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.
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Filmography
all 159
self 111
Movies 106
TV Shows 53
Norman Lear: A Life on Television (2023)
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel (2023)
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas (2023)
Sammy by Sammy: My Tale of the 60's (2022)
Rat Pack (2022)
This Is Joan Collins (2022)
Dean Martin: King of Cool (2021)
Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me (2018)
This Is Bob Hope... (2017)
Popular Voices at the BBC (2017)
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me (2017)
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood (2017)
Bruce's Hall of Fame with Alexander Armstrong (2016)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do (2015)
Selma (2014)
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits (2012)
Music According to Tom Jobim (2012)
…Sings Musicals (2012)
Let's Play, Boy (2008)
The Wrecking Crew (2008)
The Ratpack (2006)
The Legendary Nat King Cole (2004)
The Rat Pack (2004)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004)
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection (2003)
Sinatra: The Classic Duets (2003)
Strangers in the Night: The Bert Kaempfert Story (2003)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years (2002)
It's Black Entertainment (2002)
The Ocean's 11 Story (2001)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 years of Laughter Volume 2 (2001)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 years of Laughter Volume 1 (2001)
The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration (1990)
Hanna-Barbera's 50th (1989)
The Ultimate Event (1989)
Tap (1989)
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast (1989)
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis (1988)
Moon Over Parador (1988)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC (1988)
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues (1988)
Uptown Comedy Express (1987)
The Perils of P.K (1986)
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany (1985)
That's Dancing! (1985)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers (1985)
All Star Party for Lucille Ball (1984)
Hunter (1984)
Cannonball Run II (1984)
Smorgasbord (1983)
Heidi's Song (1982)
Wogan (1982)
Night of 100 Stars (1982)
Champs-Elysées (1982)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! (1982)
The Cannonball Run (1981)
This Is Elvis (1981)
Sammy and Bruce (1980)
Sanford (1980)
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years (1979)
The Magic of Dance (1979)
The Kennedy Center Honors (1978)
Bruce Forsyth's Big Night (1978)
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin (1978)
Bio’s Bahnhof (1978)
Sammy Stops the World (1978)
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas (1977)
Bitte umblättern (1977)
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964 (1977)
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years (1976)
James Dean: The First American Teenager (1975)
Gone with the West (1975)
Sammy and Company (1975)
Doris Day Today (1975)
Dinah! (1974)
Chico and the Man (1974)
James Dean Remembered (1974)
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (1973)
Save the Children (1973)
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective) (1973)
Poor Devil (1973)
Old Faithful (1973)
The Julie Andrews Hour (1972)
The Trackers (1971)
V.I.P. Schaukel (1971)
All in the Family (1971)
Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970)
The Flip Wilson Show (1970)
One More Time (1970)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970)
The Pigeon (1969)
The Leslie Uggams Show (1969)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969)
Sweet Charity (1969)
The Fall (1969)
The Mod Squad (1968)
Here's Lucy (1968)
Salt & Pepper (1968)
The Dick Cavett Show (1968)
The Movie Orgy (1968)
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras (1967)
Movin' with Nancy (1967)
The Enemy (1967)
The Phil Donahue Show (1967)
The Carol Burnett Show (1967)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet (1966)
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This? (1966)
A Man Called Adam (1966)
The Strolling '20s (1966)
Batman (1966)
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show (1966)
I Dream of Jeannie (1965)
Frank Sinatra Spectacular (1965)
Nightmare in the Sun (1965)
The Disorderly Orderly (1964)
Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)
The Hollywood Palace (1964)
Johnny Cool (1963)
The Jerry Lewis Show (1963)
Burke's Law (1963)
The Patty Duke Show (1963)
The Threepenny Opera (1963)
The Merv Griffin Show (1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
Convicts 4 (1962)
Sergeants 3 (1962)
The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
Ben Casey (1961)
Cain's Hundred (1961)
The Day of the Fox (1961)
Pepe (1960)
Ocean's Eleven (1960)
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley (1960)
Playboy's Penthouse (1959)
The Big Party (1959)
Porgy and Bess (1959)
Anna Lucasta (1958)
77 Sunset Strip (1958)
The Rifleman (1958)
Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957)
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956)
The Steve Allen Show (1956)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
Jazz Ball (1956)
The Pre-Opening Report from Disneyland (1955)
The Oscars (1953)
General Electric Theater (1953)
The Jack Benny Program (1950)
What's My Line? (1950)
The Emmy Awards (1949)
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
Sweet and Low (1947)
Seasoned Greetings (1933)
Rufus Jones for President (1933)
Sammy Davis Jr.: The Golden Years
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
Ratings
Gallery
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1925-12-08
Deathday1990-05-16 (64 years old)
Birth NameSamuel George Davis Jr.
Birth PlaceNew York City, United States of America
Height165-centimeter
RelationshipsMay Britt (1960-01-01 - 1968-01-01)
SpouseAltovise Davis
FatherSammy Davis, Sr.
MotherElvera Sanchez
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsSammy Davis, Samuel George Davis Jr., Samuel George Davis, The Will Maston Trio, Will Maston Trio, Sammy Jr. & Altovise, Sammy Davis Jnr., Сэмми Дэвис мл., Sammy Davis, Jr.
AwardsKennedy Center Honors, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Spingarn Medal
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