Sammy Davis, Jr.

8Mile

Platinum Member
I was talking to my parents the other day about how the old-time movie actors, like the Rat Pack, were much more than one-dimensional; they were real entertainers, good at a whole bunch of things. I was especially thinking of Sammy Davis, Jr., who could act, sing and dance like a motherf***er.

But I didn't even know he could do this until today! Drums and vibes, and at a very high level.

Wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USxvJFfKXrE
 
A once in a lifetime personality. He'll probably never be matched in his many capabilities.
 
Man, he really swung!!! Thanks for sharing.
 
No more Sammy's is the reason why the entertainment biz, Hollywood, movies, tv really stinks today. Being a triple threat was the norm up til a couple decades ago. You'd see it in bloom on many variety shows of the period.
 
No more Sammy's is the reason why the entertainment biz, Hollywood, movies, tv really stinks today. Being a triple threat was the norm up til a couple decades ago.

8mile Thanks fro the clip! I think Sammy was great.
But larryz where is the evidence for your downer statement? Can you name any modern performers and have any evidence that none of them are multi-talented....i.e. can sing, dance and act. How about Conan O'brien, Jimmy Fallon, both who are quite musical? You'd be surprised how many actors for example know a musical instrument. Johnny Depp plays bass in a band, so does Billy Bob Thornton....and so on.
 
8mile Thanks fro the clip! I think Sammy was great.
But larryz where is the evidence for your downer statement? Can you name any modern performers and have any evidence that none of them are multi-talented....i.e. can sing, dance and act. How about Conan O'brien, Jimmy Fallon, both who are quite musical? You'd be surprised how many actors for example know a musical instrument. Johnny Depp plays bass in a band, so does Billy Bob Thornton....and so on.

Maybe just not nearly as many. Back in early entertainment days (vaudeville) most performers were almost expected to sing, dance, act to get anywhere. Yeah that's awhile ago but today there types are few and far between. Unless I'm missing something.

Even a guy like Larry Fine of the 3 Stooges. Accomplished violinst, acted, sang, danced well.. Carol Burnett.. Sinatra. Fred Astaire.
 
Sammy Davis Jr. also played trumpet,double bass,piano,guitar,violin,sax,and a few others I'm forgetting.

He had a great voice and was an acomplished dancer and actor.He also did all of this with only one eye,having lost it in a car accident.

He wasn't called "The World Greatest Entertainer" for nothing.The guy was a once in millenium talent.

Steve B
 
And don't forget his hilarous guest appearance on All in the Family. Sammy and Carroll O'Connor as Archie were an acting match made in heaven. Funniest episode ever.
 

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And don't forget his hilarous guest appearance on All in the Family. Sammy and Carroll O'Connor as Archie were an acting match made in heaven. Funniest episode ever.

Larry,I remember watching that episode when it first aired.My former father in law,was Archie Bunker,just with red hair.Great show.:)

Steve B
 
Sammy Davis Jr. also played trumpet,double bass,piano,guitar,violin,sax,and a few others I'm forgetting.

He had a great voice and was an acomplished dancer and actor.He also did all of this with only one eye,having lost it in a car accident.

He wasn't called "The World Greatest Entertainer" for nothing.The guy was a once in millenium talent.

Steve B

Right on!

I got to meet Clayton Cameron a few months ago, who played drums for Sammy for quite a while. He mentioned that Sammy Davis Jr. was also a drummer but I didn't know how many other instruments he could play.

The world will probably never see another virtuoso like him again.
 
Hugh Laurie plays a mean piano and sings the blues - plus, he's a reasonable actor.

But, I think what separates the performers from yester-year and the multi-talented performers of today, is that they did most of their work in front of a live audience.

Now-a-days, almost everything is taped and we've got Auto-tune when it isn't. A certain amount of professional performing seems to have lost its soul.
 
Now-a-days, almost everything is taped and we've got Auto-tune when it isn't. A certain amount of professional performing seems to have lost its soul.

Indeed, but not all of it. Think of more of it being accessed in todays "e-world" than in yesterday's 'got-a-lucky-break-in-Hollwood' world.

Laugh tracks started in the late 60's - so the past 50 years of sit-coms was mostly non-live audiences.

for sure somebody like SammyDavis Jr was special, in his day, but he would be today too.
 
wow is right. I've seen some clips of him drumming before and had heard of his prowess on the kit, but ...
1) I didn't know he did the Papa Jo left hand floor tom thing; and
2) I had no idea of his ability on the vibes (and apparently all the other instruments tamadrm mentioned).

Man alive ... monstrous talent .. incredible.

As an aside, ever notice how quick on their feet (figuratively) these old entertainers were when ad libbing, interviewing, etc. ? Bob Hope, Sammy, Carson, Dino, Jack Parr, etc. were unreal.

radman
 
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