Sammy Davis Jr

Sammy DAVIS Jr.

Recognized throughout most of his career as “the world’s greatest living entertainer”, Sammy Davis Jr. was an extremely popular and versatile performer. He was one of the few performers who found favor on both sides of the color barrier. Throughout his life, he experienced many encounters dealing with racism but was still a well respected contributor to the music community. His refusal to work at racist venues led to the African American integration into several nightclubs and casinos. This was such a huge issue in the music industry and Sammy Davis along with other artists overcame this obstacle. Davis was a well-rounded celebrity being involved in acting, singing, producing, and his famous impersonating that everyone remembers him for.

Samuel George Davis Jr., better known as Sammy Davis Jr. was born December 8, 1925. Davis was born in Harlem New York. He was born to Elvera Sanchez and Sammy Davis sr. His mom was an American dancer of Cuban ancestry, and his father was an African American entertainer. Growing up as a child, he was brought up by his paternal grandmother. When Sammy Davis jr. was three years old, his parents split up. His father didn’t want to loose custody of him so his only option was to take Sammy Davis jr. on tour with him . As a child he learned how to dance from his father, Sammy Davis, Sr., and his "uncle" Will Mastin, who led the dance group, which his father worked. Davis joined the act as a young child and they became the Will Mastin Trio. Davis always included the Will Mastin Trio in his billing throughout his long career, and long after he became a solo star. He continued to pay his father and Mastin large percentages of his income. It was his own way of thanking them both for making his career possible.

In the 1930s he became a regular and traveled with his father on the

vaudeville circuit. The schedule was so demanding with train rides, practice, and

performances it left little time for education. Sammy, Jr. had become the star

attraction of the trio by 1940, with his father and friend providing soft shoe in the

background. The act was popular enough to receive attract people to larger

clubs, and in that environment Davis met other performers such as Bill Robinson,

Frank Sinatra, and a variety of big band leaders. When he turned eighteen Davis

jr. was drafted into the United States Army and was sent to basic training in

Cheyenne, Wyoming. The boot camp experience was overwhelming and

tough for Davis. Although he was befriended by a black sergeant who gave him

reading lessons, he was mistreated relentlessly by the white troops with whom

he had to share a barracks.

Davis jr. was Transferred to an entertainment regiment, and eventually found himself performing in front of some of the same soldiers who had gave him a hard time. He discovered that his energetic dancing and singing could make the same people who messed with him, like him and see him for who he truly was. This era marked the beginning of Davis's dogged pursuit of his audience's love

In the mid-1950s, Sammy was involved with Kim Novak, who was