Sammy Davis Jr.
Acting
Born: December 8, 1925 · Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Died: May 16, 1990 (aged 64)
Highest Rated
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.
Known for
I Dream of Jeannie
1965
Koyaanisqatsi
1983
The Cannonball Run
1981
Batman
1966
The Cosby Show
1984
Ocean's Eleven
1960
Cannonball Run II
1984
Charlie's Angels
1976
All in the Family
1971
Fantasy Island
1978
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970
Hunter
1984
Photos (4)
Movies (39)
Cannonball Run II
Fenderbaum
The Cannonball Run
Fenderbaum
Ocean's Eleven
Josh Howard
Salt & Pepper
Charles Salt
Heidi's Song
Head Ratte (voice)
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Will
Sweet Charity
Big Daddy
Johnny Cool
Educated
Tap
Little Mo
One More Time
Charles Salt
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Sideman
A Man Called Adam
Adam Johnson
Poor Devil
Sammy
Nightmare in the Sun
Truck driver
Pepe
Sammy Davis Jr.
Anna Lucasta
Danny
Porgy and Bess
Sportin' Life
Gone with the West
Kid Dandy
Sergeants 3
Jonah Williams
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
The Cheshire Cat
The Threepenny Opera
Moritatensänger
The Trackers
Ezekiel Smith
Six Bridges to Cross
Uncredited
Mansfield 66/67
2017
The Pigeon
Larry Miller
Convicts 4
Wino
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Dancing in the Wings
The Spirit
Loose Lips - Her Last Interview
2013
Rufus Jones for President
Rufus Jones
The Enemy
Chris Christiansen
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
1991
Sammy Stops the World
Littlechap
The Perils of P.K
1986
The Fall
1969
Uptown Comedy Express
1987
Seasoned Greetings
Henry Johnson
Old Faithful
Sammy Davis Jr.
TV Shows (26)
Charlie's Angels
Sammy Davis Jr. / Herbert Brubaker III · 1 eps
The Cosby Show
Ray Palomino · 1 eps
The Rifleman
1 eps
Fantasy Island
Mr. Bojangles · 1 eps
Fantasy Island
Edward Ross Sr. · 1 eps
I Dream of Jeannie
Sammy Davis Jr. · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Cpl. Smith · 1 eps
Ben Casey
1 eps
Hunter
Benny Schafer · 1 eps
Omnibus
1 eps
Burke's Law
Cordwainer Bird · 1 eps
77 Sunset Strip
1 eps
Here's Lucy
Sammy Davis Jr. · 1 eps
The Jack Benny Program
Sammy Davis Jr. · 1 eps
The Mod Squad
3 eps
The Patty Duke Show
1 eps
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Rodney River Jr. · 1 eps
Chico and the Man
1 eps
Cain's Hundred
Sammy Davis Jr. · 1 eps
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1 eps
The Danny Thomas Hour
Chris Christiansen · 1 eps
Alice in Wonderland
Caterpillar / Father WIlliam · 1 eps
General Electric Theater
Private Spider Johnson · 1 eps
General Electric Theater
Jacob Johnson · 1 eps
General Electric Theater
Pancho Villa III · 1 eps
The Rat Pack
(archive footage) · 1 eps
Self / Appearances (108)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self - Guest Host · 6 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 17 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · 4 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · 2 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · 3 eps
Great Performances
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
What's My Line?
Self · 4 eps
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · 2 eps
Champs-Elysées
Self · 1 eps
Wogan
Self · 1 eps
Batman
Self (uncredited) · 1 eps
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self · 2 eps
The Carol Burnett Show
Self · 2 eps
All in the Family
Self · 1 eps
The Flip Wilson Show
Self · 2 eps
The Oscars
Self · 6 eps
Dinah!
Self · 4 eps
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · 9 eps
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · 1 eps
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · 6 eps
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self · 6 eps
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self (uncredited) · 2 eps
People's Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · 1 eps
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · 1 eps
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Self (archive footage)
Parkinson
Self - Guest / Performer (archive footage) · 1 eps
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · 1 eps
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer · 1 eps
The Emmy Awards
Self · 1 eps
The Julie Andrews Hour
Self · 1 eps
The Sixties
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
Sanford
Self · 1 eps
Koyaanisqatsi
Self (archive footage)
BRATS
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Smorgasbord
Himself
Moon Over Parador
Self
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Self (archive footage)
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Self (uncredited)
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
Self
The Wrecking Crew
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Dancing!
Self - Host
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Self - Singer (archive footage)
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
Self
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
Commitment to Life
Self (archive footage)
This Is Joan Collins
Self (Archive Footage)
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
Self - Presenter
Out of Shadows
Self (archive)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Self (archive footage)
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
Self
James Dean Remembered
Self
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Self (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars
Self
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Self
The Music According to Tom Jobim
Self (archive footage)
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
This Is Elvis
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Self
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
Self (archive footage)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
Jazz Ball
Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Self
Let's Play, Boy
himself (archive footage)
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Self
The Ocean's 11 Story
Self (archive footage)
Movin' with Nancy
Self
Save the Children
Self
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
Himself - Main Artist
Fight of the Century
Self-(Audience Member)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's Super Bowl Party!
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
Magic Night
Self
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Self (archive footage)
The Legendary Nat King Cole
Self
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
Self
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Self (archive footage)
The Strolling '20s
Self
Elvis Through the Years
Self (archive footage)
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
Self
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
Self
Dean Martin: The One and Only
Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular
Self
Cinderella at the Palace
Self
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
Self
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
Self
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
Self (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Self
Doris Day Today
Self
…Sings Musicals
Self (archive footage)
Sweet and Low
Self
Sammy and Bruce
Self
The Ratpack
Self
The Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
Bomb Disposal
Self
Jackpot at Tahoe
Self
Upcoming (2)
Producing (3)
Other Crew (8)
Salt & Pepper
Theme Song Performance
Salt & Pepper
Songs
Johnny Cool
Songs
The Disorderly Orderly
Theme Song Performance
Anna Lucasta
Theme Song Performance
Six Bridges to Cross
Theme Song Performance
Playboy Video Magazine, Volume 1
Thanks
Licensed to Kill
Theme Song Performance