Acting
Sammy Davis Jr.
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.
Movies with Sammy Davis Jr.
The Cannonball Run
1981
Ocean's Eleven
1960
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026
Cannonball Run II
1984
BRATS
2024
Johnny Cool
1963
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
The Movie Orgy
1968
Koyaanisqatsi
1983
That's Dancing!
1985
Tap
1989
Poor Devil
1973
Commitment to Life
2023
Sweet Charity
1969
Night of 100 Stars
1982
Pepe
1960
Porgy and Bess
1959
Moon Over Parador
1988
The Trackers
1971
Nightmare in the Sun
1965
The Wrecking Crew
2008
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970
Heidi's Song
1982
This Is Bob Hope...
2017
Mansfield 66/67
2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
A Man Called Adam
1966
This Is Elvis
1981
The Threepenny Opera
1963
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
1965
The Fabulous Allan Carr
2017
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
1966
Sergeants 3
1962
Gone with the West
1975
The Pigeon
1969
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
1989
James Dean Remembered
1974
Convicts 4
1962
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
2025
One More Time
1970
Salt & Pepper
1968
Magic Night
1980
Rat Pack
2022
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
1990
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
1992
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
Six Bridges to Cross
1955
The Enemy
1967
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
1991
Anna Lucasta
1958
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990
Dean Martin: The One and Only
2004
The Fall
1969
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
1986
It's Black Entertainment
2002
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
1988
Sweet and Low
1947
Fight of the Century
1971
The Day of the Fox
1961
…Sings Musicals
2012
Doris Day Today
1975
Smorgasbord
1983
Dancing in the Wings
1985
This Is Joan Collins
2022
Save the Children
1973
Old Faithful
1973
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
2023
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa
1968
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
1960
James Dean: The First American Teenager
1975
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
1967
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
1984
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
2023
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
1974
Movin' with Nancy
1967
Rufus Jones for President
1933
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
1976
The Legendary Nat King Cole
2004
The Perils of P.K
1986
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002
The Rat Pack
2004
Let's Play, Boy
2008
Cinderella at the Palace
1978
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
1989
Elvis Through the Years
2007
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
1989
The Ocean's 11 Story
2001
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
2023
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
2003
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
1977
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
1977
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
2017
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001
Uptown Comedy Express
1987
Sammy and Bruce
1980
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001
Jazz Ball
1956
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
2023
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
The Music According to Tom Jobim
2012
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
1978
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
1985
Sammy Stops the World
1978
The Strolling '20s
1966
Seasoned Greetings
1933
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
2012
The Ratpack
2006
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
1973
Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
2004
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
Bomb Disposal
1963
Jackpot at Tahoe
1963
TV Shows with Sammy Davis Jr.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
The Rifleman
1958
Wogan
1982
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
Champs-Elysées
1982
Batman
1966
Great Performances
1971
The Cosby Show
1984
Charlie's Angels
1976
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
I Dream of Jeannie
1965
Burke's Law
1963
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
Ben Casey
1961
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
Fantasy Island
1978
What's My Line?
1950
Hunter
1984
Omnibus
1967
The Oscars
1953
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957
People's Choice Awards
1975
All in the Family
1971
Here's Lucy
1968
The Jack Benny Program
1950
The Steve Allen Show
1956
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Dinah!
1974
The Mod Squad
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
Cain's Hundred
1961
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
1966
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
1969
The Patty Duke Show
1963
Drama 61-67
1961
The Flip Wilson Show
1970
The Hollywood Palace
1964
V.I.P. Schaukel
1971
Chico and the Man
1974
Please Turn the Page
1977
The Sixties
2014
The Emmy Awards
1949
The Julie Andrews Hour
1972
Alice in Wonderland
1985
Sanford
1980
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1948
The Big Party
1959
Bio’s Bahnhof
1978
General Electric Theater
1953
Playboy's Penthouse
1959
The Rat Pack
1999
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
1966
Sammy and Company
1975