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Who Is Sammy Davis Jr.?

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The American singer and actor is one of the most successful entertainers in American show business of the 1950s and 1960s. As a member of the “Rat Pack” he became world famous as “Mr. Wonderful” in the circle around Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Sammy Davis jr. has been credited for over 20 films and 40 music albums. honored with the most important awards in the industry. Nevertheless, Davis Jr. repeatedly the victim of open racist hostilities throughout his career. Unforgettable were his interpretations of songs like “Mr. Bojangles”, “One for my Baby” or “Candy Man”…

Sammy Davis Jr. was born on December 08, 1925 in Harlem, New York, the son of vaudeville artist Sammy Davis.

Sammy Davis was already on stage at the age of three. His teacher in tap dancing was Bill Robinson. Two years later he formed a trio with his father and his adoptive uncle, and the performances made him neglect school. During World War II, Davis volunteered for the Air Force, but blacks were not tolerated in this branch of service at the time, so he came to look after the troops. There he experienced racism and there were a few violent arguments, in which his nose was broken several times. These injuries gave him the appearance of a boxer. In the 1940s he learned to play the trumpet and other instruments and his dancing became more and more perfect. Sammy Davis jr had the first big success. in 1946 in Los Angeles with “The Way You Look Tonight”. This was followed by an engagement with Ciro in Hollywood. In 1954 Davis lost his left eye in a car accident. During this time he converted to the Jewish faith.

That same year he met Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine and Dean Martin. Encouraged by this circle of friends, his first album “Starring Sammy Davis jr.” out of here. With the successful musical “Mister Wonderful” Davis became a star on Broadway as “Charlie Welch”. The performance was performed a total of 383 times. He was also the first black artist to have his own show on American television. Numerous films and LPs such as “Mr. Bojangles”, “Candy Man” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So” followed. The big breakthrough in cinema began in 1959 with the film “Porgy & Bess”. This powerful film adaptation by George Gershwin became film history. A year later, in 1960, he married the Swede May Britt. From this marriage, which lasted seven years, come the common children Mark, Tracey and Jeff. Sammy Davis Jr. brought the great producer Samuel Goldwyn to his show.

He was now not only an entertainer and singer, but also a big movie star of his time. Sammy Davis jr celebrated his greatest successes. in the 1960s, when he put on legendary shows as a member of the so-called “Rat Pack” with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in the most prestigious casinos of Las Vegas. In 1960, the Rat Pack made the first in a series of Rat Pack films, Ocean’s Eleven. His marriage to Swedish actress May Britt drew the wrath of the racist American population. In 1960 he traveled to London with his wife, where he performed at the Palladium. In 1973, he made a controversial appearance at the White House honoring Vietnam returnees. In the mid-1980s, Sammy Davis Jr. fell ill. of throat cancer. Shortly thereafter he published under the title “Why me?” his autobiography. For his 60th stage anniversary in 1989, Davis performed in Munich and Los Angeles with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. For his artistic work, Sammy Davis jr. with numerous honors.

Sammy Davis Jr. died May 16, 1990 in Beverly Hills.

