Sammy Davis Jr'

1
Sammy Davis Jr.

• Tina Wellman

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Birth

• Sammy Davis Jr. was born December 8,1925.
• He was born in Harlem Manhattan New York.

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Family

• His father was Sammy Davis Sr. He was an
  Afrcan-American Vaudeville Entertainer.
• His mother was Elvera Sanchez. She was a
  Puerto Rican Dancer.
• He had no siblings and he was raised by his
  grandmother because his father was on the road

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Wife and children

• His 1st wife was Loray White (1958-1959)
• His 2nd wife was May Britt (1960-1968) this
  marriage was inter-ratial and forbidden in 31
  states, his wife and children were not allowed
  to be seen in public with him
• His 3rd wife is Attovise Davis (1970-1990)
• His children
• Tracey, Mark, Jeff and Manny he adopted Mark,
  Jeff and Manny

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• He was a multi- instrumental
• Best known as singer of The Candy Man
• While he was alive he was known as, The worlds
  greatest living entertainer.
• Throughout the 1960s Davis was a vocal supporter
  of the Black Power Movement and other left wing
  causes.
• In 1972 he supported Richard Nixons presidential
  campaign.
• It is believed that he was the 1st
  African-American to be invited to sleep at the
  White House . Nixon invited him and he stayed in
  the Queens Suite.
• He helped break down racial barriers in show
  business between 1950-1960s

Why is he famous
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More Tidbits

• Trademark Glass Eye
• TONY award for best actor, Golden Boy
• Nicknames Smoky, One-eyed Jewish Negro and his
  father called him Poppa.

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Education

• Sammy Davis Jr. didnt go to school.
• He didnt go to college
• He served in the U.S.Army from 1943-1945.
• He received reading lessons from a black
  sergeant he befriended

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Death

• Sammy Davis Jr. died on May 16, 1990 at the age
  of 64.
• He died of complications from throat cancer due
  to chain smoking, he smoked 4 packs of cigarettes
  a day.
• He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park
  Cemetery in Glendale, CA.
• When he died he was in debt. To pay for the
  funeral most of his memorabilia had to be sold
  off.

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References

• www.sammydavis-jr.com, 2/5/09
• Enwikipedia.org/wiki/sammy_davis_jr., 2/5/09
• www.kennedy-center.org, 2/5/09
• www.1mdb.com/name/nm0002035/bio, 2/9/09
• www.kenndycenter.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction
  showindividualentitY_id3718source_typeA,
  2/9/09
• www.biography.com/search/article.do?id9268223,
  2/9/09
• www.answers.com/topic/sammy-davis-jr., 2/9/09
• http//pro.corbis.com/images/U1354948.jpg?size67
  uid7B149C9F8D-FCA6-437D-88F3-9D9C0B11C5DB7D
• http//i33.tinypic.com/2ni3cw3.jpg