Quick Facts
- NAME: Sammy Davis Jr.
- OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Dancer, Singer
- BIRTH DATE: December 08, 1925
- DEATH DATE: May 16, 1990
- PLACE OF BIRTH: New York City, New York
- PLACE OF DEATH: Beverly Hills, California
- Full Name: Samuel George Davis Jr.
- AKA: Samuel George Davis
- AKA: Sammy Davis
- AKA: Sammy Davis Jr.
Best Known For
Sammy Davis Jr. was an actor, comedian, singer and dancer, and part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.
Videos see all videos
Sammy Davis Jr. - Rat Pack Player
Watch a short video about Sammy Davis Jr. and find out how this member of the "Rat Pack" caused controversy and lost an eye.
Sammy Davis Jr. - Accident in Vegas
On November 19, 1954 Sammy Davis Jr. ended up in a car accident while driving to Los Angeles which damaged one of his eyes.
Sammy Davis Jr. - Performing in Vegas
Despite an era of racial segregation and prejudice, Sammy Davis Jr. would pack the clubs in Las Vegas night after night.
Sammy Davis Jr. - Meeting Frank Sinatra
In 1941 Frank Sinatra met then sixteen year old Sammy Davis Jr. as part of the Will Mastin Trio. Sammy Davis Jr.'s long standing career in show business and raw talent caught the eye of Sinatra.
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Play NowSammy Davis Jr. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:51, Jun 20, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223.
Sammy Davis Jr. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223 [Accessed 20 Jun 2013].
"Sammy Davis Jr." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jun 20 2013, 04:51 http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223.
"Sammy Davis Jr.," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223 [accessed Jun 20, 2013].
"Sammy Davis Jr.," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223 (accessed Jun 20, 2013).
Sammy Davis Jr. [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 Jun 20] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223.
Sammy Davis Jr., http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223 (last visited Jun 20, 2013).
Sammy Davis Jr. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223. Accessed Jun 20, 2013.
Synopsis
Born on December 8, 1925, in New York City, Sammy Davis Jr. overcame prevailing racism to become an entertaining legend. He was a successful comedian, actor, dancer and singer. 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,
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."
his refusal to appear in any clubs that practiced racial segregation led to the integration of several venues in Miami Beach and Las Vegas.
Early Life
Sammy Davis Jr. was born Samuel George Davis Jr. on December 8, 1925, in New York City. After his parents split up when he was 3, 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.
Commercial Success
Upon returning home, Davis resumed his showbiz career, performing stand up, acting and recording music. In 1956, Davis 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's 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). While Davis found his greatest success as a performer in the 1950s and '60s, he continued to entertain and record until the early 1980s.
Personal Life and Death
Davis was involved in a serious automobile accident in 1954, and lost his left eye as a result. While in the hospital, recovering from the accident, the famous performer began studying Judaism, reading, among other works, Paul Johnson's book A History of Jews. Several years later, Davis—who was raised as a Roman Catholic—converted to Judaism.
Davis married Swedish actress May Britt in 1960, when interracial marriages were forbidden by law in 31 states. The couple had one daughter and adopted two sons before divorcing in 1968. Davis was married to dancer Altovise Gore from 1970 until his death, on May 16, 1990, in Beverly Hills, California.
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