Sammy Davis Jr.
- Acting
- December 8, 1925 · Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
- May 16, 1990
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 four 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.
Known for
Filmography
- EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert · Self
- Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story · Self
- BRATS · Self
- Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr. · Self
- Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia · Self
- Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel · Self
- Commitment to Life · Self
- Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas · Self
- Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues · Self
- Rat Pack · Self
- This Is Joan Collins · Self
- Dean Martin: King of Cool · Self
- Out of Shadows · Self
- This Is Bob Hope... · Self
- Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me · Self
- The Fabulous Allan Carr · Self
- John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood · Self
- Mansfield 66/67
- Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do · Self
- The Sixties · Self
- Loose Lips - Her Last Interview
- The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits · Self
- The Music According to Tom Jobim · Self
- …Sings Musicals · Self
- Let's Play, Boy · Self
- The Wrecking Crew · Self
- Elvis Through the Years · Self
- The Ratpack · Self
- Pioneers of Primetime
- The Legendary Nat King Cole · Self
- Parkinson · Self
- The Rat Pack · Self
- TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · Self
- Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
- Dean Martin: The One and Only · Self
- Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection · Self
- The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years · Self
- It's Black Entertainment · Self
- The Ocean's 11 Story · Self
- The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1 · Self
- The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2 · Self
- The Rat Pack · (archive footage)
- Television: The First Fifty Years · Self
- Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time · Self
- The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
- The Kid Who Loved Christmas · Sideman
- Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration · Self
- Hanna-Barbera's 50th · Self
- Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event · Self
- Tap · Little Mo
- Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party! · Self
- The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast · Self
- An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis · Self
- Moon Over Parador · Self
- Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC · Self
- Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues · Self
- Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood · Self
- Uptown Comedy Express
- All Star Party for Clint Eastwood · Self
- The Perils of P.K
- Alice in Wonderland · Caterpillar / Father WIlliam
- Dancing in the Wings · The Spirit
- Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany · Self
- Motown Returns to the Apollo
- That's Dancing! · Self
- Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers · Self
- All Star Party for Lucille Ball · Self
- The Cosby Show · Ray Palomino
- Hunter · Benny Schafer
- Cannonball Run II · Fenderbaum
- Koyaanisqatsi · Self
- Smorgasbord · Self
- Heidi's Song · Head Ratte (Voice)
- Wogan · Self
- Night of 100 Stars · Self
- Champs-Elysées · Self
- Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! · Self
- Playboy Video Magazine, Volume 1 · Thanks
- The Cannonball Run · Fenderbaum
- This Is Elvis · Self