Sammy Davis Jr.
Born
December 8, 1925
Died
May 16, 1990 (64 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
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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BRATS
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
Self (archive footage)
2023
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
Self (archive footage)
2023
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
Self
2023
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
Self
2023
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
2022
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2022
This Is Joan Collins
Archive Footage
2022
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Self (archive footage)
2021
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
2017
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Self (archive footage)
2017
Music According to Tom Jobim
Self (archive footage)
2012
…Sings Musicals
Self (archive footage)
2012
Let's Play, Boy
himself (archive footage)
2008
The Wrecking Crew
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2008
The Legendary Nat King Cole
Self
2004
The Rat Pack
Self
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
2004
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Self (archive footage)
2003
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
2002
The Ocean's 11 Story
Self (archive footage)
2001
Television: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
1999
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Sideman
1990
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
Self
1990
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
Self
1989
The Ultimate Event
Self
1989
Tap
Little Mo
1989
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
Self
1989
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
1988
Moon Over Parador
Self
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
1988
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Self
1988
Uptown Comedy Express
1987
That's Dancing!
Self - Host
1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Self
1984
Cannonball Run II
Fenderbaum
1984
Smorgasbord
Himself
1983
Heidi's Song
Head Ratte (voice)
1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
1982
The Cannonball Run
Fenderbaum
1981
This Is Elvis
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1981
Sammy and Bruce
Self
1980
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
Self
1978
Sammy Stops the World
Littlechap
1978
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
1977
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
1977
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Self
1976
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Self
1975
Gone with the West
Kid Dandy
1975
Doris Day Today
Self
1975
James Dean Remembered
Self
1974
Save the Children
Self
1973
Poor Devil
Sammy
1973
The Trackers
Ezekiel Smith
1971
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Self
1970
One More Time
Charles Salt
1970
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Self (archive footage)
1970
The Pigeon
Larry Miller
1969
Sweet Charity
Big Daddy
1969
Salt & Pepper
Charles Salt
1968
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
1968
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
Self
1967
A Man Called Adam
Adam Johnson
1966
Nightmare in the Sun
Truck driver
1965
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Will Scarlet
1964
Johnny Cool
Educated
1963
The Threepenny Opera
Moritatensänger
1963
Convicts 4
Wino
1962
Sergeants 3
Jonah Williams
1962
Pepe
Sammy Davis Jr.
1960
Ocean's Eleven
Josh Howard
1960
Porgy and Bess
Sportin' Life
1959
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
self
Anna Lucasta
Danny
1958
Seasoned Greetings
Henry Johnson
1933
Rufus Jones for President
Rufus Jones
1933
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
Self (archive footage)
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Self - Singer (archive footage)
2017
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Self (archive footage)
2016
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Self (archive footage)
2015
Selma
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2014
The Sixties
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2014
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
Self
2012
Elvis Through the Years
Self (archive footage)
2007
The Ratpack
Self
2006
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
2002
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
2001
The Rat Pack
(archive footage) · (1 episode)
1999
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
Self
1996
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
1987
The Perils of P.K
1986
Alice in Wonderland
Caterpillar / Father WIlliam · (1 episode)
1985
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
Himself - Main Artist
1985
The Cosby Show
Ray Palomino · (1 episode)
1984
Hunter
Benny Schafer · (1 episode)
1984
Koyaanisqatsi
Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Wogan
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Champs-Elysées
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Sanford
(1 episode)
1980
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Self
1979
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Bio’s Bahnhof
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Fantasy Island
(22 episodes)
1978
Please Turn the Page
Self · (1 episode)
1977
Sammy and Company
Himself · (1 episode)
1975
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
Self - Presenter
1974
Dinah!
Self · (4 episodes)
1974
Chico and the Man
(1 episode)
1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · (1 episode)
1973
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
Self
1973
Old Faithful
Self
1973
The Julie Andrews Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1972
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self · (2 episodes)
1971
Fight of the Century
Self-(Audience Member)
1971
All in the Family
Self · (1 episode)
1971
The Flip Wilson Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1970
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Rodney River Jr. · (1 episode)
1969
The Fall
1969
The Mod Squad
(3 episodes)
1968
Here's Lucy
Sammy Davis Jr. · (1 episode)
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self · (9 episodes)
1968
Movin' with Nancy
Self
1967
The Enemy
Chris Christiansen
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1967
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
Self · (1 episode)
1966
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
The Cheshire Cat
1966
The Strolling '20s
Self
1966
Batman
(1 episode)
1966
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
Host · (16 episodes)
1966
I Dream of Jeannie
Sammy Davis Jr. · (1 episode)
1965
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Self
1965
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1964
Burke's Law
Cordwainer Bird · (1 episode)
1963
The Patty Duke Show
(1 episode)
1963
Jackpot at Tahoe
Self
1963
Bomb Disposal
Self
1963
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self - Guest Host · (6 episodes)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (14 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (3 episodes)
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1961
Ben Casey
(1 episode)
1961
Cain's Hundred
Sammy Davis Jr. · (1 episode)
1961
The Day of the Fox
Beppo
1961
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
1960
Playboy's Penthouse
self · (1 episode)
1959
The Big Party
Self · (1 episode)
1959
77 Sunset Strip
(1 episode)
1958
The Rifleman
(1 episode)
1958
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self · (2 episodes)
1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Cpl. Smith · (1 episode)
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · (6 episodes)
1956
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
1956
Jazz Ball
Self (archive footage)
1956
Six Bridges to Cross
Uncredited
1955
The Oscars
Self · (6 episodes)
1953
General Electric Theater
Private Spider Johnson · (1 episode)
1953
General Electric Theater
Jacob Johnson · (1 episode)
1953
General Electric Theater
Pancho Villa III · (1 episode)
1953
The Jack Benny Program
Sammy Davis Jr. · (1 episode)
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (4 episodes)
1950
The Emmy Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (9 episodes)
1948
Sweet and Low
Self
1947