Date of Birth : Dec 8th 1925
Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe-nominated and Tony Award-nominated American actor, comedian, singer, dancer, impressionist and musician, who remains known for being a member of the ‘Rat Pack’ of iconic entertainers of the Fifties and Sixties, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. While in the service, however, he joined an integrated entertainment Special Services unit, and found that the spotlight removed some of the prejudice. “My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man’s thinking,” he said.
Sammy Davis, Jr. (left) with Walter Reuther (center) and Roy Wilkins (right) at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C.
After he was discharged, Davis rejoined the dance act which played at a wide variety of spots around Portland, Oregon, and began to achieve success on his own as he was singled out for praise by critics. The next year, he released his second album. The next move in his growing career was to appear in the Broadway show Mr. Wonderful in 1956.
CAREER
Cannonball Run 2 ( 1984 )
Heidi’s Song ( 1982 )
The Cannonball Run ( 1981 )