1925-12-08 Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
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.
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EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert | Self (archive footage) | 2026-02-18 |
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Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2025-01-24 |
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BRATS | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2024-06-07 |
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Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia | Self | 2023-11-04 |
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Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr. | Self (archive footage) | 2023-12-20 |
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Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas | Self | 2023-01-13 |
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Kim Novak, l'âme rebelle d'Hollywood | Self (archive footage) | 2023-03-05 |
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Commitment to Life | Self (archive footage) | 2023-02-10 |
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Rat Pack | Self (archive footage) | 2022-01-11 |
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This Is Joan Collins | Self (Archive Footage) | 2022-01-01 |
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Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues | Self (archive footage) | 2022-09-08 |
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Dean Martin: King of Cool | Self (archive footage) | 2021-11-14 |
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Mansfield 66/67 | 2017-01-29 | |
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Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me | Self (archive footage) | 2017-09-11 |
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The Fabulous Allan Carr | Self (archive) | 2017-05-19 |
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This Is Bob Hope... | Self (archive footage) | 2017-12-29 |
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John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood | Self - Singer (archive footage) | 2017-03-19 |
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Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do | Self (archive footage) | 2015-11-06 |
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…Sings Musicals | Self (archive footage) | 2012-01-15 |
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A Música Segundo Tom Jobim | Self (archive footage) | 2012-05-20 |
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The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits | Self (archive footage) | 2012-11-26 |
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Let's Play, Boy | himself (archive footage) | 2008-05-25 |
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The Wrecking Crew | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2008-03-11 |
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Elvis Through the Years | Self (archive footage) | 2007-08-14 |
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The Ratpack | Self | 2006-01-01 |
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Pioneers of Primetime | 2005-11-09 | |
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Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat | 2004-01-01 | |
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Dean Martin: The One and Only | Self (archive footage) | 2004-01-01 |
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The Legendary Nat King Cole | Self | 2004-10-05 |
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The Rat Pack | Self (archive footage) | 2004-01-01 |
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TV in Black: The First Fifty Years | Self (archive footage) | 2004-01-01 |
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Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection | Self (archive footage) | 2003-12-30 |
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The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years | Self (archive footage) | 2002-03-31 |
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It's Black Entertainment | Self (archive footage) | 2002-02-08 |
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The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2 | Self (archive footage) | 2001-02-22 |
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The Ocean's 11 Story | Self (archive footage) | 2001-11-22 |
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The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1 | Self (archive footage) | 2001-02-22 |
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Television: The First Fifty Years | Self (archive footage) | 1999-01-01 |
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Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time | Self (archive footage) | 1992-01-01 |
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The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1) | 1991-02-17 | |
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Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration | Self | 1990-02-04 |
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The Kid Who Loved Christmas | Sideman | 1990-12-14 |
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The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast | Self | 1989-01-01 |
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Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event | Self | 1989-05-20 |
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Hanna-Barbera's 50th | Self | 1989-07-17 |
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Tap | Little Mo | 1989-02-12 |
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Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues | Self | 1988-01-02 |
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An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis | Self | 1988-11-05 |
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Moon Over Parador | Self | 1988-09-09 |
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Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC | Self | 1988-05-16 |
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Uptown Comedy Express | 1987-05-09 | |
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Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood | Self | 1987-05-18 |
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The Perils of P.K | 1986-06-06 | |
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All Star Party for Clint Eastwood | Self | 1986-11-30 |
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Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers | Self (archive footage) | 1985-01-01 |
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Dancing in the Wings | The Spirit | 1985-09-13 |
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That's Dancing! | Self - Host | 1985-01-18 |
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Sammy Davis jr. in Deutschland | Himself - Main Artist | 1985-06-28 |
