| Harry Belafonte recorded a version of Harry Nilsson's "Sleep Late My Lady Friend".
Harold George Belafonte, Jr. was born on March 1, 1927 in Harlem in New York, New York.
When Harry was eight, his mother took him to her native native Jamaica where they stayed for five years. After returning to the US, Harry dropped out of high school and enlisted in the Navy. After leaving the service, Belafonte began performing with the American Negro Theatre in New York. He also studied drama at the Dramatic Workshop.
After being cast in a singing role, Belafonte began appearing in clubs, eventually opening his own club.
In 1953, Belafonte made his film debut in Bright Road. The next year, he won a Tony for his performance in "Almanac."
Belafonte's breakthrough performance was his starring role in Otto Preminger's film adaptation of Oscar Hammerstein's "Carmen Jones."
Belafonte signed with RCA. His first album for the label reached number three on the Billboard charts in 1956. His second RCA album, Belafonte, reached number one.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Belafonte took on a number of humanitarian issues. He was a central figure behind the USA for Africa project and, in 1985, replaced Danny Kaye as UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador. Visitor Comments:Connections:Harry Belafonte ... | 
