Image of Sammy Davis, Jr.

Sammy Davis, Jr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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


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Born:
Dec 8, 1925 In Harlem, New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
74
First Appeared:
In the series Sammy Davis Jr.: The Golden Years
Latest Project:
Movie Music According to Tom Jobim 2012-05-20
Known For
Poster of A Man Called Adam
Poster of The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
Poster of Pepe
Poster of Porgy and Bess
Filmography
Series The New Alice in Wonderland Unknown 2025
Series The Kid Who Loved Christmas Unknown 2025
Series Sammy Davis Jr.: The Golden Years Unknown 2025
Movie Music According to Tom Jobim 2012-05-20
Movie Let's Play, Boy himself (archive footage) 2008-05-25
Movie TV in Black: The First Fifty Years 2004-01-01
Movie Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection Himself 2003-12-30
Movie The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years Himself (archive footage) 2002-03-31
Movie The Ocean's 11 Story Himself 2001-11-22
Movie The Kid Who Loved Christmas Sideman 1990-12-14
Movie Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration Himself 1990-02-04
Movie Tap Little Mo 1989-02-12
Movie The Ultimate Event Himself 1989-05-20
Movie Hanna-Barbera's 50th Himself 1989-07-17
Movie Moon Over Parador Himself 1988-09-09
Movie An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis 1988-11-05
Movie Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues Himself 1988-01-02
Movie That's Dancing! Himself - Host 1985-01-18
Series Alice in Wonderland 1985-12-09
Series Hunter Unknown 1984-09-18
Movie Cannonball Run II Morris Fenderbaum 1984-06-29
Movie Smorgasbord Himself 1983-04-13
Movie Heidi's Song Head Ratte 1982-11-19
Movie The Cannonball Run Morris Fenderbaum 1981-06-19
Series Sanford Unknown 1980-03-15
Series The Kennedy Center Honors Unknown 1978-12-28
Movie Gone with the West Old Little Moon / Narrator 1975-09-01
Movie James Dean Remembered Himself 1974-01-01
Series Chico and the Man Unknown 1974-09-13
Movie Save the Children Himself 1973-05-13
Movie The Trackers Ezekiel Smith 1971-12-15
Series All in the Family Unknown 1971-01-12
Series The Flip Wilson Show Unknown 1970-09-17
Movie One More Time Charles Salt 1970-05-01
Movie The Pigeon Larry Miller 1969-11-04
Movie Sweet Charity Big Daddy 1969-02-25
Movie The Fall 1969-01-15
Movie Salt & Pepper Charles Salt 1968-07-03
Series Here's Lucy Unknown 1968-09-23
Series The Mod Squad Unknown 1968-09-24
Series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Unknown 1967-09-09
Movie A Man Called Adam Adam Johnson 1966-03-16
Series The Sammy Davis Jr. Show Host 1966-01-07
Series Batman Unknown 1966-01-12
Movie Nightmare in the Sun Truck driver 1965-03-06
Series I Dream of Jeannie Unknown 1965-09-18
Movie Robin and the 7 Hoods Will 1964-06-24
Series The Hollywood Palace Unknown 1964-01-04
Series The Patty Duke Show Unknown 1963-09-18
Series Burke's Law Unknown 1963-09-20
Movie Johnny Cool Educated 1963-10-02
Movie The Threepenny Opera Moritatensänger 1963-02-28
Movie Convicts 4 Wino 1962-09-15
Movie Sergeants 3 Jonah Williams 1962-02-10
Series Cain's Hundred Unknown 1961-09-19
Series Ben Casey Unknown 1961-10-02
Movie Pepe Himself 1960-12-21
Movie Ocean's Eleven Josh Howard 1960-08-10
Series The Big Party 1959-10-08
Movie Porgy and Bess Sportin' Life 1959-06-24
Series The Rifleman Unknown 1958-09-30
Movie Anna Lucasta Danny Johnson 1958-11-01
Series 77 Sunset Strip Unknown 1958-10-10
Movie Jazz Ball Himself 1956-01-01
Series Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Unknown 1956-10-05
Series The Steve Allen Show Unknown 1956-06-24
Movie Meet Me in Las Vegas Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited) 1956-03-09
Series General Electric Theater Unknown 1953-02-01
Series The Oscars Unknown 1953-03-19
Series This Is Your Life Unknown 1952-10-01
Series The Emmy Awards Unknown 1949-01-25
Series The Ed Sullivan Show Unknown 1948-06-20
Movie Seasoned Greetings Henry Johnson - Store Customer (as Sammy Davis) 1933-09-23
Movie Rufus Jones for President Rufus Jones 1933-09-09