Sammy Davis Jr.

Samuel George Davis Jr., born on December 8, 1925, in the Harlem neighbourhood of New York City, was a highly popular actor, comedian, singer and dancer. He was also part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.

He overcame prevailing racism to establish himself as an entertainment legend, known for films like Ocean's 11 and Sergeants 3 along with his partying ways. As his fame grew, his refusal to appear in any clubs that practiced racial segregation led to the integration of several venues in Miami Beach and Las Vegas. A Tony-nominated performer, Davis was also associated with popular recordings like "I've Gotta Be Me" and the No. 1 hit "The Candy Man." He died of throat cancer on May 16, 1990. Here he is from 1968 with I've Gotta Be Me