N/A
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2006 Best Ever Muppet Moments Actor Self 59
Average
2005 The Peace! Actor Self 58
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2005 Legenden: Audrey Hepburn Actor Self N/A
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2004 Muppet Music Moments Actor Self N/A
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2004 The Legendary Nat King Cole Actor Self N/A
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2004 Tanner on Tanner Actor Self N/A
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2004 Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism Actor Self (archive footage) 60
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2004 The World of Nat King Cole Actor Self N/A
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2004 TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Actor Self (archive footage) 59
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2002 Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Actor Self (uncredited) 58
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1999 Swing Vote Actor Will Dunn 58
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1999 Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Actor Self N/A
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1997 Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady Actor Self 59
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1997 Jazz '34 Actor Self - Narrator 59
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1996 Kansas City Actor Seldom Seen 59
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1995 White Man's Burden Actor Thaddeus Thomas 57
Average
1994 Prêt-à-Porter Actor Self 56
Average
1994 The World of Jim Henson Actor Self 59
Average
1993 The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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1992 The Player Actor Harry Belafonte 66
Fair
1990 The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson Actor Self 59
Average
1990 Jim Henson's Memorial Service Actor Himself N/A
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1989 The Unforgettable Nat King Cole Actor Self N/A
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1988 The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert Actor Self 59
Average
1986 The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1985 The Muppet Revue Actor Self N/A
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1985 We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song Actor Self 59
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1982 Night of 100 Stars Actor Self 59
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1981 Grambling's White Tiger Actor Coach Eddie Robinson N/A
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1977 The Tallest Tree in Our Forest Actor Self N/A
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1974 Uptown Saturday Night Actor Geechie Dan Beauford 59
Average
1974 Free to Be… You and Me Actor Self 58
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1972 Nationtime Actor Self N/A
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1972 Buck and the Preacher Actor Preacher 59
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1970 The Angel Levine Actor Alexander Levine 59
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1970 King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis Actor Self (archive footage) 59
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1968 Petula Actor Self N/A
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1966 The Strolling '20s Actor Self N/A
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1960 Harry Belafonte in Concert Actor Self N/A
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1959 Odds Against Tomorrow Actor Johnny Ingram 60
Fair
1959 The World, the Flesh and the Devil Actor Ralph Burton 59
Average
1957 Island in the Sun Actor David Boyeur 59
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1954 Carmen Jones Actor Joe 58
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1953 Bright Road Actor Mr. Williams - School Principal 59
Average
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits Actor self N/A
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Production
1995 The Affair Production Executive Producer 58
Average
1972 Buck and the Preacher Production Producer 59
Average
1970 The Angel Levine Production Producer 59
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1959 Odds Against Tomorrow Production Co-Producer 60
Fair
1959 The World, the Flesh and the Devil Production Producer 59
Average
King Leopold’s Ghost Production Producer N/A
N/A

Sound
2005 Pictoplasma: Characters in Motion: Vol. 1 Sound Music N/A
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1984 Beat Street Sound Original Music Composer 60
Fair