Acting
Sammy Davis Jr.
EN, FR, PT, DE cinema · 133 credits
Born
8 December 1925
Died
16 May 1990 (aged 64)
Birthplace
Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Also known as Sammy Davis · Samuel George Davis Jr. · Samuel George Davis · The Will Maston Trio · Will Maston Trio
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
Filmography
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
as Self (archive footage)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
as Self (archive footage)
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
BRATS
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
as Self (archive footage)
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
as Self (archive footage)
Commitment to Life
as Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
This Is Joan Collins
as Self (Archive Footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (archive footage)
Dean Martin: King of Cool
as Self (archive footage)
Out of Shadows
as Self (archive)
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
as Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
as Self (archive footage)
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
as Self - Singer (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
as Self (archive footage)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
as Self (archive footage)
…Sings Musicals
as Self (archive footage)
The Music According to Tom Jobim
as Self (archive footage)
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
as Self (archive footage)
The Wrecking Crew
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Let's Play, Boy
as himself (archive footage)
Elvis Through the Years
as Self (archive footage)
The Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage)
Dean Martin: The One and Only
as Self (archive footage)
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
It's Black Entertainment
as Self (archive footage)
The Ocean's 11 Story
as Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
as Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
as Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage)
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
as Self (archive footage)
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
as Sideman
Tap
as Little Mo
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
as Self - Host
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
as Himself - Main Artist
Dancing in the Wings
as The Spirit
Cannonball Run II
as Fenderbaum
Smorgasbord
as Himself
Koyaanisqatsi
as Self (archive footage)
Heidi's Song
as Head Ratte (voice)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
as Self (archive footage)
The Cannonball Run
as Fenderbaum
This Is Elvis
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Magic Night
as Self
Sammy Stops the World
as Littlechap
Gone with the West
as Kid Dandy
Doris Day Today
as Self
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
as Self - Presenter
Poor Devil
as Sammy
Old Faithful
as Sammy Davis Jr.
The Trackers
as Ezekiel Smith, Producer
Fight of the Century
as Self-(Audience Member)
One More Time
as Charles Salt, Executive Producer
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
as Self (uncredited)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
as Self (archive footage)
Sweet Charity
as Big Daddy
The Pigeon
as Larry Miller
The Fall
Actor
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
Salt & Pepper
as Charles Salt, Executive Producer, Theme Song Performance, Songs
The Enemy
as Chris Christiansen
A Man Called Adam
as Adam Johnson
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
as The Cheshire Cat
Nightmare in the Sun
as Truck driver
Licensed to Kill
Theme Song Performance
The Disorderly Orderly
Theme Song Performance
Johnny Cool
as Educated, Songs
The Threepenny Opera
as Moritatensänger
Sergeants 3
as Jonah Williams
Convicts 4
as Wino
Ocean's Eleven
as Josh Howard
Pepe
as Sammy Davis Jr.
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
as Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
Porgy and Bess
as Sportin' Life
Anna Lucasta
as Danny, Theme Song Performance
Meet Me in Las Vegas
as Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Jazz Ball
as Self (archive footage)
Six Bridges to Cross
as Uncredited, Theme Song Performance
Sweet and Low
as Self
Rufus Jones for President
as Rufus Jones
Seasoned Greetings
as Henry Johnson