Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American entertainer.
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
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0002035
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q297816
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Filmography (Movies)
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:24/01/2025
BRATS
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:07/06/2024
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:20/12/2023
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
Character:Self
Release Date:04/11/2023
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:05/03/2023
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
Character:Self
Release Date:13/01/2023
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:08/09/2022
Rat Pack
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:11/01/2022
This Is Joan Collins
Character:Archive Footage
Release Date:01/01/2022
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:14/11/2021
This Is Bob Hope...
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:29/12/2017
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:11/09/2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Character:Self - Singer (archive footage)
Release Date:19/03/2017
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/11/2015
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:26/11/2012
The Music According to Tom Jobim
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:20/05/2012
…Sings Musicals
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/01/2012
Let's Play, Boy
Character:himself (archive footage)
Release Date:25/05/2008
The Wrecking Crew
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:11/03/2008
Elvis Through the Years
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:14/08/2007
The Ratpack
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/2006
Pioneers of Primetime
Character:
Release Date:09/11/2005
The Legendary Nat King Cole
Character:Self
Release Date:05/10/2004
The Rat Pack
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2004
Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
Character:
Release Date:01/01/2004
Dean Martin: The One and Only
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2004
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:30/12/2003
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/03/2002
It's Black Entertainment
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:08/02/2002
The Ocean's 11 Story
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:22/11/2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:22/02/2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:22/02/2001
Television: The First Fifty Years
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1999
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1992
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
Character:
Release Date:17/02/1991
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Character:Sideman
Release Date:14/12/1990
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
Character:Self
Release Date:04/02/1990
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
Character:Self
Release Date:17/07/1989
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
Character:Self
Release Date:20/05/1989
Tap
Character:Little Mo
Release Date:12/02/1989
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1989
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
Character:Self
Release Date:05/11/1988
Moon Over Parador
Character:Self
Release Date:09/09/1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Character:Self
Release Date:16/05/1988
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Character:Self
Release Date:02/01/1988
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Character:Self
Release Date:18/05/1987
Uptown Comedy Express
Character:
Release Date:09/05/1987
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
Character:Self
Release Date:30/11/1986
The Perils of P.K
Character:
Release Date:06/06/1986
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
Character:Himself - Main Artist
Release Date:28/06/1985
That's Dancing!
Character:Self - Host
Release Date:18/01/1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1985
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Character:Self
Release Date:09/12/1984
Cannonball Run II
Character:Fenderbaum
Release Date:29/06/1984
Smorgasbord
Character:Himself
Release Date:13/04/1983
Heidi's Song
Character:Head Ratte (voice)
Release Date:19/11/1982
Night of 100 Stars
Character:Self
Release Date:08/03/1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1982
The Cannonball Run
Character:Fenderbaum
Release Date:19/06/1981
This Is Elvis
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:03/04/1981
Sammy and Bruce
Character:Self
Release Date:21/09/1980
Magic Night
Character:Self
Release Date:01/05/1980
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Character:Self
Release Date:13/12/1979
Cinderella at the Palace
Character:Self
Release Date:02/11/1978
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
Character:Self
Release Date:22/08/1978
Sammy Stops the World
Character:Littlechap
Release Date:01/01/1978
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
Character:
Release Date:23/10/1977
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1977
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Character:Self
Release Date:28/11/1976
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
Character:Self
Release Date:04/07/1976
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Character:Self
Release Date:30/09/1975
Gone with the West
Character:Kid Dandy
Release Date:01/09/1975
Doris Day Today
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1975
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
Character:Self - Presenter
Release Date:20/11/1974
James Dean Remembered
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1974
