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Sammy Davis Jr. is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Executive Producer and Theme Song Performance American born on 8 december 1925 at New York City (USA)

Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr.
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Birth name Samuel George Davis Jr.
Nationality USA
Birth 8 december 1925 at New York City (USA)
Death 16 may 1990 (at 64 years) at Beverly Hills (USA)
Awards Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American entertainer. Primarily a dancer and singer, he was also an actor of stage and screen, musician, and impressionist, noted for his impersonations of actors, musicians and other celebrities. At the age of three Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father and Will Mastin as the Will Mastin Trio, which toured nationally. After military service Davis returned to the trio. Davis became an overnight sensation following a nightclub performance at Ciro's (in West Hollywood, California) after the 1951 Academy Awards. With the trio, he became a recording artist. In 1954, he lost his left eye in a car accident, and several years later, he converted to Judaism.

Davis's film career began as a child in 1933. In 1960, he appeared in the first Rat Pack film, Ocean's 11. After a starring role on Broadway in 1956's Mr Wonderful, he returned to the stage in 1964's Golden Boy. In 1966 he had his own TV variety show, The Sammy Davis Jr. Show. Davis's career slowed in the late 1960s, but he had a hit record with "The Candy Man" in 1972 and became a star in Las Vegas, earning him the nickname "Mister Show Business".

As an African-American during the pre-Civil Rights era, Davis was a victim of racism throughout his life and was a large financial supporter of the Civil Rights movement. Davis had a complex relationship with the black community, and drew criticism after physically embracing President Richard M. Nixon in 1972. 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 he died 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.

Biography

Car accident and conversion to Judaism
Davis nearly died in an automobile accident on November 19, 1954, in San Bernardino, California, as he was making a return trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. In 1953, he had struck up a friendship with comedian and host Eddie Cantor, who gave him a mezuzah. Instead of putting it by his door, as a traditional blessing, Davis would wear it around his neck as a good luck charm. The only time he forgot it, one night in 1954, he crashed his car on the way to a gig in California. The accident occurred at a fork in U.S. Highway 66 at Cajon Boulevard and Kendall Drive (34°12′26″N 117°23′08″W / 34.2072°N 117.3855°W / 34.2072; -117.3855). Davis lost his left eye to the bullet-shaped horn button (a standard 1954-55 Cadillac feature) as a result. His friend, actor Jeff Chandler, said he would give one of his own eyes if it would keep Davis from total blindness. Davis wore an eye patch for at least six months following the accident. He was featured with the patch on the cover of his debut album and appeared on What's My Line? wearing the patch. Later, he was fitted for a glass eye, which he wore for the rest of his life.

While in San Bernardino's Community Hospital, Eddie Cantor told him about the similarities between the Jewish and black cultures. Prompted by this conversation, Davis—who was born to a Catholic mother and Protestant father—began studying the history of Jews. He formally converted to Judaism several years later, in 1961. One passage from his readings (from the book A History of The Jews by Abram L. Sachar), describing the endurance of the Jewish people, intrigued him in particular: "The Jews would not die. Three millennia of prophetic teaching had given them an unwavering spirit of resignation and had created in them a will to live which no disaster could crush." In many ways, the accident marked a turning point in Davis's career, taking him from a well-known entertainer to a national celebrity. Davis was an early member of the Universal Life Church.


Marriages
In 1957, Davis was involved with Kim Novak, a young actress under contract to Columbia Studios. The head of Columbia studio, Harry Cohn, was worried about the negative effect this would have on the studio because of the prevailing taboo against miscegenation. He called his friend, mobster Johnny Roselli, who was asked to tell Davis that he had to stop the affair with Novak. Roselli arranged for Davis to be kidnapped for a few hours to throw a scare into him. His hastily arranged and soon-dissolved (after nine months) marriage to black dancer Loray White in 1958 was an attempt to quiet the controversy. In a 2014 BBC documentary, it was disclosed that Cohn arranged for Davis to be threatened with having his other eye put out or his leg broken if he did not marry a black woman within 48 hours. At his wedding celebration he became so inebriated that his friend, Arthur Silber, put him to bed. Upon checking later, Silber caught him holding a loaded pistol to his head. The marriage to Loray White was never consummated - Davis having offered to pay her $10,000 to enter into a sham marriage.

In 1960, Davis caused controversy again when he married white Swedish-born actress May Britt. Davis received hate mail while starring in the Broadway musical adaptation of Golden Boy during 1964–66 (for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor). At the time Davis appeared in the play, interracial marriages were forbidden by law in 31 US states (but were entirely legal in New York), and only in 1967 were those laws ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. Davis and Britt had one daughter Tracey and adopted two sons. Davis performed almost continuously and spent little time with his wife. They divorced in 1968, after Davis admitted to having had an affair with singer Lola Falana. That year, Davis started dating Altovise Gore, a dancer in Golden Boy. They were married on May 11, 1970, by the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Kathy McKee replaced Altovise in Davis's nightclub act. They adopted a son, Manny, in 1989. Davis and Altovise remained married until his death in 1990.


