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.
124 movies · 58 shows
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
2026·8.3
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
2025·7.5
BRATS
2024·6.0
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.
2023·0.0
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
2023·7.7
Kim Novak: Hollywood's Golden Age Rebel
2023·7.0
Commitment to Life
2023·0.0
Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas
2023·2.0
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022·6.5
Rat Pack
2022·9.0
This Is Joan Collins
2022·7.5
Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021·7.6
This Is Bob Hope...
2017·8.0
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
2017·6.9
The Fabulous Allan Carr
2017·4.5
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017·7.3
Mansfield 66/67
2017·4.8
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015·0.0
The Rat Pack - The Greatest Hits
2012·0.0
The Music According to Tom Jobim
2012·7.0
…Sings Musicals
2012·7.0
Let's Play, Boy
2008·5.3
The Wrecking Crew
2008·7.3
Elvis Through the Years
2007·0.0
The Ratpack
2006·0.0
Pioneers of Primetime
2005·0.0
The Legendary Nat King Cole
2004·0.0
The Rat Pack
2004·0.0
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004·5.3
Sammy Davis, Jr.: One Cool Cat
2004·0.0
Dean Martin: The One and Only
2004·0.0
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
2003·7.8
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
2002·5.2
It's Black Entertainment
2002·8.7
The Ocean's 11 Story
2001·6.8
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001·0.0
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001·0.0
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999·0.0
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
1992·5.2
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
1991·0.0
The Kid Who Loved Christmas
1990·6.6
Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
1990·8.7
Hanna-Barbera's 50th
1989·9.1
Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event
1989·5.2
Tap
1989·6.6
The Billy Martin Celebrity Roast
1989·0.0
An Evening with Sammy Davis, Jr. & Jerry Lewis
1988·10.0
Moon Over Parador
1988·5.9
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988·6.0
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988·7.6
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987·6.0
Uptown Comedy Express
1987·7.0
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
1986·6.0
The Perils of P.K
1986·9.5
Dancing in the Wings
1985·7.5
Sammy Davis Jr.: Live In Germany
1985·0.0
That's Dancing!
1985·6.9
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985·2.0
All Star Party for Lucille Ball
1984·6.0
Cannonball Run II
1984·5.4
Koyaanisqatsi
1983·7.9
Smorgasbord
1983·6.0
Heidi's Song
1982·6.3
Night of 100 Stars
1982·5.8
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982·6.0
The Cannonball Run
1981·6.2
This Is Elvis
1981·7.0
Sammy and Bruce
1980·0.0
Magic Night
1980·8.0
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979·0.0
Cinderella at the Palace
1978·8.0
Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin
1978·8.0
Sammy Stops the World
1978·9.0
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
1977·8.0
Jingle Bells: RFK - 1964
1977·0.0
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years
1976·7.3
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star Spangled Spectacular
1976·0.0
James Dean: The First American Teenager
1975·7.5
Gone with the West
1975·3.0
Doris Day Today
1975·6.5
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards
1974·0.0
James Dean Remembered
1974·8.0
Save the Children
1973·6.5
Old Faithful
1973·0.0
Today: While You Were Away (1964-1973 Retrospective)
1973·0.0
Poor Devil
1973·5.9
The Trackers
1971·5.8
Fight of the Century
1971·0.0
Elvis: That's the Way It Is
1970·8.1
One More Time
1970·5.0
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970·7.3
The Pigeon
1969·10.0
Sweet Charity
1969·6.9
The Fall
1969·7.2
Salt & Pepper
1968·5.3
Sammy Davis Jr. in Europa
1968·0.0
The Movie Orgy
1968·6.7
Christmas with The Martins and The Sinatras
1967·0.0
Movin' with Nancy
1967·7.0
The Enemy
1967·0.0
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
1966·5.2
A Man Called Adam
1966·6.5
The Strolling '20s
1966·0.0
Frank Sinatra Spectacular
1965·9.0
Nightmare in the Sun
1965·3.0
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964·6.2
Johnny Cool
1963·5.3
Jackpot at Tahoe
1963·0.0
Bomb Disposal
1963·0.0
The Threepenny Opera
1963·5.8
Convicts 4
1962·5.1
Sergeants 3
1962·5.8
The Day of the Fox
1961·0.0
Pepe
1960·6.3
Ocean's Eleven
1960·6.4
Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley
1960·8.0
Porgy and Bess
1959·6.3
Anna Lucasta
1958·6.2
Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956·4.5
Jazz Ball
1956·8.0
Six Bridges to Cross
1955·6.2
Sweet and Low
1947·10.0
Seasoned Greetings
1933·6.0
Rufus Jones for President
1933·7.0