Sammy Davis Jr.
Acting • Born 1925-12-08 – Died 1990-05-16
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 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
Filmography
184 credits
Ocean's Eleven
Movie • 1960
Josh Howard
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Movie • 1985
Self (archive footage)
Porgy and Bess
Movie • 1959
Sportin' Life
The Movie Orgy
Movie • 1968
Self (archive footage)
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
Movie • 2023
Self
The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live
Movie
self
The Cannonball Run
Movie • 1981
Fenderbaum
Cannonball Run II
Movie • 1984
Fenderbaum
One More Time
Movie • 1970
Charles Salt
Salt & Pepper
Movie • 1968
Charles Salt
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Dean Martin: King of Cool
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
Movie • 1967
Self
That's Dancing!
Movie • 1985
Self - Host
Sweet Charity
Movie • 1969
Big Daddy
Tap
Movie • 1989
Little Mo
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Movie • 1970
Self
Sergeants 3
Movie • 1962
Jonah Williams
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Movie • 1964
Will Scarlet
Pepe
Movie • 1960
Sammy Davis Jr.
Johnny Cool
Movie • 1963
Educated
Convicts 4
Movie • 1962
Wino
Heidi's Song
Movie • 1982
Head Ratte (voice)
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
Movie • 1984
Self
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
Movie • 1989
Self
The Legendary Nat King Cole
Movie • 2004
Self
The Wrecking Crew
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Nightmare in the Sun
Movie • 1965
Truck driver
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Movie • 1988
Self
Rufus Jones for President
Movie • 1933
Rufus Jones
Seasoned Greetings
Movie • 1933
Henry Johnson
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Movie • 1982
Self (archive footage)
Anna Lucasta
Movie • 1958
Danny
Save the Children
Movie • 1973
Self
The Trackers
Movie • 1971
Ezekiel Smith
The Pigeon
Movie • 1969
Larry Miller
The Ocean's 11 Story
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Movie • 1988
Self
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
Movie • 1988
Self
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Movie • 2003
Self (archive footage)
A Man Called Adam
Movie • 1966
Adam Johnson
The Threepenny Opera
Movie • 1963
Moritatensänger
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
Movie • 1977
This Is Elvis
Movie • 1981
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Rat Pack
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
Smorgasbord
Movie • 1983
Himself
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Movie • 1970
Self (archive footage)
Gone with the West
Movie • 1975
Kid Dandy
Rat Pack
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits
Movie
Self (archive footage)
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
Movie • 1978
Self
This Is Joan Collins
Movie • 2022
Archive Footage
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
Movie • 1976
Self
Uptown Comedy Express
Movie • 1987
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
Movie • 1990
Sideman
Sweet and Low
Movie • 1947
Self
Sammy and Bruce
Movie • 1980
Self
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
Movie • 1989
Self
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
Movie • 1990
Self
Let's Play, Boy
Movie • 2008
himself (archive footage)
Moon Over Parador
Movie • 1988
Self
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
…Sings Musicals
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
Movie • 1989
Self
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
Movie • 2023
Self
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 1999
Self (archive footage)
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
Movie • 1966
The Cheshire Cat
BRATS
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Movie • 1956
Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited)
Poor Devil
Movie • 1973
Sammy
The Fall
Movie • 1969
Fight of the Century
Movie • 1971
Self-(Audience Member)
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
Movie • 1977
The Music According to Tom Jobim
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
The Strolling '20s
Movie • 1966
Self
Sammy Stops the World
Movie • 1978
Littlechap
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Movie • 2017
Self (archive footage)
Movin' with Nancy
Movie • 1967
Self
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Movie • 1975
Self
This Is Bob Hope...
Movie • 2017
Self (archive footage)
Jazz Ball
Movie • 1956
Self (archive footage)
Doris Day Today
Movie • 1975
Self
James Dean Remembered
Movie • 1974
Self
The Ratpack
Movie • 2006
Self
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
Movie • 1960
Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist
The Day of the Fox
Movie • 1961
Beppo
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
The Enemy
Movie • 1967
Chris Christiansen
It's Black Entertainment
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
The Perils of P.K
Movie • 1986
Old Faithful
Movie • 1973
Sammy Davis Jr.
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
Movie • 1985
Himself - Main Artist
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
Movie • 1973
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Movie • 1979
Self
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
Movie • 1965
Self
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Movie • 2017
Self - Singer (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars
Movie • 1982
Self
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
Movie • 1976
Self
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
Movie • 1974
Self - Presenter
Jackpot at Tahoe
Movie • 1963
Self
Elvis Through the Years
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
Six Bridges to Cross
Movie • 1955
Uncredited
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Movie • 1987
Self
Bomb Disposal
Movie • 1963
Self
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie • 2005
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Magic Night
Movie • 1980
Self
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
Movie • 1992
Self (archive footage)
Cinderella at the Palace
Movie • 1978
Self
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
Movie • 1986
Self
Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
Movie • 2004
Dean Martin: The One and Only
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa
Movie • 1968
Self
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
Movie • 1991
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Movie • 2026
Self (archive footage)
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Cordwainer Bird
Cain's Hundred
TV • 1961
Sammy Davis Jr.
Here's Lucy
TV • 1968
Sammy Davis Jr.
I Dream of Jeannie
TV • 1965
Sammy Davis Jr.
Sanford
TV • 1980
Self
All in the Family
TV • 1971
Self
Chico and the Man
TV • 1974
Playboy's Penthouse
TV • 1959
self
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
TV • 1966
Self
The Mod Squad
TV • 1968
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Private Spider Johnson
Hunter
TV • 1984
Benny Schafer
The Hollywood Palace
TV • 1964
Self - Singer
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Self
The Patty Duke Show
TV • 1963
The Flip Wilson Show
TV • 1970
Self
The Rifleman
TV • 1958
Ben Casey
TV • 1961
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Cpl. Smith
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self - Guest Host
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
TV • 1966
Host
The Kennedy Center Honors
TV • 1978
Self
The Emmy Awards
TV • 1949
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Co-Host
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Jacob Johnson
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Pancho Villa III
Sammy and Company
TV • 1975
Himself
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
TV • 1969
Rodney River Jr.
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
The Jack Benny Program
TV • 1950
Sammy Davis Jr.
Wogan
TV • 1982
Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
TV • 1971
Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
TV • 1978
Self
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
TV • 1957
Self
The Julie Andrews Hour
TV • 1972
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
The Big Party
TV • 1959
Self
The Steve Allen Show
TV • 1956
Self - Guest
The Carol Burnett Show
TV • 1967
Self
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
What's My Line?
TV • 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV • 1973
Self
Please Turn the Page
TV • 1977
Self
The Cosby Show
TV • 1984
Ray Palomino
Alice in Wonderland
TV • 1985
Caterpillar / Father WIlliam
The Sixties
TV • 2014
Self (archive footage)
The Rat Pack
TV • 1999
(archive footage)
Batman
TV • 1966
Self (uncredited)
Fantasy Island
TV • 1978
Mr. Bojangles
Fantasy Island
TV • 1978
Edward Ross Sr.
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV • 1950
Self
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
TV • 1948
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Self (archive footage)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Self (uncredited)
Drama 61-67
TV • 1961
Beppo
People's Choice Awards
TV • 1975
Self - Presenter
Charlie's Angels
TV • 1976
Sammy Davis Jr. / Herbert Brubaker III