
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 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.
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Acting (100 movies)

Ocean's Eleven
1960

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985

Porgy and Bess
1959

The Movie Orgy
1968

Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
2023

The Cannonball Run
1981

Cannonball Run II
1984

One More Time
1970

Salt & Pepper
1968

Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
2023

Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021

Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
1967

That's Dancing!
1985

Sweet Charity
1969

Tap
1989

Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970

Sergeants 3
1962

Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964

Pepe
1960

Johnny Cool
1963

Convicts 4
1962

Heidi's Song
1982

Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
1989

The Legendary Nat King Cole
2004

The Wrecking Crew
2008

Nightmare in the Sun
1965

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988

Rufus Jones for President
1933

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982

Anna Lucasta
1958

Save the Children
1973

The Trackers
1971

The Pigeon
1969

The Ocean's 11 Story
2001

An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
1988

Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988

Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
2003

A Man Called Adam
1966

The Threepenny Opera
1963

This Is Elvis
1981

The Rat Pack
2004

Smorgasbord
1983

The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970

Gone with the West
1975

Rat Pack
2022

Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
1978

This Is Joan Collins
2022

CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976

Uptown Comedy Express
1987

The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990

Sweet and Low
1947

Let's Play, Boy
2008

Moon Over Parador
1988

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022

…Sings Musicals
2012

Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
2023

Hanna-Barbera's 50th
1989

Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
2023

Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
1966

BRATS
2024

Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956

Poor Devil
1973

The Fall
1969

Fight of the Century
1971

The Music According to Tom Jobim
2012

The Strolling '20s
1966

Sammy Stops the World
1978

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
2017

Movin' with Nancy
1967

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004

James Dean: The First American Teenager
1975

This Is Bob Hope...
2017

Jazz Ball
1956

Doris Day Today
1975

James Dean Remembered
1974

The Ratpack
2006

Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
1960

The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
2012

The Enemy
1967

It's Black Entertainment
2002

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015

The Perils of P.K
1986

Old Faithful
1973

Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
1985

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001

Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979

Frank Sinatra Spectacular
1965

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017

Night of 100 Stars
1982

Jackpot at Tahoe
1963

Elvis Through the Years
2007

Six Bridges to Cross
1955

Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987

Bomb Disposal
1963

Pioneers of Primetime
2005

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
2025

Magic Night
1980

Dean Martin: The One and Only
2004
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Salt & Pepper | 1968 | Executive Producer |
| One More Time | 1970 | Executive Producer |
| The Trackers | 1971 | Producer |