CineScope
Sammy Davis Jr. picture

Sammy Davis Jr.

Acting
Known For

64 Years Old

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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sammy Davis, Jr., licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Born

Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA on 8th December 1925

Died

16th May 1990

All Credits

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