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person_profile-Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr. Died at age: 64

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Sammy Davis Jr.

Date of Birth:

Dec 08, 1925

Country of birth:

USA

Died:

May 16, 1990

Biography of

Sammy Davis Jr.

    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

Photos of

Sammy Davis Jr.

Photos ( 3 Photos

Filmography of

Sammy Davis Jr.

Found 92 Movies in total

BRATS

Self (Archive Footage) ( Actor )

... 2024

Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2023

... 2023

Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2023

... 2023

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

Self (archive Photo) ( Actor )

... 2022

This Is Joan Collins

Archive Footage ( Actor )

... 2022

Dean Martin: King of Cool

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2021

This Is Bob Hope...

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2017

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2017

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

Self - Singer (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2017

... 2016

Selma

self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2014

... 2012

…Sings Musicals

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2012

The Wrecking Crew

Himself ( Actor )

... 2008

Elvis Through the Years

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2007

... 2005

... 2004

The Rat Pack

Self ( Actor )

... 2004

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2004

... 2003

The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2002

It's Black Entertainment

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2002

The Ocean's 11 Story

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2001

... 2001

... 2001

... 1990

Hanna-Barbera's 50th

Self ( Actor )

... 1989

The Ultimate Event

Self ( Actor )

... 1989

Tap

Little Mo ( Actor )

... 1989

... 1988

Moon Over Parador

Self ( Actor )

... 1988

... 1988

... 1988

... 1987

... 1987

... 1986

That's Dancing!

Self - Host ( Actor )

... 1985

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1985

... 1984

Cannonball Run II

Fenderbaum ( Actor )

... 1984

Koyaanisqatsi

Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1983

Smorgasbord

Himself ( Actor )

... 1983

Heidi's Song

Head Ratte ( Actor )

... 1982

Night of 100 Stars

Self ( Actor )

... 1982

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1982

The Cannonball Run

Fenderbaum ( Actor )

... 1981

This Is Elvis

Self (archive footage) (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1981

... 1979

... 1978

Sammy Stops the World

Littlechap ( Actor )

... 1978

... 1977

... 1976

... 1975

Gone with the West

Kid Dandy ( Actor )

... 1975

Doris Day Today

Himeself ( Actor )

... 1975

... 1974

Save the Children

Self ( Actor )

... 1973

Poor Devil

Sammy ( Actor )

... 1973

Old Faithful

Himself ( Actor )

... 1973

The Trackers

Ezekiel Smith ( Actor )

Producer

... 1971

Fight of the Century

Self-(Audience Member) ( Actor )

... 1971

... 1970

One More Time

Charles Salt ( Actor )

Executive Producer

... 1970

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1970

The Pigeon

Larry Miller ( Actor )

... 1969

Sweet Charity

Big Daddy ( Actor )

... 1969

... 1969

Salt & Pepper

Charles Salt ( Actor )

Executive Producer

... 1968

The Movie Orgy

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1968

... 1967

Movin' with Nancy

Self ( Actor )

... 1967

The Enemy

Chris Christiansen ( Actor )

... 1967

... 1966

A Man Called Adam

Adam Johnson ( Actor )

... 1966

The Strolling '20s

Self ( Actor )

... 1966

Nightmare in the Sun

Truck driver ( Actor )

... 1965

... 1964

Johnny Cool

Educated ( Actor )

... 1963

The Threepenny Opera

Moritatensänger ( Actor )

... 1963

Convicts 4

Wino ( Actor )

... 1962

Sergeants 3

Jonah Williams ( Actor )

... 1962

Pepe

Sammy Davis Jr. ( Actor )

... 1960

Ocean's Eleven

Josh Howard ( Actor )

... 1960

Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley

Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist ( Actor )

... 1960

Porgy and Bess

Sportin' Life ( Actor )

... 1959

Anna Lucasta

Danny ( Actor )

... 1958

Meet Me in Las Vegas

Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1956

Jazz Ball

Self (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 1956

Six Bridges to Cross

Uncredited ( Actor )

... 1955

... -0001