1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Frances Patricia Beck to Val Bisoglio

Harry Belafonte Biography (1927-)

Full name, Harold George Belafonte, Jr.; born March 1, 1927, in New York, NY;son of Harold George (a chef) and Melvine (a domestic worker; maiden name, Love) Belafonte; married Marguerite Mazique Byrd, 1948 (divorced, 1957); married Julie Robinson (a dancer), March 8, 1957; children: (first marriage) Shari(an actress and singer) and Adrienne; (second marriage) Gina (an actress, producer, and dialogue coach) and David. Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-2775.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, producer, singer, songwriter

Birth Details

March 1, 1927

New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• (Film debut) School principal, Bright Road, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
• Joe, Carmen Jones, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
• David Boyeur, Island in the Sun, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
• Ralph Burton, The World, the Flesh and the Devil, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
• Johnny Ingram, Odds against Tomorrow, United Artists, 1959
• Narrator, King: A Filmed Record ... Montgomery to Memphis, 1970
• Alexander Levine, The Angel Levine, United Artists, 1970
• The preacher, Buck and the Preacher, Columbia, 1972
• Geechie Dan Beauford, Uptown Saturday Night, Warner Bros., 1974
• Himself, Free to Be ... You & Me, 1974
• Himself, A veces miro mi vada, 1982
• Narrator, First Look, 1984
• Narrator, We Shall Overcome, 1989
• Himself, The Player, 1992
• Himself, Pret-a-Porter (also known as Ready to Wear), 1994
• Thaddeus Thomas, White Man's Burden, 1995
• Seldom Seen, Kansas City, Fine Line Features, 1996
• Himself, Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist, 1998
• Film Work
• Executive producer, Odds against Tomorrow, 1959
• Producer and music producer, Beat Street, 1984
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Regular, Sugar Hill Times, CBS, 1949
• Movies
• Coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling's White Tiger, NBC, 1981
• Justice Will Dunn, Swing Vote, ABC, 1999
• Miniseries
• Himself, Eyes on the Prize II, 1990
• Specials
• Tonight with Belafonte, CBS, 1959
• Belafonte, New York, CBS, 1960
• The Dinah Shore Special, NBC, 1965
• Petula, NBC, 1968
• The Julie Andrews Special, ABC, 1969
• An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte, NBC, 1969
• Host, Harry and Lena, ABC, 1970
• Guest, A World of Love, CBS, 1970
• The Diahann Carroll Show, NBC, 1971
• The Rowan and Martin Special, NBC, 1973
• Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be ... You and Me, ABC, 1974
• I Sing What I See, German television special, 1980
• Night of 100 Stars, ABC, 1982
• Harry Belafonte: Don't Stop the Carnival, HBO, 1985
• Host, We Are the World: A Year of Giving, CBS, 1985
• An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., NBC, 1986
• The Television Academy Hall of Fame, Fox, 1987
• Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration, 1988
• Narrator, We Shall Overcome, PBS, 1988
• Harry Belafonte: Global Carnival, Arts and Entertainment, 1989
• Award recipient, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1989
• The Unforgettable Nat "King" Cole, The Disney Channel, 1989
• Himself, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, CBS, 1990
• Host and narrator, Routes of Rhythm with Harry Belafonte, PBS, 1990
• Host, A Tribute to Harry Chapin, PBS, 1991
• Host, AFI Salute to Sidney Poitier, NBC, 1992
• Presenter, Haiti: Killing the Dream, PBS, 1992
• The People's Palace: Secrets of the New York Public Library, PBS, 1992
• November 22, 1963: Where Were You? A Larry King Special Live from Washington, 1993
• An American Reunion: New Beginnings, Renewed Hope, 1993
• The World of Jim Henson, PBS, 1994
• Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream, TBS, 1995
• The American Music Awards, 1995
• Host and narrator, "We Are the World": A 10th Anniversary Tribute,1995
• The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996
• Himself, Danny Kaye: A Legacy of Laughter, PBS, 1996
• Images of Life: Photographs That Changed the World, CBS, 1996
• Honoree (Pinnacle Award), The Fourth Annual Trumpet Awards, 1996
• Narrator, Jazz '34 (also known as Robert Altman's Jazz'34), PBS, 1996
• Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
• An Evening with Harry Belafonte & Friends, PBS, 1997
• The GI Bill: The Law That Changed America, PBS, 1997
• Sidney Poitier: The Defiant One, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
