Sammy Davis Jr.
Acting
🎂 1925-12-08
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
Cast credits(170)
Self - Guest Host
1962
Self
1962
Self
1962
Self
1982
Self
1948
Sammy Davis Jr.
1950
Self
1967
Self - Co-Host
1961
Self
1961
1958
Self - Mystery Guest
1950
Self - Guest
1968
Sammy Davis Jr.
1968
Cordwainer Bird
1963
Sammy Davis Jr.
1965
Ray Palomino
1984
Self
1957
Self - Guest
1956
Self - Singer
1964
1974
Cpl. Smith
1956
Self
1970
1968
1961
Benny Schafer
1984
1978
Self
1978
1966
Sammy Davis Jr.
1961
Self
1953
Self
1973
1958
Self
1949
Self
1971
Rodney River Jr.
1969
1963
Self
1982
Self
1977
Host
1966
Self (archive footage)
2014
1980
Self
1974
Caterpillar / Father WIlliam
1985
Self
1968
Private Spider Johnson
1953
Jacob Johnson
1953
Pancho Villa III
1953
Himself
1975
Self
1971
Fenderbaum
1981
Josh Howard
1960
Self
1972
Self
1966
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2014
Fenderbaum
1984
Self
1978
Self
1959
Self
1970
Self - On TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Danny
1958
Self (archive footage)
2022
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Self
1987
self
1959
Will Scarlet
1964
Sammy Davis Jr.
1960
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2025
Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
1956
Self (archive footage)
1999
Self (archive footage)
2004
Big Daddy
1969
Kid Dandy
1975
Self (archive footage)
1968
Little Mo
1989
himself (archive footage)
2008
Self (archive footage)
2021
(archive footage)
1999
Self
1989
Self
1988
Self
1982
Self (archive footage)
1970
Self (archive footage)
2001
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2008
Adam Johnson
1966
Head Ratte (voice)
1982
Self
1973
Self (archive footage)
2022
Self (archive footage)
2007
Charles Salt
1968
Ezekiel Smith
1971
Educated
1963
Self (archive footage)
1982
Self - Singer (archive footage)
2017
Uncredited
1955
Moritatensänger
1963
Wino
1962
Self (archive footage)
2016
Self
2023
Self - Host
1985
Himself
1983
Self
1984
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1981
Self (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
1985
Self (archive footage)
2015
Charles Salt
1970
Self
1990
Self (archive footage)
2001
Larry Miller
1969
The Cheshire Cat
1966
Jonah Williams
1962
1987
Self (archive footage)
2002
Sportin' Life
1959
Self
1988
Sideman
1990
Truck driver
1965
Self (archive footage)
2017
Self
1975
Archive Footage
2022
Self
1967
Self (archive footage)
2001
Self (archive footage)
2023
Self-(Audience Member)
1971
Sammy
1973
Self (archive footage)
1956
Self
1966
1977
Self (archive footage)
2023
Self
1988
Self (archive footage)
2003
Self (archive footage)
2017
Self (archive footage)
2012
1969
Self
1976
Henry Johnson
1933
Self
2023
Self
1967
Self
1973
Beppo
1961
Self
1965
Self - Presenter
1974
Self
1979
Chris Christiansen
1967
Himself - Main Artist
1985
Self
1989
Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
1960
2005
Self
1974
1986
Self
2006
Self
2012
Self
1989
1977
Self
1963
Self (archive footage)
2012
Self
1978
Self
2004
self
Self
1975
Littlechap
1978
Self
1963
Self (archive footage)
2002
Self
2004
Self
1973
Self
1980
Self
1947
Rufus Jones
1933
Self
1996
1988
