Sammy Davis Jr.
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.
Fotos
Filmes (133)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026 · Self (archive footage)
Liza Minnelli: A Incrível e Absolutamente Verdadeira História
2025 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
BRATS
2024 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
2023 · Self
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Commitment to Life
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Soul of a Nation Apresenta: Artistas Negros em Vegas
2023 · Self
Louis Armstrong - Black & Blues
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
2022 · Self (archive footage)
This Is Joan Collins
2022 · Self (Archive Footage)
Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Out of Shadows
2020 · Self (archive)
This Is Bob Hope...
2017 · Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
2017 · Self (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
2017 · Self (archive footage)
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017 · Self - Singer (archive footage)
Mansfield 66/67
2017
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015 · Self (archive footage)
Loose Lips - Her Last Interview
2013
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
2012 · Self (archive footage)
The Music According to Tom Jobim
2012 · Self (archive footage)
…Sings Musicals
2012 · Self (archive footage)
Let's Play, Boy
2008 · himself (archive footage)
The Wrecking Crew
2008 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Elvis Through the Years
2007 · Self (archive footage)
The Ratpack
2006 · Self
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
The Legendary Nat King Cole
2004 · Self
The Rat Pack
2004 · Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
2004
Dean Martin: The One and Only
2004 · Self (archive footage)
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
2003 · Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002 · Self (archive footage)
It's Black Entertainment
2002 · Self (archive footage)
The Ocean's 11 Story
2001 · Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001 · Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001 · Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999 · Self (archive footage)
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
1992 · Self (archive footage)
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
1991
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990 · Sideman
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
1990 · Self
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
1989 · Self
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
1989 · Self
Tap
1989 · Little Mo
Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party!
1989 · Self
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
1989 · Self
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
1988 · Self
Moon Over Parador
1988 · Self
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988 · Self
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988 · Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987 · Self
Uptown Comedy Express
1987
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
1986 · Self
The Perils of P.K
1986
Dancing in the Wings
1985 · The Spirit
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
1985 · Himself - Main Artist
Motown Returns to the Apollo
1985
That's Dancing!
1985 · Self - Host
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985 · Self (archive footage)
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
1984 · Self
Cannonball Run II
1984 · Fenderbaum
Koyaanisqatsi
1983 · Self (archive footage)
Smorgasbord
1983 · Himself
Heidi's Song
1982 · Head Ratte (voice)
Night of 100 Stars
1982 · Self
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982 · Self (archive footage)
Playboy Video Magazine, Volume 1
1982 · Thanks
The Cannonball Run
1981 · Fenderbaum
This Is Elvis
1981 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sammy and Bruce
1980 · Self
Magic Night
1980 · Self
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979 · Self
Cinderella at the Palace
1978 · Self
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
1978 · Self
Sammy Stops the World
1978 · Littlechap
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
1977
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
1977
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976 · Self
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular
1976 · Self
James Dean: The First American Teenager
1975 · Self
Gone with the West
1975 · Kid Dandy
Doris Day Today
1975 · Self
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
1974 · Self - Presenter
James Dean Remembered
1974 · Self
Save the Children
1973 · Self
Old Faithful
1973 · Sammy Davis Jr.
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
1973 · Self
Poor Devil
1973 · Sammy
The Trackers
1971 · Ezekiel Smith, Producer
Fight of the Century
1971 · Self-(Audience Member)
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970 · Self (uncredited)
One More Time
1970 · Charles Salt, Executive Producer
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970 · Self (archive footage)
The Pigeon
1969 · Larry Miller
Sweet Charity
1969 · Big Daddy
The Fall
1969
Salt & Pepper
1968 · Charles Salt, Executive Producer, Theme Song Performance, Songs
Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa
1968 · Self
The Movie Orgy
1968 · Self (archive footage)
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
1967 · Self
Movin' with Nancy
1967 · Self
The Enemy
1967 · Chris Christiansen
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
1966 · The Cheshire Cat
A Man Called Adam
1966 · Adam Johnson
The Strolling '20s
1966 · Self
Licensed to Kill
1965 · Theme Song Performance
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
1965 · Self
Nightmare in the Sun
1965 · Truck driver
The Disorderly Orderly
1964 · Theme Song Performance
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964 · Will
Johnny Cool
1963 · Educated, Songs
Jackpot at Tahoe
1963 · Self
Bomb Disposal
1963 · Self
The Threepenny Opera
1963 · Moritatensänger
Convicts 4
1962 · Wino
Sergeants 3
1962 · Jonah Williams
The Day of the Fox
1961 · Beppo
Pepe
1960 · Sammy Davis Jr.
Ocean's Eleven
1960 · Josh Howard
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
1960 · Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
Porgy and Bess
1959 · Sportin' Life
Anna Lucasta
1958 · Danny, Theme Song Performance
Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956 · Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Jazz Ball
1956 · Self (archive footage)
Six Bridges to Cross
1955 · Uncredited, Theme Song Performance
Sweet and Low
1947 · Self
Seasoned Greetings
1933 · Henry Johnson
Rufus Jones for President
1933 · Rufus Jones
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
· self
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
· Self (archive footage)
Séries (61)
Anos 60
2014 · Self (archive footage)
Parkinson
2004 · Self - Guest / Performer (archive footage)
The Rat Pack
1999 · (archive footage)
Alice in Wonderland
1985 · Caterpillar / Father WIlliam
The Cosby Show
1984 · Ray Palomino
Hunter
1984 · Benny Schafer
Wogan
1982 · Self
Champs-Elysées
1982 · Self
Sanford
1980 · Self
Archie Bunker's Place
1979 · Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978 · Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
1978 · Self
Fantasy Island
1978 · Mr. Bojangles, Edward Ross Sr.
Please Turn the Page
1977 · Self
Charlie's Angels
1976 · Sammy Davis Jr. / Herbert Brubaker III
Sammy and Company
1975 · Himself
People's Choice Awards
1975 · Self - Presenter
Dinah!
1974 · Self
Chico and the Man
1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973 · Self
The Julie Andrews Hour
1972 · Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
1971 · Self
Great Performances
1971 · Self (archive footage)
All in the Family
1971 · Self
The Flip Wilson Show
1970 · Self
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969 · Rodney River Jr.
The Mod Squad
1968
Here's Lucy
1968 · Sammy Davis Jr.
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 · Self - Guest
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968 · Self, Self (uncredited)
Omnibus
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
1967 · Self
The Danny Thomas Hour
1967 · Chris Christiansen
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
1966 · Self
Batman
1966 · Self (uncredited)
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
1966 · Host
I Dream of Jeannie
1965 · Sammy Davis Jr.
The Hollywood Palace
1964 · Self - Singer
Burke's Law
1963 · Cordwainer Bird
The Patty Duke Show
1963
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self - Guest Host, Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self - Co-Host, Self
Ben Casey
1961
Cain's Hundred
1961 · Sammy Davis Jr.
Drama 61-67
1961 · Beppo
Playboy's Penthouse
1959 · self
The Big Party
1959 · Self
77 Sunset Strip
1958
The Rifleman
1958
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957 · Self
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956 · Cpl. Smith
The Steve Allen Show
1956 · Self - Guest
The Oscars
1953 · Self
General Electric Theater
1953 · Private Spider Johnson, Jacob Johnson, Pancho Villa III
The Jack Benny Program
1950 · Sammy Davis Jr.
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950 · Self
What's My Line?
1950 · Self
The Emmy Awards
1949 · Self
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Self