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All Star Party for Lucille Ball | Self | 1984-12-09 |
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Cannonball Run II | Fenderbaum | 1984-06-29 |
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Smorgasbord | Himself | 1983-04-13 |
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Koyaanisqatsi | Self (archive footage) | 1983-04-27 |
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Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! | Self (archive footage) | 1982-01-01 |
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Heidi's Song | Head Ratte (voice) | 1982-11-19 |
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Night of 100 Stars | Self | 1982-03-08 |
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The Cannonball Run | Fenderbaum | 1981-06-19 |
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This Is Elvis | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1981-04-03 |
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Sammy and Bruce | Self | 1980-09-21 |
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Magic Night | Self | 1980-05-01 |
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Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years | Self | 1979-12-13 |
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Sammy Stops the World | Littlechap | 1978-01-01 |
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Cinderella at the Palace | Self | 1978-11-02 |
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Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin | Self | 1978-08-22 |
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Happy Birthday, Las Vegas | 1977-10-23 | |
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Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964 | 1977-01-01 | |
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Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular | Self | 1976-07-04 |
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CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years | Self | 1976-11-28 |
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Doris Day Today | Self | 1975-01-01 |
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Gone with the West | Kid Dandy | 1975-09-01 |
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James Dean: The First American Teenager | Self | 1975-09-30 |
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The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards | Self - Presenter | 1974-11-20 |
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James Dean Remembered | Self | 1974-01-01 |
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Poor Devil | Sammy | 1973-02-14 |
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Old Faithful | Sammy Davis Jr. | 1973-03-12 |
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Save the Children | Self | 1973-05-13 |
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Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective) | Self | 1973-02-22 |
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Fight of the Century | Self-(Audience Member) | 1971-03-08 |
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The Trackers | Ezekiel Smith | 1971-12-15 |
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One More Time | Charles Salt | 1970-05-27 |
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Elvis: That's the Way It Is | Self | 1970-11-11 |
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King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis | Self (archive footage) | 1970-03-24 |
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The Fall | 1969-01-15 | |
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Sweet Charity | Big Daddy | 1969-02-25 |
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The Pigeon | Larry Miller | 1969-11-04 |
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Salt & Pepper | Charles Salt | 1968-07-03 |
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The Movie Orgy | Self (archive footage) | 1968-01-01 |
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Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa | Self | 1968-02-06 |
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Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras | Self | 1967-12-21 |
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The Enemy | Chris Christiansen | 1967-11-20 |
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Movin' with Nancy | Self | 1967-12-11 |
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Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This? | The Cheshire Cat | 1966-03-30 |
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A Man Called Adam | Adam Johnson | 1966-03-16 |
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The Strolling '20s | Self | 1966-02-04 |
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Frank Sinatra Spectacular | Self | 1965-06-12 |
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Nightmare in the Sun | Truck driver | 1965-03-06 |
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Robin and the 7 Hoods | Will Scarlet | 1964-06-24 |
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Bomb Disposal | Self | 1963-08-14 |
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Jackpot at Tahoe | Self | 1963-09-16 |
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Johnny Cool | Educated | 1963-10-02 |
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Die Dreigroschenoper | Moritatensänger | 1963-02-28 |
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Sergeants 3 | Jonah Williams | 1962-02-10 |
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Convicts 4 | Wino | 1962-09-15 |
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The Day of the Fox | Beppo | 1961-09-06 |
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Pepe | Sammy Davis Jr. | 1960-12-21 |
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Ocean's Eleven | Josh Howard | 1960-08-10 |
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Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley | Self - Singer / Dancer / Impressionist | 1960-05-12 |
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Porgy and Bess | Sportin' Life | 1959-06-24 |
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Anna Lucasta | Danny | 1958-11-01 |
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Jazz Ball | Self (archive footage) | 1956-01-01 |
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Meet Me in Las Vegas | Sammy Davis Jr. (voice) (uncredited) | 1956-03-09 |
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Six Bridges to Cross | Uncredited | 1955-01-21 |
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Sweet and Low | Self | 1947-03-28 |
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Seasoned Greetings | Henry Johnson | 1933-09-23 |
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Rufus Jones for President | Rufus Jones | 1933-09-09 |
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Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable Hits | Self (archive footage) | |
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The Best Of Sammy David Jr. Live | self |
