SAMMY DAVIS Jr.
G'day folks,
Welcome to some facts about an American entertainer who came to Australia many times and was well loved. Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer.
Primarily a dancer and singer, he was also an actor of stage and screen,
musician, and impressionist, noted for his impersonations of actors,
musicians and other celebrities.
His
nickname was Mr. Show Business, but Sammy Davis Jr.
fondly called himself "the only black, Puerto Rican, one-eyed, Jewish
entertainer in the world." Although he stood at a mere 5’6” and weighed only
120 pounds, Davis’ 60-year-long-career left a massive impression on the
entertainment world. He starred in seven Broadway shows, appeared in 23 films
including Ocean’s Eleven, regularly landed television roles and recorded
dozens of albums. Although he died of throat cancer at the age of 64, his
memory lives on as one of the greatest pop culture icons of the 20th century.
Here are seven interesting facts about Mr. Bojangles himself.
1) He lost an eye in a car accident.
On
November 19, 1954, Sammy Davis Jr. was driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles to
record a soundtrack for the film Six Bridges to Cross. He never made it
to the studio. Early that morning, his Cadillac collided with an automobile
that backed out in front of him. He sustained massive injuries to his face,
including a broken nose and damage to his left eye so severe that it had to be
replaced with a plastic one. A consummate professional, he was back on stage
only two months later.
2) He converted to Judaism.
Life was
different after Sammy Davis Jr.’s car accident. He believed that surviving the
crash was a miracle and spent much of his recovery reflecting on his existence.
While at San Bernardino hospital, he met a Jewish Chaplain and asked “a million
questions about the miracle” of coming out of the accident alive. Although his
parents were Christians, Sammy Davis Jr. was not deeply religious. But after
learning about Judaism, he felt Jews and Blacks shared a similar history of
oppression. Over the years, he studied more about the religion and eventually
converted.
3) He held a grudge against JFK.
According
to Davis’ 1989 biography, John F. Kennedy
asked the entertainer not to participate in the 1961 Presidential inauguration,
because the sight of the black entertainer alongside his wife, May Britt (who
was white), would potentially anger Southerners. Being shunned by the president
was a sore spot for SDJ, but those feelings were smoothed somewhat in 1987 when
he was honored by the Kennedy Center.
4) He shared a bromance with fellow Rat Packer Frank Sinatra.
During
his teens, Sammy Davis Jr. first met Old Blue Eyes,
when he helped open for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra — and Frank. The two
became lifelong friends, enjoying a 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 Sammy Davis Jr. because of his race.
After SDJ had his car accident, Frank paid the medical bills. For Sammy, the
admiration was mutual: “I wanted to be like him, I wanted to dress like him, I
wanted to look like him, I took my hair and had it all done up, Sinatra style,
with the little curl here and all.”
5. He had a difficult relationship with his daughter.
It’s no
surprise that the world’s greatest entertainer had a passion for his work, but
that passion often strained his relationship with his family. In a memoir about
her father, his daughter, Tracy Davis, said her famous dad missed her fifth
birthday party, then tried to make it up to her by handing over a $100 bill.
She also revealed that he skipped her college graduation and routinely lost
track of her phone number. Although the two grew closer together later in life,
for Tracy Davis, the scars remained. “I am not saying that he didn't love us,
but work was his driving force,” she said.
6. He performed one of the most famous kisses on television.
In 1972,
the Rat Packer helped create one of TV’s most legendary moments — an on-screen
kiss that appeared on the highly popular show All in the Family. The
episode featured Sammy (as himself) visiting the Bunker household in order to
retrieve a briefcase he left in Archie’s taxi. Although Archie makes several
racist remarks throughout the show, Sammy keeps his cool and famously plants a
smooch on Archie’s cheek before heading for the door. It was one of the show’s
most famous episodes and went on to be nominated for two Emmys.
7. His adopted son was also his biological son. Or was he?
Earlier
this year, reports surfaced that one of Sammy Davis Jr.’s adopted sons was
actually his biological son. Fifty-five year-old Mark Davis said he first
learned he was adopted after reading a Life magazine article in the
1960s that said the entertainer had adopted Mark around the age of two. But in
2013, Mark found his original birth certificate which listed Sammy Davis Jr. as
his biological father. Much to his disappointment, however, a DNA test showed
that Sammy Davis wasn’t his biological father. Maybe the distinction didn’t
matter to Sammy. According to Mark, his father’s last words to him from his
deathbed were: “You are my son.”
Clancy's comment: This guy was one of the many Americans who repeatedly returned to Australia to perform.
I'm ...
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