Discography

1954 – Because Of You
1955 – The Birth Of The Blues
1955 – Six Bridges To Cross
1955 – And This Is My Beloved
1955 – Love Me Or Leave Me
1955 – That Old Black Magic
1955 – Hey There
1955 – Backtrack
1955 – Starring Sammy Davis jr.
1955 – Just For Lovers
1956 – In A Persian Market
1956 – Azure
1956 – Earthbound
1956 – Frankie & Johnny
1956 – You’re Sensational
1956 – All Of You
1956 – Mr. Wonderful (Soundtrack)
1956 – Here’s Looking At You
1957 – The Golden Key
1957 – Dangerous
1957 – Too Close For Comfort
1957 – Goodbye So Long I’m Gone
1957 – Mad Ball
1957 – Long Before I Knew
1957 – Sammy Swings
1957 – It’s All Over But The Swingin’
1958 – I’m Coming Home
1958 – No Foll Like An Old Fool
1958 – Song And Dance Man
1958 – All The Way And Then Some
1958 – Mood To Be Wooed
1959 – That’s Anna
1959 – Porgy And Bess
1959 – Sammy Davis Jr. At Town Hall
1960 – Happy To Make Your Aquaintance
1960 – Eee-o Eleven
1960 – Sammy Awards
1960 – I Got A Right To Swing
1960 – Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
1961 – Mr. Entertainment
1961 – Wham Of Sam!
1962 – All Star Spectacular
1962 – What Kind Of Fool Am I And Others…
1962 – Bets The Best Of Broadway
1963 – Forget-Me-Nots For The First Nighters
1963 – At The Coconut Grove
1963 – Johnny Cool
1963 – As Long As She Needs Me
1963 – Sammy Davis At The Coconut Grove
1963 – Treasury Of Golden Hits
1964 – The Shelter Of Your Arms
1964 – Not For Me
1964 – Golden Boy (Original Soundtrack)
1964 – Salutes The Stars Of The London Palladium
1964 – California Suite
1964 – The Big Ones For Young Lovers
1964 – The Shelter Of Your Arms
1965 – Try A Little Tenderness
1965 – If I Ruled The World
1965 – The Nat “King” Cole Songbook
1965 – Sammy’s Back On Broadway
1965 – When The Feeling Hits You
1966 – The Sounds Of ’66
1966 – Sammy Davis Jr. Sings/Laurindo Almeida
1966 – Man Called Adam (Soundtrack)
1966 – Best Of Sammy Davis Jr.
1968 – Salt And Pepper (Soundtrack)
1968 – Sammy Davis Jr., Greatest Hits
1969 – Sweet Charity (Soundtrack)
1969 – I’ve Gotta Be Me
1972 – Sammy Davis Jr. Now
1972 – Portrait Of Sammy Davis Jr.
1977 – At His Dynamic Greatest
1977 – A Live Performance Of His Greatest Hits
1978 – Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2
1978 – Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
1982 – Best Of Sammy Davis Jr. /Capitol
1984 – Closest Of Friends
1984 – Sammy Davis Jr.
1989 – Great Sammy Davis Jr.
1990 – Capitol Collectors Series

Filmography

1933 – Rufus Jones for President
1959 – Anna Lucasta
1959 – Porgy and Bess
1960 – Ocean’s Eleven
1962 – The Threepenny Opera
1962 – 3rd Sergeant
1962 – Convicts 4
1964 – Robin and the Seven Hoods
1966 – A Man Called Adam
1966 – The Sammy Davis Jr. Show, variety show
1968 – Salt and Pepper
1969 – Sweet Charity
1970 – One More Time
1975/1977 – Sammy and Co. Talk and Variety Show
1976 – Gone with the West
1978 – Sammy stops the world
1981 – All hell broke loose on the highway
1984 – All hell broke loose on the highway again
1989 – Tap Dance
1990 – The kid who loved christmas

How tall was Sammy Davis jr?

Sammy Davis Jr height was 5ft 4 or 162.6 cm tall.

Did Sammy Davis jr go to school?

Childhood on the Road

was born on December 8, 1925, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, with the infant initially raised by his paternal grandmother. Davis’s parents split up when he was 3 and he went to live with his father, who was working as an entertainer in a dance troupe.

What is Sammy Davis Jr best known for?

Davis had a long successful career which included Broadway performances, a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music and Comedy Special. His recording of “The Candy Man” was a #1 hit in 1972 earning him a Pop Male Vocalist of the year Grammy nomination. Sammy Davis Jr.

What happened between Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr?

The two became lifelong friends, enjoying palpable chemistry both on and off stage. In fact, Sinatra was like a big brother to Sammy. In one instance, Sinatra tore up his contract when a theater barred Davis because of his race. After SDJ had his car accident, Sinatra paid the medical bills.

How did Sammy Davis Jr impact society?

Davis used his fame and fortune to fight the evils of racism. He joined in many of the marches for freedom walking with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other warriors of justice.

How did Sammy Davis Jr became famous?

Sammy Davis Jr. overcame prevailing racism to establish himself as an entertainment legend, becoming a successful comedian, actor, dancer and singer. As part of the Rat Pack, with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Davis was known for films like Ocean’s 11 and Sergeants 3 along with his partying ways.

What accident did Sammy Davis Jr have?

Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990)On November 19, 1954, Sammy Davis Jr., was returning to Los Angeles from Las Vegas when he crashed into a car that was backing up into his lane. The accident occurred near the intersection of Cajon Boulevard (Route 66) and Kendall Drive.

What did Sammy Davis Jr died of?

Sammy Davis Jr., a versatile and dynamic singer, dancer and actor who overcame extraordinary obstacles to become a leading American entertainer, died of throat cancer yesterday at his home in Los Angeles.

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