Sammy Davis Jr.

He was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident in 1954 in which he lost one eye. He later got fitted a glass eye.

Born to a Catholic mother and Protestant father, he formally converted to Judaism in 1961.

He married white actress may Britt in 1960 when interracial marriages were a topic of controversy. They had one biological daughter and adopted two sons before divorcing in 1968.

Sammy was born to Sammy Davis Sr. and Elvera Sanchez. He was their only child. Both his parents were vaudeville performers. His parents separated when he was three and his father gained custody of him.

His father worked for a dance troupe led by Will Mastin and Sammy joined them as a child artist. The three of them performed together as the Will Mastin Trio.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army during the World War II. There he experienced racial discrimination for the first time in his life.

While he was serving in the army he was assigned to the entertainment branch Special Services unit. Through his talent and performance he could earn the admiration of even the most prejudiced white men.

He rejoined the Will Mastin trio after his discharge from the army and also began giving solo performances which earned his acclaim.

In 1954, he was chosen to sing the title track for the film ‘Six bridges to Cross’. The song had been written by his friend Jeff Chandler and gave him his first exposure to Hollywood.

He released his debut album ‘Starring Sammy Davis, Jr’ in 1955. His other albums over the next few years included ‘Boy Meets Girl’ (1957) and ‘Mood to Be Wooed’ (1958).

He made his theatrical debut in 1957 with the Broadway musical ‘Mr. Wonderful’ which was created specifically to showcase his talents to the world.

Sammy Davis, Jr. was a talented entertainer who wore multiple hats. He was a stage performer, singer, dancer and actor who left his mark in a wide range of fields. As a singer he was best known for his cover version of the song ‘The Candy Man’.