Calypso King: Who is Harry Belafonte?
Singer, activist, and actor Belafonte has died at the age of 96. Belafonte grew up in New York, the son of Caribbean immigrants.
Although he recorded many different genres of music, he became known as the "King of Calypso" in the 1950s thanks to the Caribbean hits "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" and "Jump in the Line". The 1956 album Calypso was also the first Long Play to reach one million sales. In addition to recording numerous studio albums, he has appeared on stage, and screen, in multiple films and TV variety shows.
The last studio album of the artist, who is also a civil rights activist, was "Paradise in Gazankulu" in 1988.
Belafonte's political approaches were heavily inspired by his mentor, singer, actor, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson. Robeson opposed not only racial prejudice in the United States but also Western colonialism in Africa.
Belafonte supported the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and was a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. Like many other civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted under McCarthy.
Life story
Harry Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York, USA, to a Latin American family. His full name is Harold George Belafonte, Jr. He is originally from Jamaica. After birth, he lived in Jamaica until he was 8 years old. He returned to America for his education. He attended George Washington High School. However, he dropped out of school to enroll in the Navy as a volunteer.
After military service, he decided to continue his career on Broadway. He took acting lessons. It was American black theatre. Belafonte has acted in several films. Harry Belafonte started his music career as a club singer in New York while acting.
Although he sang pop music at first, he later made folk music and jazz music. After 1953, Calypso became famous for his music.
In 1972, he played the lead role with Sydney Poitier in the movie "Buck and the Preacher". In 1974, he starred in the movie "Uptown Saturday Night" with Sydney Poitier and Bill Cosby.
He has been a “UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador” since 1987.
He interpreted the song "Banana Boat Song (Day O)" used in the movie while playing the important roles of Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jeffrey Jones, and Catherine O'Hara in Beetlejuice, a 1988 American fantasy comedy movie directed by Tim Burton.
In 1995, he played the lead role with John Travolta in the movie "White Man's Burden" (White Fury).
He was active in the Human rights movement formed by Martin Luther King in the 1950s and 60s.
Harry Belafonte married Marguerite Byrd in 1948. They divorced in 1957. He has two daughters named Adrienne and Shari.
He married ex-dancer Julie Robinson on March 8, 1957. They had two children, David and Gina.
He married photographer Pamela Frank in April 2008.
Studio albums
1954 – Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites
1956 – Belafonte
1956 – Calypso
1957 – An Evening with Belafonte
1957 – Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean
1958 – To Wish You a Merry Christmas
1958 – Belafonte Sings the Blues
1959 – Love is a Gentle Thing
1959 – My Lord What a Mornin’
1960 – Swing Dat Hammer
1961 – Jump Up Calypso
1962 – Midnight Special
1962 – The Many Moods of Belafonte
1963 – Streets I Have Walked
1964 – Ballads, Blues and Boasters
1966 – In My Quiet Room
1966 – Calypso in Brass
1967 – Belafonte on Campus
1968 – Belafonte Sings of Love
1974 – Uptown Saturday Night
1970 – Homeward Bound
1970 – This Is Harry Belafonte
1970 – Belafonte by Request
1971 – The Warm Touch
1971 – Calypso Carnival
1973 – Play Me
1976 – Belafonte’s Christmas
1977 – Turn the World Around
1981 – Loving You is Where I Belong
1988 – Paradise in Gazankulu