• Assassinated: The Last Days of King and Kennedy, TBS, 1998
• Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Man and the Dream, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Interviewee, Robert F. Kennedy: A Memoir, Discovery Channel, 1998
• Interviewee, Paul Robeson: Here I Stand, PBS, 1999
• Scandalize My Name, Stories from the Blacklist, Starz!, 1999
• The 30th NAACP Image Awards, 1999
• Interviewee, Stand and Be Counted, TLC, 2000
• Presenter, Essence Awards 2000, 2000
• The 10th Annual IFP Gotham Awards, 2000
• Episodic
• Stage '67, ABC, 1967
• Himself, The Muppet Show, 1978
• Live! Dick Clark Presents, ABC, 1988
• The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, CBS, 1988
• Voice of the Magic Man, "Jack and the Beanstalk," Happily Ever After:Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
• Also appeared in Sesame Street.
• Television Work
• Movies
• Executive producer, The Affair, HBO, 1995
• Miniseries
• Executive producer, Parting the Waters, 2000
• Specials
• Producer, Harry and Lena, ABC, 1970
• Executive producer, Harry Belafonte: Don't Stop the Carnival,HBO, 1985
• Executive producer, An Evening with Harry Belafonte & Friends,PBS, 1997
• Television Producer
• Other
• The Strolling '20s, 1965
• A Time for Laughter, ABC, 1967
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) John Murray Anderson's Almanac, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1953
• Three for Tonight, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1955
• Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982
• Parade of Stars Playing the Palace, Palace Theatre, New York City,1983
• Made stage debut in Juno and the Paycock, American Negro Theater.
• Stage Work
• Producer, To Be Young Gifted and Black, 1969
• Coproducer, Asinamal!, Jack Lawrence Theatre, New York City, 1987
• Cabaret Appearances
• Royal Roost Nightclub, New York City, 1950
• Village Vanguard, New York City, 1950
• Golden Nugget, Atlantic City, NJ, and Las Vegas, NV, 1985-1986
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Mark Twain, RCA, 1954
• Calypso, RCA, 1956
• Belafonte, RCA, 1956
• An Evening with Belafonte, RCA, 1957
• Harry Belafonte Songs of the Caribbean, RCA, 1957
• Belafonte Sings the Blues, RCA, 1958
• Love Is a Gentle Thing, RCA, 1959
• (With Lena Horne) Porgy and Bess, RCA, 1959
• Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, RCA, 1959
• My Lord What a Mornin', RCA, 1960
• Swing Dat Hammer, RCA, 1960
• Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall, RCA, 1960
• Jump Up Calypso, RCA, 1961
• To Wish You a Merry Christmas, RCA, 1962
• Midnight Special, RCA, 1962
• The Many Moods of Belafonte, RCA, 1962
• Streets I Have Walked, RCA, 1963
• Belafonte at the Greek Theater, RCA, 1964
• Ballads, Blues, and Boasters, RCA, 1964
• (With Miriam Makeba) An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba, RCA, 1965
• (With Nana Mouskouri) An Evening with Belafonte/Mouskouri, RCA, 1966
• In My Quiet Room, RCA, 1966
• Calypso in Brass, RCA, 1967
• Belafonte on Campus, RCA, 1967
• Belafonte Sings of Love, RCA, 1968
• Homeward Bound, RCA, 1970
• Belafonte by Request, RCA, 1970
• Belafonte Warm Touch, RCA, 1971
• This Is Belafonte, RCA, 1971
• Don't Stop the Carnival, RCA, 1972
• Play Me, RCA, 1973
• Turn the World Around, Columbia Records, 1977
• Loving You Is Where I Belong, Columbia Records, 1981
• Paradise in Gazankulu, EMI, 1988
• Harry Belafonte: All Time Greatest Hits, RCA, 1988, volumes 2 and3, 1989
• Belafonte '89, EMI, 1989
• Belafonte '89 (abridged version), EMI, 1990
• Also recorded Pure Gold, RCA.
• Singles
• We Are the World, 1985
• Videos
• Himself, We Are the World: The Video Event, 1985
• WRITINGS
• Film Songs
• David Boyeur, Island in the Sun, 1957
• (Additional music) Beat Street, 1984
• The Muppet Christmas Carol, 1992
• Suedsee, Eigene Insel, 1999
• Songs
• (With Millard Thomas) "Suzanne (Ev'ry Night When the Sun Goes Down),"1952
• (With Irving Burgie) "Island in the Sun," 1956
• "Cocoanut Woman," 1957
• (With Alan Greene and Malvina Reynolds) "Turn Around," 1958
• Also wrote (with William Attaway and Norman Luboff) "Jump Down, Spin Around."

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

• Fogelson, Genia, Harry Belafonte, September, 1996, Holloway, 1980.
• Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 4, Gale Research, 1993.
• Contemporary Musicians, Volume 8, Gale Research, 1992.
• Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 20, 2000.
• Notable Black American Men, Gale Research, 1998.

Periodicals:

• Ebony, p. 30.
• Life, February 4, 1966 .