A Man of Many Talents
February 14, 2007 2:22 PM   Subscribe

Sammy Davis Jr—entertainer, photographer... camwhore?
posted by keswick (25 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
If a photo claims it's of Milton Berle entertaining party guests, I expect to see a lot more than just a card trick.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:29 PM on February 14, 2007


Cool! Also, I had no idea that he and Kim Novak dated. Lucky bastard. Then again, according to his Wikipedia article:

"In the mid-1950s, Sammy was involved with Kim Novak, who was a valuable star under contract to Columbia Studios. The head of the studio, Harry Cohn called one of the mob bosses, who was asked to tell Sammy that he had to stop the affair with Miss Novak." [no citation]

Whoa.
posted by brundlefly at 2:34 PM on February 14, 2007


@brundlefly - I believe they covered that in that Rat Pack movie (starring Ray Liotta). I caught part of it on HBO one night, and I don't remember much - but I do recall something about someone telling him to "stop datin' that white lady".
posted by revmitcz at 2:37 PM on February 14, 2007


For many of us, the days of the Rat Pack exhibited America at its cultural and artistic peak and after they left the scene, it was and has been all downhill. For others, the Rat Pack symbolized America at its lowest point. You decide
posted by Postroad at 2:43 PM on February 14, 2007


...the Rat Pack symbolized America at its lowest point. You decide.

Likewise The Brat Pack.

What I want to know is how the hell can you get the snare, bass, and electric guitar sound from just two harmonicas in that scene on the loading dock?
posted by tkchrist at 2:51 PM on February 14, 2007


Thanks for that.

It's painful to see Sammy in costume from Oceans 11 though. Frank was pissed off at him at the time and turned his role into that of a garbageman as punishment. The guy was an amazing talent from the time he was 5, he deserved better than that. But whatever.

More strange Sammy Davis Jr. moments... giving The Animals the the Eliza Doolittle treatment; getting interviewed by Rocky Marciano, and of course one of the best television moments of all... Sammy kissing Archie Bunker.

And plop plop fizz fizz, baby! YEAAAHHH!
posted by miss lynnster at 2:56 PM on February 14, 2007


Limo driver: But it's...it's a passing thing...it's uh.... I mean I would never tell them this but this is uh...this is a fad.
posted by phaedon at 2:58 PM on February 14, 2007


Yeah... I spend too much time on youtube. So sue me.
posted by miss lynnster at 2:58 PM on February 14, 2007


is he saying " E O eleven?"
posted by docpops at 3:00 PM on February 14, 2007


It's strange for me to see these... I have some amazing candid pictures of Sammy that my mom took when they were dating in the '60s. I don't guess I'll publish them while my folks are still around...
posted by nicwolff at 3:00 PM on February 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


More SammyDavis on YouTube: one of his last performances, Sammy with James Brown, and Sammy dancing off with Gregory Hines.

Once, giants walked the earth among us... Now, we live in lesser times.
posted by keswick at 3:07 PM on February 14, 2007


keswick, that Sammy/JB clip just made me have a minor heart murmur. Good God, that's awesome!
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 3:21 PM on February 14, 2007


nice links, keswick.
posted by phaedon at 3:21 PM on February 14, 2007


I have the book "Photo by Sammy Davis Jr" that they excerpt in the Vanity Fair article- it's amazing. So many great shots, a real history of the man and of his Hollywood.

He liked to shoot everything, apparently, including "cheesecake" shots of starlets.
posted by cell divide at 3:27 PM on February 14, 2007


Excerpted from Jackie Rogers Jr's $100,000 Jackpot Wad Game Show Parody with Sammy Davis Jr.

Jackie Rogers, Jr.: Alright, very good. The category is.. "Horn of Plenty". Sammy, describe these foods, if you will, sir.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Ouch!

[ POPCORN ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Okay, this is a thing at the movies, it comes in kernals, you eat them up in oil.

Rajeev Vindaloo: Popcorn.

[ PICKLE ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: This is a little hot, spicy number.

Rajeev Vindaloo: Rita Morena.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: No, babe. It comes from a cucumber, they let it sit in a barrel with its brothers so it becomes something else.

Rajeev Vindaloo: A caterpillar.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Let's move on.

[ ANGELFOOD CAKE ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: This is an apres dinner kind of thing, dessert, three layers, icing on top.

Rajeev Vindaloo: Japuti.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: No, babe. Say you're in heaven, you're flying around, you got a little halo, you're..

Rajeev Vindaloo: Dead.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Yeah, but you did a lot of good stuff, you're..

Rajeev Vindaloo: Blessed.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Yeah, but you got the wings, the halo, you're going from cloud to cloud..

Rajeev Vindaloo: I don't know, what is it?

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Next.

[ CHOCOLATE BABIES ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Uh.. this is, uh..

Rajeev Vindaloo: Chocolate Babies?

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Right.

[ ASPARAGUS ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Okay, this is a long shaft kind of thing with a tip on the end..

Rajeev Vindaloo: [ winks ]

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Next!
posted by tkchrist at 3:37 PM on February 14, 2007


...the Rat Pack symbolized America at its lowest point. You decide.

Lowest point (baby).
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:31 PM on February 14, 2007


Thanks for that All in the Family clip, Miss Lynnster....I about wet myself laughing!
posted by notsnot at 4:37 PM on February 14, 2007


Yeah, I love that too...
posted by miss lynnster at 5:01 PM on February 14, 2007


Once, giants walked the earth among us... Now, we live in lesser times.

As evidenced by the Britney to Elvis morphing thingy on the Sammy photographer page.
posted by Zinger at 5:14 PM on February 14, 2007


[this is excellent]

There's something about Jackie...

Big style, big ideas, big dreams. Yeah. I agree with keswick.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 6:14 PM on February 14, 2007


This one image is gorgeous. I wish I could bottle that look and create something myself that's half as beautiful.

Great link. Thanks.
posted by photoslob at 7:13 PM on February 14, 2007


Great post, keswick. And thanks to everyone else who added links.
posted by amyms at 7:44 PM on February 14, 2007


Where can I buy Mastroianni shades like these?
posted by Evstar at 8:03 PM on February 14, 2007


"I'd like to thank the NAACP for this wonderful trophy." - Dean Martin
posted by DonnieSticks at 9:49 PM on February 14, 2007


nicwolff, do you mean that your mother dated Sammy?
posted by davidmsc at 4:02 AM on February 16, 2007


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