The Last Movie Sidney Poitier Was In Before He Died

The recently departed Sidney Poitier was a Hollywood icon of rare stature, and will remain as such even after his recent death at the age of 94. But while he held a place of high significance in the film industry, he was never particularly known for his prolific work output as an actor, preferring instead, it would appear, to be highly selective in his choice of roles. He only has a total of 55 acting credits to his name, according to IMDb, which may sound like a lot, but not when you consider that his career spanned 50 years. 

Poitier's last acting credit is from more than 20 years ago. And it's for a television movie that you may not have even heard of. But, it's now definitively the final movie in Poitier's formidable body of work as an actor, and even if for that reason alone, it deserves a little bit of attention.

The film in question is called "The Last Brickmaker in America," a television drama that premiered in September 2001. In addition to first-billed Poitier, the film also features familiar faces like Piper Laurie and Bernie Casey. As the title suggests, the movie is about a man working in a dying industry, who must learn to cope with the literal and metaphorical challenges of the changing times.

It's not known whether Poitier intended this TV movie to be his acting swan song, but it happened whether or not he wanted it to be so. If you'd like to see Poitier's last performance for yourself, you can find "The Last Brickmaker in America" streaming for free on the service Tubi. As of the time of writing, it's the only way to watch the film unless you can get your hands on a copy of the DVD, but perhaps now that it is officially Poitier's last, it will receive a wider release. 

Although Poitier is now gone, we do have plenty of vital and heartfelt performances from the actor to back and enjoy -– including his role in "The Last Brickmaker in America."