Samuel George Sammy Davis Jr. was born December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York City, the son of Vaudeville performers, Sammy Davis Sr. and Elvera Sanchez Davis.
At the age of three Sammy performed in Holiday in Dixieland a black Vaudeville act featuring his father and lead by Will Mastin, to Sammy Mastin was his uncle. To overcome the strict child labor laws of the time, Sammy was dubbed Silent Sam, the Dancing Midget, the act proved phenomenally popular with audiences and soon was renamed Will Mastin’s Gang Featuring Little Sammy. In 1933 at the age of eight, Sammy made his film debut in the musical short Rufus Jones for President directed by Roy Mack and made in the Warner studio in Brooklyn, NY. The Mastin Gang opened for Tommy Dorsey at Detroit’s Michigan Theater where Sammy first met Frank Sinatra, which was the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Enjoy The clip of The Will Mastin Trio. Sammy Davis Jr., Sammy Davis Sr., and Will Mastin which came back together after Sammy returned from his WWII service. Sammy’s Silver screen achievements, Songs and Broadway performances are too numerous to mention here.
In 1954 he lost his left eye in an auto accident as he was on his way to record the theme song for the 1955 Tony Curtis film Six Bridges to Cross.
Sammy’s popularity stayed at the Top of the charts throughout the late 70’s early 80’s, His appearance in the 1989 film Tap was much acclaimed, but it was to be his last screen performance. Sammy died on May 16, 1990.