Political beliefs

Davis was a registered Democrat and supported John F. Kennedy's 1960 election campaign as well as Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 campaign.

However, he became a close friend to President Richard Nixon and publicly endorsed him at the 1972 Republican National Convention. Davis also made a USO tour to South Vietnam at Nixon's request. Previously, Davis had won Nixon's respect with his participation in the Civil Rights Movement. Nixon invited Davis and his wife, Altovise, to sleep in the White House in 1973, the first time African Americans were invited to do so. The Davises spent the night in the Queens' Bedroom.

Davis was a long-time donor to the Reverend Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH organization. The Reverend Jesse Jackson also performed Davis's wedding.

Best films

The Cannonball Run (1981)
(Actor)
Sergeants 3 (1962)
(Actor)

Usually with

Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
(9 films)
Dean Martin
Dean Martin
(9 films)
Peter Lawford
Peter Lawford
(8 films)
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
(3 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Sammy Davis Jr. (39 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, 1h33
Directed by Spike Lee
Origin USA
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Documentaire sur une personnalité
Actors Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Rosie Perez, David Byrne, Lee Daniels, Carole Bayer Sager
Rating73% 3.6888053.6888053.6888053.6888053.688805
Ce documentaire relate l'ascension du roi de la pop, Michael Jackson, à travers la création de son album solo historique, Off the Wall.
Selma
Selma (2014)
, 2h8
Directed by Ava DuVernay
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical
Themes Films about racism, Political films
Actors David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Lorraine Toussaint
Roles Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating74% 3.748773.748773.748773.748773.74877
In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) accepts his Nobel Peace Prize. Four African-American girls are shown walking down the stairs of the 16th Street Baptist Church until an explosion explosion set by the Ku Klux Klan kills them. In Selma, Alabama, Annie Lee Cooper attempts to register to vote but is prevented by the white registrar. King meets with President Lyndon B. Johnson and asks for federal legislation to allow black citizens to register to vote unencumbered. Johnson says he has more important projects.
Music According to Tom Jobim, 1h24
Directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Origin Bresil
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, Lio, Birgit Brüel
Roles Self (archive footage)
Rating76% 3.845333.845333.845333.845333.84533
The movie tells the story of one of the biggest names in Brazilian Music, Antônio Carlos Jobim, famous for songs like "Garota de Ipanema", "Chega de Saudade" e "Águas de Março". It shows the influence of classical music on his works and his partnership with Vinicius de Moraes.
The Wrecking Crew, 1h41
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Documentary, Action, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Documentary films about cities, Musical films
Actors Micky Dolenz, Brian Wilson, Sonny Bono, H. B. Barnum, Glen Campbell, Cher
Roles Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating76% 3.841983.841983.841983.841983.84198
Popular music of the 1960s was dominated by young bands like The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, Jan and Dean, and The Monkees. Listening to rock and roll on jukeboxes and car radios created devoted fans of these groups, whose music communicated the optimism and sorrow of a generation contending with strong countercultural forces.
Tap
Tap (1989)
, 1h51
Directed by Nick Castle
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical theatre, Action, Musical
Themes Dance films, Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Gregory Hines, Sammy Davis Jr., Suzzanne Douglas, Joe Morton, Savion Glover, Terrence E. McNally
Roles Little Mo
Rating64% 3.2484353.2484353.2484353.2484353.248435
Max Washington (Gregory Hines), just released from prison after serving time for burglary, is a talented tap dancer. His late father owned a dance studio that is now run by Little Mo (Sammy Davis, Jr.), whose daughter Amy Simms (Suzzanne Douglas) gives lessons to children. Back on the streets, Max isn't interested in dancing again but he is interested in seeing Amy, his former girlfriend. A local gangster, Nicky, doesn't care for Max personally but does try to recruit him to take part in a robbery. Amy has a job as dancer in an upcoming Broadway show and tells its choreographer about Max, hoping to land him a role in the chorus. Max is reluctant to agree to it, then incensed when he is humiliated during the auditions. Max must decide whether to swallow his pride and dance the way the man wants, or give up his art once and for all and return to a life of crime.
Moon Over Parador, 1h43
Directed by Paul Mazursky
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Action, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Monde imaginaire, Politique, Films about television, Transport films, Political films, Films about Latin American military dictatorships
