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Sammy Davis Jr.

Celebrity

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Sammy Davis Jr. Fast Facts:

Was part of his father and Will Mastin's vaudeville act at 3 years old.
Never went to school, but was occasionally tutored; received reading lessons from a black sergeant when he was in the Army's Special Services.
Made film debut at 8 years old when he starred in the 1933 movie short Rufus Jones for President.
Metronome magazine dubbed him Most Outstanding New Personality in 1946 and awarded him Record of the Year honors for his version of "The Way You Look Tonight."
Involved in a major car accident in 1954, in which he lost his left eye.
Appeared on Broadway for the first time in the 1956 musical Mr. Wonderful.
Was a member of the infamous Rat Pack, headlining Las Vegas shows and starring in films with cohorts Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.
Had a best-selling autobiography in 1965 with Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr.; wrote another tome Why Me? in 1980 and posthumously published Sammy: The Autobiography of Sammy Davis Jr. in 2000.
In 1966 had a short-run variety show on NBC called The Sammy Davis Jr. Show.
Has received numerous awards, including the NAACP's Spingarn Medal in 1968 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987, and was inducted into the NAACP's Hall of Fame in 1989.

Sammy Davis Jr. Relationships:
Altovise Gore - Wife
May Britt - Ex-wife
Tracey Davis - Daughter
Mark Sidney Davis - Son
Jeff Davis - Son
Loray White - Ex-wife
Samuel George Davis Sr. - Father
Elvira Sanchez - Mother
Rosa Davis - Grandmother
Manny Davis - Son
Ramona James - Sister
Suzette Davis - Sister
Sammy Davis Jr. Awards:
1956 Emmy: Best Specialty Act - Single or Group - Nominee
1965 Tony: Actor (Musical) - Nominee
1977 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
1989 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee