image of Sammy Davis Jr.
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Birthday: Dec 08, 1925
Place of Birth: Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

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

Filmography
Movie Cast Year
Ocean's Eleven Josh Howard 1960
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers Self (archive footage) 1985
Porgy and Bess Sportin' Life 1959
The Movie Orgy Self (archive footage) 1968
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas Self 2023
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live self 1970
The Cannonball Run Fenderbaum 1981
Cannonball Run II Fenderbaum 1984
One More Time Charles Salt 1970
Salt & Pepper Charles Salt 1968
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel Self (archive footage) 2023
Dean Martin: King of Cool Self (archive footage) 2021
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras Self 1967
That's Dancing! Self - Host 1985
Sweet Charity Big Daddy 1969
Tap Little Mo 1989
Elvis: That's the Way It Is Self 1970
Sergeants 3 Jonah Williams 1962
Robin and the 7 Hoods Will Scarlet 1964
Pepe Sammy Davis Jr. 1960
Johnny Cool Educated 1963
Convicts 4 Wino 1962
Heidi's Song Head Ratte (voice) 1982
All Star Party for Lucille Ball Self 1984
The Ultimate Event Self 1989
The Legendary Nat King Cole Self 2004
The Wrecking Crew Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2008
Nightmare in the Sun Truck driver 1965
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC Self 1988
Rufus Jones for President Rufus Jones 1933
Seasoned Greetings Henry Johnson 1933
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! Self (archive footage) 1982
Anna Lucasta Danny 1958
Save the Children Self 1973
The Trackers Ezekiel Smith 1971
The Pigeon Larry Miller 1969
The Ocean's 11 Story Self (archive footage) 2001
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis 1988
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues Self 1988
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection Self (archive footage) 2003
A Man Called Adam Adam Johnson 1966
The Threepenny Opera Moritatensänger 1963
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas 1977
This Is Elvis Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1981
The Rat Pack Self 2004
Smorgasbord Himself 1983
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years Self (archive footage) 2002
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis Self (archive footage) 1970
Gone with the West Kid Dandy 1975
Rat Pack Self (archive footage) 2022
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits Self (archive footage) 1970
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin Self 1978
This Is Joan Collins Archive Footage 2022
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years Self 1976
Uptown Comedy Express 1987
The Kid Who Loved Christmas Sideman 1990
Sweet and Low Self 1947
Sammy and Bruce Self 1980
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast Self 1989
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration Self 1990
Let's Play, Boy himself (archive footage) 2008
Moon Over Parador Self 1988
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues Self (archive footage) 2022
Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration Self 1990
…Sings Musicals Self (archive footage) 2012
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr. Self (archive footage) 2023
Hanna-Barbera's 50th Self 1989
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia Self 2023
Television: The First Fifty Years Self (archive footage) 1999
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This? The Cheshire Cat 1966
BRATS Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2024
Meet Me in Las Vegas Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited) 1956
Poor Devil Sammy 1973
The Fall 1969
Fight of the Century Self-(Audience Member) 1971
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964 1977
Music According to Tom Jobim Self (archive footage) 2012
The Strolling '20s Self 1966
Sammy Stops the World Littlechap 1978
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me Self (archive footage) 2017
Movin' with Nancy Self 1967
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Self (archive footage) 2004
James Dean: The First American Teenager Self 1975
This Is Bob Hope... Self (archive footage) 2017
Jazz Ball Self (archive footage) 1956
Doris Day Today Self 1975
James Dean Remembered Self 1974
The Ratpack Self 2006
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist 1960
The Day of the Fox Beppo 1961
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits Self 2012
The Enemy Chris Christiansen 1967
It's Black Entertainment Self (archive footage) 2002
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do Self (archive footage) 2015
The Perils of P.K 1986
Old Faithful Himself 1973
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany Himself - Main Artist 1985
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective) Self 1973
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1 Self (archive footage) 2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2 Self (archive footage) 2001
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years Self 1979
Frank Sinatra Spectacular Self 1965
Selma Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2014
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood Self - Singer (archive footage) 2017
Night of 100 Stars Self 1982
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular Self 1996
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards Self - Presenter 1974
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall Self (archive footage) 2016
Jackpot at Tahoe Self 1963
Koyaanisqatsi Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited) 1983
Series Cast Year
77 Sunset Strip 1958
Burke's Law Cordwainer Bird 1963
Cain's Hundred Sammy Davis Jr. 1961
Here's Lucy Sammy Davis Jr. 1968
I Dream of Jeannie Sammy Davis Jr. 1965
Batman 1966
Sanford 1980
All in the Family Self 1971
Chico and the Man 1974
Playboy's Penthouse self 1959
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet Self 1966
The Mod Squad 1968
General Electric Theater Private Spider Johnson 1953
Hunter Benny Schafer 1984
The Hollywood Palace Self - Singer 1964
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Self 1967
The Patty Duke Show 1963
The Flip Wilson Show Self 1970
The Rifleman 1958
Ben Casey 1961
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Cpl. Smith 1956
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self - Guest Host 1962
The Oscars Self 1953
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show Host 1966
The Kennedy Center Honors Self 1978
The Emmy Awards Self 1949
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self 1962
The Mike Douglas Show Self - Co-Host 1961
Dinah! Self 1974
General Electric Theater Jacob Johnson 1953
General Electric Theater Pancho Villa III 1953
Sammy and Company Himself 1975
The Courtship of Eddie's Father Rodney River Jr. 1969
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
The Jack Benny Program Sammy Davis Jr. 1950
Wogan Self 1982
V.I.P. Schaukel Self 1971
Bio’s Bahnhof Self 1978
Tonight Starring Jack Paar Self 1957
The Julie Andrews Hour Self 1972
The Mike Douglas Show Self 1961
The Big Party Self 1959
The Steve Allen Show Self - Guest 1956
The Carol Burnett Show Self 1967
Champs-Elysées Self 1982
The Dick Cavett Show Self - Guest 1968
What's My Line? Self - Mystery Guest 1950
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts Self 1973
Bitte umblättern Self 1977
The Cosby Show Ray Palomino 1984
The Rat Pack Self 1999
Alice in Wonderland Caterpillar / Father WIlliam 1985
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