Actors Richard Dreyfuss, Raúl Juliá, Sônia Braga, Jonathan Winters, Fernando Rey, Regina Casé
Roles Self
Rating59% 2.9985852.9985852.9985852.9985852.998585
The film follows the exploits of film actor Jack Noah (Dreyfuss), who is filming in the small, fictional South American country of Parador when Paradorian President Alfonse Simms suddenly dies of a heart attack. Not wanting to lose his position in power, the president's right-hand man, Roberto Strausmann (Juliá) forces Jack to take the 'role of a lifetime' - that of the dead president, as the two men look so much alike. Jack accepts, eventually winning over the people and even the dead president's mistress, Madonna (Braga). However, when paradise proves to be too boring, Jack needs to find a way to get out while keeping Roberto out of the loop.
Alice in Wonderland, 3h7
Directed by Harry Harris
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy
Themes Films based on Alice in Wonderland, Children's films
Actors Natalie Gregory, Red Buttons, Anthony Newley, Sheila Mathews Allen, Jayne Meadows, Carol Channing
Roles The Caterpillar/Father William
Rating77% 3.899543.899543.899543.899543.89954
The first part opens with Alice (Natalie Gregory) helping Mother (Sheilla Allen) set the table for tea time. Although thankful for her daughter's help, Mother tells Alice that she is still not grown-up enough to join the adults at tea. Alice goes outside to see her sister (played by Gregory's real-life older sister Sharee Gregory), but gets bored of reading a book with no pictures. Her sister tells her that she will understand when she grows up, but Alice thinks she is already grown up (after all, she's seven and a half).
Cannonball Run II, 1h48
Directed by Hal Needham
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure
Themes Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Martial arts films, Auto racing films, Road movies
Actors Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jamie Farr, Telly Savalas
Roles Fenderbaum
Rating50% 2.503882.503882.503882.503882.50388
Having lost the first Cannonball Run race, Sheik Abdul ben Falafel (Jamie Farr) is ordered by his father (Ricardo Montalban) to go back to America and win another Cannonball Run in order to "emblazon the Falafel name as the fastest in the world." When Sheik Abdul points out that there is no Cannonball Run that year, his father simply tells him to "buy one."
Smorgasbord, 1h18
Directed by Jerry Lewis
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy
Actors Jerry Lewis, Herb Edelman, Zane Buzby, Milton Berle, Foster Brooks, Francine York
Roles Himself
Rating58% 2.902232.902232.902232.902232.90223
Warren Nefron (Jerry Lewis) is a klutz who cannot do anything right. He tells his psychiatrist, Dr. Pletchick (Herb Edelman), his problems. Through a series of flashbacks the viewer sees Nefron's life story.
Heidi's Song, 1h34
Directed by Robert Taylor
Origin USA
Genres Musical, Animation
Themes Films about children, Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Lorne Greene, Sammy Davis Jr., Pamelyn Ferdin, Michael Bell, Joan Gerber, Peter Cullen
Roles Head Ratte
Rating61% 3.096893.096893.096893.096893.09689
An orphaned girl named Heidi is sent to live with her paternal grandfather by her maternal Aunt Dete, who has been looking after Heidi since she was a baby. Heidi's grandfather initially dislikes having Heidi around because she interferes in his routine. But when grandfather hurts his leg, Heidi helps nurse him back to health, and during this time the two bond together. Heidi meets the local goatherd, a boy named Peter, and often goes with him and the village's goats on thei daily grazing trips higher up the Swiss mountain.
The Cannonball Run, 1h35
Directed by Hal Needham
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure
Themes Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Auto racing films, Road movies
Actors Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.
Roles Fenderbaum
Rating61% 3.099263.099263.099263.099263.09926
Race teams have gathered in Connecticut to start a cross-country car race. One at a time, teams drive up to the starters' stand, punch a time card to indicate their time of departure, then take off.
This Is Elvis, 2h24
Directed by Andrew Solt
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Films about television, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors Elvis Presley, Johnny Harra, Linda Diane Thompson, Priscilla Presley, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra
Roles Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating75% 3.788083.788083.788083.788083.78808
Ce docu-film relate la vie du King, alternant images d'archives et scènes rejouées par des acteurs, le tout illuminé par ses meilleures chansons. Un voyage inoubliable dans les coulisses d'un phénomène musical incomparable et intemporel…
Gone with the West, 1h32
Directed by Bernard Girard
Origin USA
Genres Western
Actors James Caan, Stefanie Powers, Aldo Ray, Barbara Werle, Robert Walker Jr., Sammy Davis Jr.
Roles Kid Dandy
Rating31% 1.589011.589011.589011.589011.58901
Jud McGraw gets out of prison and seeks revenge against Mimmo, a man who wronged him. He meets Little Moon, a woman who also has good reason to go looking for justice.