I know my uncle thought he was the best performer he had seen - better than Elvis.
When I heard of his death I pulled over off the road and just thought. Talent in so many ways. I wish I could have met him and Dean.
Your uncle was right. He was a full-service performer. Singing, dancing, stories...
1954: Sammy Davis Jr. was driving his Cadillac down Route 66, headed from Las Vegas to Los Angeles to record the soundtrack for the film Six Bridges to Cross. At 8 a.m., near San Bernardino, Calif., a 72-year-old woman backed her car out of a driveway into Davis’ path. The impact of the crash drove his face into the pointed center of the steering column, breaking his nose and effectively destroying his left eye. Davis, 28, was rushed to San Bernardino Community Hospital, where he was informed that he would lose his damaged eye and have it replaced with a plastic one.