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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:
43
First Appeared:
In the movie Rufus Jones for President 1933-09-09
Latest Project:
Movie This Is Bob Hope... 2017-12-29
Known For
Filmography
Movie This Is Bob Hope... 2017-12-29
Movie Music According to Tom Jobim 2012-05-20
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 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 Hanna-Barbera's 50th Himself 1989-07-17
Movie The Ultimate Event Himself 1989-05-20
Movie Moon Over Parador Himself 1988-09-09
Movie That's Dancing! Himself - Host 1985-01-18
Series Alice in Wonderland 1985-12-09
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
Movie Sammy Stops the World Littlechap 1978-01-01
Movie Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964 1977-01-01
Movie Gone with the West Old Little Moon / Narrator 1975-09-01
Movie James Dean: The First American Teenager Himself 1975-09-30
Movie Poor Devil Sammy 1973-02-14
Movie Save the Children Himself 1973-05-13
Movie The Trackers Ezekiel Smith 1971-12-15
Movie One More Time Charles Salt 1970-05-01
Movie The Fall 1969-01-15
Movie Sweet Charity Big Daddy 1969-02-25
Movie Salt & Pepper Charles Salt 1968-07-03
Movie A Man Called Adam Adam Johnson 1966-03-16
Movie Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This? The Cheshire Cat 1966-03-30
Movie Nightmare in the Sun Truck driver 1965-03-06
Movie Robin and the 7 Hoods Will 1964-06-24
Movie The Threepenny Opera Moritatensänger 1963-02-28
Movie Johnny Cool Educated 1963-10-02
Movie Convicts 4 Wino 1962-09-15
Movie Sergeants 3 Jonah Williams 1962-02-10
Movie Ocean's Eleven Josh Howard 1960-08-10
Movie Pepe Himself 1960-12-21
Movie Porgy and Bess Sportin' Life 1959-06-24
Series The Big Party 1959-10-08
Movie Anna Lucasta Danny Johnson 1958-11-01
Movie Meet Me in Las Vegas Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited) 1956-03-09
Movie Rufus Jones for President Rufus Jones 1933-09-09