Sammy Davis Jr.
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 four 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.
Movies (109)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
2025
BRATS
2024
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
2023
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
2023
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
2023
Commitment to Life
2023
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
2023
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
Rat Pack
2022
This Is Joan Collins
2022
Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021
This Is Bob Hope...
2017
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017
Mansfield 66/67
2017
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
2012
The Music According to Tom Jobim
2012
…Sings Musicals
2012
Let's Play, Boy
2008
The Wrecking Crew
2008
Elvis Through the Years
2007
The Ratpack
2006
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
The Legendary Nat King Cole
2004
The Rat Pack
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
Dean Martin: The One and Only
2004
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
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 1
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
1991
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
1989
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
1989
Tap
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
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
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
Cannonball Run II
1984
Koyaanisqatsi
1983
Smorgasbord
1983
Heidi's Song
1982
Night of 100 Stars
1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
The Cannonball Run
1981
This Is Elvis
1981
Magic Night
1980
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979
Cinderella at the Palace
1978
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
1978
Sammy Stops the World
1978
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976
James Dean: The First American Teenager
1975
Gone with the West
1975
Doris Day Today
1975
James Dean Remembered
1974
Save the Children
1973
Old Faithful
1973
Poor Devil
1973
The Trackers
1971
Fight of the Century
1971
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970
One More Time
1970
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970
The Pigeon
1969
Sweet Charity
1969
The Fall
1969
Salt & Pepper
1968
The Movie Orgy
1968
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
1967
Movin' with Nancy
1967
The Enemy
1967
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
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
1965
Nightmare in the Sun
1965
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
Johnny Cool
1963
Jackpot at Tahoe
1963
Bomb Disposal
1963
The Threepenny Opera
1963
Convicts 4
1962
Sergeants 3
1962
Pepe
1960
Ocean's Eleven
1960
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
1960
Porgy and Bess
1959
Anna Lucasta
1958
Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956
Jazz Ball
1956
Six Bridges to Cross
1955
Sweet and Low
1947
Seasoned Greetings
1933
Rufus Jones for President
1933
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
TV Shows (55)
The Sixties
2014
The Rat Pack
1999
Alice in Wonderland
1985
The Cosby Show
1984
Hunter
1984
Wogan
1982
Champs-Elysées
1982
Sanford
1980
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
Fantasy Island
1978
Fantasy Island
1978
Charlie's Angels
1976
People's Choice Awards
1975
Dinah!
1974
Chico and the Man
1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973
The Julie Andrews Hour
1972
Great Performances
1971
All in the Family
1971
The Flip Wilson Show
1970
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969
The Mod Squad
1968
Here's Lucy
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
Omnibus
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
Batman
1966
I Dream of Jeannie
1965
The Hollywood Palace
1964
Burke's Law
1963
The Patty Duke Show
1963
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
Ben Casey
1961
Cain's Hundred
1961
77 Sunset Strip
1958
The Rifleman
1958
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
The Steve Allen Show
1956
The Oscars
1953
General Electric Theater
1953
General Electric Theater
1953
General Electric Theater
1953
The Jack Benny Program
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
What's My Line?
1950
The Emmy Awards
1949
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948