Sammy Davis, Sr.
| Sammy Davis, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 12, 1900 Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Died | May 21, 1988 (aged 87) Beverly Hills, California |
| Spouse | Rita Wade Davis |
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Sr. (December 12, 1900 – May 21, 1988) was an American dancer and the father of Sammy Davis, Jr..
Contents |
[edit] Birth and Personal Life
Sammy Davis, Sr. was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. He and his former wife Elvera Sanchez were both vaudeville dancers. They split up when their son Sammy, Jr. was three. Davis, Sr. took custody of Sammy Jr., who went into show business with his father. He and Will Mastin, the leader of the dance troupe, taught Sammy, Jr. how to dance.
[edit] Career
Sammy Davis, Sr. began dancing early in life, and as a young man joined Will Mastin to form a dancing troupe. Soon Sammy, Jr. joined the act and they became known as the Will Mastin Trio. The three appeared in the 1956 Broadway musical Mr. Wonderful.
[edit] Appearances in Film
Sammy Davis Sr. also appeared in two movies, Sweet and Low and The Benny Goodman Story. In The Benny Goodman Story he played bandleader and arranger Fletcher Henderson.
[edit] Death
Sammy Davis, Sr. died in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 87, of natural causes, just two years before the death of his only child, Sammy Davis, Jr..