Save the Children
Character:Self
Release Date:13/05/1973
Old Faithful
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
Release Date:12/03/1973
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
Character:Self
Release Date:22/02/1973
Poor Devil
Character:Sammy
Release Date:14/02/1973
The Trackers
Character:Ezekiel Smith
Release Date:15/12/1971
Fight of the Century
Character:Self-(Audience Member)
Release Date:08/03/1971
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Character:Self
Release Date:11/11/1970
One More Time
Character:Charles Salt
Release Date:01/05/1970
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:24/03/1970
The Pigeon
Character:Larry Miller
Release Date:04/11/1969
Sweet Charity
Character:Big Daddy
Release Date:25/02/1969
The Fall
Character:
Release Date:15/01/1969
Salt & Pepper
Character:Charles Salt
Release Date:03/07/1968
Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa
Character:Self
Release Date:06/02/1968
The Movie Orgy
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1968
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
Character:Self
Release Date:21/12/1967
Movin' with Nancy
Character:Self
Release Date:11/12/1967
The Enemy
Character:Chris Christiansen
Release Date:20/11/1967
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
Character:The Cheshire Cat
Release Date:30/03/1966
A Man Called Adam
Character:Adam Johnson
Release Date:16/03/1966
The Strolling '20s
Character:Self
Release Date:04/02/1966
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Character:Self
Release Date:12/06/1965
Nightmare in the Sun
Character:Truck driver
Release Date:06/03/1965
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Character:Will Scarlet
Release Date:24/06/1964
Johnny Cool
Character:Educated
Release Date:02/10/1963
Jackpot at Tahoe
Character:Self
Release Date:16/09/1963
Bomb Disposal
Character:Self
Release Date:14/08/1963
The Threepenny Opera
Character:Moritatensänger
Release Date:28/02/1963
Convicts 4
Character:Wino
Release Date:15/09/1962
Sergeants 3
Character:Jonah Williams
Release Date:10/02/1962
The Day of the Fox
Character:Beppo
Release Date:06/09/1961
Pepe
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
Release Date:21/12/1960
Ocean's Eleven
Character:Josh Howard
Release Date:10/08/1960
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
Character:Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
Release Date:12/05/1960
Porgy and Bess
Character:Sportin' Life
Release Date:24/06/1959
Anna Lucasta
Character:Danny
Release Date:01/11/1958
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Character:Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Release Date:09/03/1956
Jazz Ball
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1956
Six Bridges to Cross
Character:Uncredited
Release Date:21/01/1955
Sweet and Low
Character:Self
Release Date:28/03/1947
Seasoned Greetings
Character:Henry Johnson
Release Date:23/09/1933
Rufus Jones for President
Character:Rufus Jones
Release Date:09/09/1933
Television Appearances
The Sixties
Character:Self (archive footage)
The Rat Pack
Character:(archive footage)
Alice in Wonderland
Character:Caterpillar / Father WIlliam
The Cosby Show
Character:Ray Palomino
Hunter
Character:Benny Schafer
Wogan
Character:Self
Champs-Elysées
Character:Self
Sanford
Character:Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
Character:Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
Character:Self
Fantasy Island
Character:Mr. Bojangles
Fantasy Island
Character:Edward Ross Sr.
Please Turn the Page
Character:Self
Sammy and Company
Character:Himself
People's Choice Awards
Character:Self - Presenter
Dinah!
Character:Self
Chico and the Man
Character:
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Character:Self
The Julie Andrews Hour
Character:Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
Character:Self
Great Performances
Character:Self (archive footage)
All in the Family
Character:Self
The Flip Wilson Show
Character:Self
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Character:Rodney River Jr.
The Mod Squad
Character:
Here's Lucy
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
The Dick Cavett Show
Character:Self - Guest
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Character:Self
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Character:Self (uncredited)
The Carol Burnett Show
Character:Self
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
Character:Self
Batman
Character:Self (uncredited)
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
Character:Host
I Dream of Jeannie
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
The Hollywood Palace
Character:Self - Singer
Burke's Law
Character:Cordwainer Bird
The Patty Duke Show
Character:
The Merv Griffin Show
Character:Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character:Self - Guest Host
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character:Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self - Co-Host
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self
Ben Casey
Character:
Cain's Hundred
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
Drama 61-67
Character:Beppo
Playboy's Penthouse
Character:self
The Big Party
Character:Self
77 Sunset Strip
Character:
The Rifleman
Character:
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Character:Self
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Cpl. Smith
The Steve Allen Show
Character:Self - Guest
The Oscars
Character:Self
General Electric Theater
Character:Private Spider Johnson
General Electric Theater
Character:Jacob Johnson
General Electric Theater
Character:Pancho Villa III
The Jack Benny Program
Character:Sammy Davis Jr.
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Character:Self
What's My Line?
Character:Self - Mystery Guest
The Emmy Awards
Character:Self
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Character:
The Ed Sullivan Show
Character:Self
Images
