Sammy Davis Jr.
Biography
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American entertainer. Primarily a dancer and singer, Davis was a childhood vaudevillian who became known for his performances on Broadway and in Las Vegas, as a recording artist, television and film star, and as a member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack". At the age of three Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father and "uncle" as the Will Mastin Trio, toured nationally, and after military service, returned to the trio. Davis became an overnight sensation following a nightclub performance at Ciro's after the 1951 Academy Awards, with the trio, became a recording artist, and made his first film performances as an adult later that decade. In 1954, he lost his left eye in an automobile accident. Later the same year, he converted to Judaism. In 1960, he appeared in the first Rat Pack movie, Ocean's 11. After a starring role on Broadway in 1956's Mr Wonderful, Davis returned to the stage in 1964's Golden Boy, and in 1966 had his own TV variety show, The Sammy Davis Jr. Show. Davis's career slowed in the late sixties, but he had a hit record with "The Candy Man", in 1972, and became a star in Las Vegas. As an African American, Davis was the victim of racism throughout his life, and was a large financial supporter of civil rights causes. Davis had a complex relationship with the African American community, and attracted criticism after physically embracing Richard Nixon in 1970. One day on a golf course with Jack Benny, he was asked what his handicap was. "Handicap?" he asked. "Talk about handicap — I'm a one-eyed Negro Jew." This was to become a signature comment, recounted in his autobiography, and in countless articles. After reuniting with Sinatra and Dean Martin in 1987, Davis toured with them and Liza Minnelli internationally, before dying of throat cancer in 1990. He died in debt to the Internal Revenue Service, and his estate was the subject of legal battles. Davis was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP, and was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for his television performances. He was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1987, and in 2001, he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sammy Davis, Jr., licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known For
Josh Howard
Ocean's Eleven
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Sportin' Life
Porgy and Bess
Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
Self
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
self
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
Fenderbaum
The Cannonball Run
Fenderbaum
Cannonball Run II
Charles Salt
One More Time
Charles Salt
Salt & Pepper
Self (archive footage)
Kim Novak, l'âme rebelle d'Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Self
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
Self - Host
That's Dancing!
Big Daddy
Sweet Charity
Little Mo
Tap
Self
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Jonah Williams
Sergeants 3
Will Scarlet
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Sammy Davis Jr.
Pepe
Educated
Johnny Cool
Wino
Convicts 4
Head Ratte (voice)
Heidi's Song
Self
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Self
The Ultimate Event
Self
The Legendary Nat King Cole
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Wrecking Crew
Truck driver
Nightmare in the Sun
Self
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Rufus Jones
Rufus Jones for President
Henry Johnson
Seasoned Greetings
Self (archive footage)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Danny
Anna Lucasta
Self
Save the Children
Ezekiel Smith
The Trackers
Larry Miller
The Pigeon
Self (archive footage)
The Ocean's 11 Story
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
Self
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Self (archive footage)
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Adam Johnson
A Man Called Adam
Moritatensänger
Die Dreigroschenoper
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
This Is Elvis
Self
The Rat Pack
Himself
Smorgasbord
Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Kid Dandy
Gone with the West
Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
Self
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
Archive Footage
This Is Joan Collins
Self
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Uptown Comedy Express
Sideman
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Self
Sweet and Low
Self
Sammy and Bruce
Self
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
Self
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
himself (archive footage)
Let's Play, Boy
Self
Moon Over Parador
Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self
Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration
Self (archive footage)
…Sings Musicals
Self (archive footage)
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
Self
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
Self
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
The Cheshire Cat
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
BRATS
Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Sammy
Poor Devil
The Fall
Self-(Audience Member)
Fight of the Century
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
Self (archive footage)
A Música Segundo Tom Jobim
Self
The Strolling '20s
Littlechap
Sammy Stops the World
Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Self
Movin' with Nancy
Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
Jazz Ball
Self
Doris Day Today
Self
James Dean Remembered
Self
The Ratpack
Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
Beppo
The Day of the Fox
Self
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
Chris Christiansen
The Enemy
Self (archive footage)
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
The Perils of P.K
Himself
Old Faithful
Himself - Main Artist
Sammy Davis jr. in Deutschland
Self
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Self
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Selma
Self - Singer (archive footage)
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Self
Night of 100 Stars
Self
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
Self - Presenter
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Self
Jackpot at Tahoe
Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
Koyaanisqatsi
Self (archive footage)
Elvis Through the Years
Uncredited
Six Bridges to Cross
Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
Bomb Disposal
Pioneers of Primetime
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
115
Gender
Male
Birthday
1925-12-08
Place of Birth
Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
Sammy Davis