Sammy Davis Jr.

Acting · 1.2 popularity

Age

100

Movies

126

Born: December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990
From: Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

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.

Works

126 films

The Cannonball Run

19816.2

Ocean's Eleven

19606.4

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

20268.3

Cannonball Run II

19845.4

Koyaanisqatsi

19837.9

Johnny Cool

19635.3

Robin and the 7 Hoods

19646.2

Poor Devil

19735.9

The Movie Orgy

19686.7

Sweet Charity

19696.9

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

20226.5

Television: The First Fifty Years

1999

BRATS

20246.0

Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

19876.0

Commitment to Life

2023

The Wrecking Crew

20087.3

Tap

19896.6

Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas

20232.0

Moon Over Parador

19885.9

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

20177.3

Salt & Pepper

19685.3

That's Dancing!

19856.9

Dean Martin: King of Cool

20217.6

Night of 100 Stars

19825.8

Mansfield 66/67

20174.8

The Threepenny Opera

19635.8

Pioneers of Primetime

2005

Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany

1985

Heidi's Song

19826.3

Pepe

19606.3

Nightmare in the Sun

19653.0

The Fabulous Allan Carr

20174.5

Rat Pack

20229.0

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

19906.6

Six Bridges to Cross

19556.2

A Man Called Adam

19666.5

Uptown Comedy Express

19877.0

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

20257.5

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

20045.3

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

19665.2

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

2015

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

20176.9

Doris Day Today

19756.5

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

19826.0

All Star Party for Lucille Ball

19846.0

One More Time

19705.0

Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues

19887.6

Meet Me in Las Vegas

19564.5

Elvis: That's the Way It Is

19708.1

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers

19852.0

This Is Elvis

19817.0

Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time

19925.2

Sergeants 3

19625.8

Porgy and Bess

19596.3

This Is Bob Hope...

20178.0

All Star Party for Clint Eastwood

19866.0

Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event

19895.2

Fight of the Century

1971

The Enemy

1967

It's Black Entertainment

20028.7

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

19707.3

Save the Children

19736.5

Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years

1979

Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration

19908.7

James Dean Remembered

19748.0

Frank Sinatra Spectacular

19659.0

Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa

1968

Smorgasbord

19836.0

Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel

20237.0

Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia

20237.7

The Trackers

19715.8

Happy Birthday, Las Vegas

19778.0

CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years

19767.3

The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)

1991

Convicts 4

19625.1

Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964

1977

Dancing in the Wings

19857.5

The Pigeon

196910.0

An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis

198810.0

Hanna-Barbera's 50th

19899.1

Gone with the West

19753.0

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

19886.0

Elvis Through the Years

2007

Sweet and Low

194710.0

Magic Night

19808.0

The Legendary Nat King Cole

2004

This Is Joan Collins

20227.5

The Fall

19697.2

James Dean: The First American Teenager

19757.5

Anna Lucasta

19586.2

The Ocean's 11 Story

20016.8

Cinderella at the Palace

19788.0

The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years

20025.2

Old Faithful

1973

The Day of the Fox

1961

Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection

20037.8

Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin

19788.0

Movin' with Nancy

19677.0

…Sings Musicals

20127.0

Seasoned Greetings

19336.0

The Perils of P.K

19869.5

Jazz Ball

19568.0

Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.

2023

Let's Play, Boy

20085.3

Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley

19608.0

The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits

2012

Dean Martin: The One and Only

2004

Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras

1967

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

2001

Sammy Stops the World

19789.0

Sammy and Bruce

1980

The Strolling '20s

1966

The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards

1974

The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast

1989

Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)

1973

The Music According to Tom Jobim

20127.0

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

2001

The Rat Pack

2004

The Ratpack

2006

The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live

2026

Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat

2004

Rufus Jones for President

19337.0

Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits

2026

Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular

1976

Bomb Disposal

1963

Jackpot at Tahoe

1963