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Sammy Davis Jr. biography

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Sammy Davis Jr. was an actor, singer, and dancer and part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.

Synopsis

Born on December 8, 1925, in New York City, Sammy Davis Jr. overcame prevailing racism to become an entertaining legend. As part of the Rat Pack, with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Davis was known for his films and his partying ways. As his fame grew,

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Quotes

"Being a star has made it possible for me to get insulted in places where the average Negro could never hope to get insulted."
– Sammy Davis Jr.

his refusal to appear in any clubs that practiced racial segregation led to the integration of several venues in Miami Beach and Las Vegas.

Profile

Singer, actor, and dancer. Born December 8, 1925 in New York City. After his parents split up when he was three, Davis lived with his father and soon began a career tap-dancing in vaudeville. He, his father and Will Mastin performed as the Will Mastin Trio until Davis left to serve in the United States Army during World War II. During his time in the service, he overcame racial prejudice by joining the entertainment unit.

Uupon returning home, Davis resumed his showbiz career, with solo performing and recording success in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1956 he starred on Broadway in Mr Wonderful, and in 1964 in Golden Boy. His refusal to appear in any clubs that practiced racial segregation led to the integration of several venues in Miami Beach and Las Vegas.

Davis' films include Porgy and Bess (1959), Robin and the Seven Hoods with fellow Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin (1964), Sweet Charity (1968), and Taps (1980). He continued to entertain and record until the early 1980s.

Davis married Swedish-born actress May Britt in 1960, when interracial marriages were forbidden by law in 31 states. The couple had one daughter and adopted two sons and divorced in 1968. Davis was married to dancer Altovise Gore from 1970 until his death in 1990.

© 2012 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.

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