Sammy Davis Jr.
December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990
Dancer, singer, actor, philanthropist, Civil Rights Activist
Samuel George Davis Jr., was born on December 8, 1925, New York in the town of Harlem to Sammy Davis Sr. who was an entertainer, and Elvera Sanchez a tap dancer. He was an only child. His parents worked as vaudeville dancers. As an infant, he was reared by his grandmother. When he was three years old, his parents separated. His father, not wanting to lose custody of his son, took him on tour.
Davis learned to dance from his father and his “uncle” Will Mastin who led the dance act his father worked for..
Davis had a friendship with Elvis Presley in the late 1960s, as they both were top-draw acts in Vegas at the same time.
When he was at the height of his stardom. In 1961 when he and close friend Frank Sinatra campaigned to elect President John F. Kennedy, but after he married Swedish actress May Britt, Kennedy refused to let him perform at his inauguration, Davis’ daughter claims in her book.
Davis was a fan of daytime soap opera, was an avid photographer and was an enthusiastic shooter and gun owner.
Davis died in Beverly Hills, California, on May 16, 1990 at age 64, of complications from throat cancer, He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Garden of Honor, Lot 5774, Space 1 in Glendale, California, next to his father, widow, Altovise Davis and Will Mastin.
In 2009, Altovise Davis passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of complications from a stroke at the age of 65.
They are survived by their son, his daughter, his sons, his sister, his mother, his grandmother, and two grandchildren.
Honors
1960 Hollywood Walk of Fame
1968 NAACP Spingarn Medal Award
1974 Special Citation Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
1987 Kennedy Center Honors John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
1989 NAACP Image Award
1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy
2002 Grammy Hall of Fame Award for “What Kind of Fool Am I?
2006 Las Vegas Walk of Stars in Front of the Riviera Hotel
2008 International Civil Rights Walk of Fame Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site