You have to be able to look back at your life and say, "Yeah, that was fun."
Great American singer, dancer, and comedian, Sammy Davis Jr. was small -- but only where physical height is concerned. In all the other ways, he was very big -- one of the greatest entertainers ever -- despite his handicaps. Here are those in Sammy's own words:
Talk about handicap. I'm a one-eyed Negro who's Jewish.
Not to mention Sammy was very small-statured as well. And despite all these, Sammy became very popular and successful. Why? Here is why in Sammy's own words:
What have I got? No looks, no money, no education. Just talent.
Anyway, in Sammy Davis Jr.'s "boxing match" with Wil Chamberlain. Sammy was utterly dwarfed by the bigger man, but anyone would have been because Wilt was 7'1".
But Sammy looked very short next to Frank Sinatra as well who was only 5 ft 7.5 in tall. (though it is rumored that Frank used to wear lifts in his shoes, so there is that).
You can find Sammy Davis Jr.'s height listed anywhere from 5'2" to all the up to 5'11" but Sammy was once measured slightly over 5'4" so there is that and from what we have seen of Sammy we think he looked like it.
Interestingly, Sammy had a penchant for taller women. All three of his wives -- Loray White, May Britt, and Altovise Gore were taller than him.
The height of Sammy Davis Jr. was
5'4" or 162.5 cm
Sammy Davis Jr. with Frank Sinatra (5'7½"), and Elvis Presley (around 6") |
There was only one Sammy Davis Jr. ever. Here are some of his quotes:
Sammy Davis Jr on the two ultimate choices.
You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.
Sammy Davis Jr. on who he is.
My mother was born in San Juan. So I'm Puerto Rican, Jewish, colored, and married to a white woman. When I move into a neighborhood, people start running four ways at the same time.
Sammy Davis Jr. on how to evade the present.
Wishing, hoping, and regretting are the most common and dangerous tactics for evading the present.
Sammy Davis Jr. on how to be the best.
If you want to be the best, baby, you've got to work harder than anybody else.
Sammy Davis Jr. on the real success.
Real success is not on the stage, but off the stage as a human being, and how you get along with your fellow man.
Sammy Davis Jr. on mental torture vs. reality.
Reality is never as bad as a nightmare, as the mental torture we inflict on ourselves.
Sammy Davis Jr. on his weapon.
My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man's thinking.
Sammy Davis Jr. on learning about Jews.
After I decided to become a Jew, only then did I learn that the Jews don't have all the money. When I found out Rockefeller and Ford were goyim, I almost resigned.
Sammy Davis Jr. on a man's child.
A man is not complete until he has seen the baby he has made.
Sammy Davis Jr. on enjoying the moments.
Savor the moments that are warm and special and giggly.
Sammy Davis Jr. on the ultimate thing in the entertainment business.
Part of show business is magic. You don’t know how it happens.
Sammy Davis Jr. on the secret of Rat Pack's success.
The success of the Rat Pack or the Clan was due to the camaraderie, the three guys who work together and kid each other and love each other.
Sammy Davis Jr. on Elvis Presley.
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Elvis eleven.
Sammy Davis Jr. on Frank Sinatra.
Sinatra is the essence of vocal style. This man has an innate quality of knowing what is good musically. You can sum that up best by saying that he has musical integrity. Even when he does a bad song, there's a good quality in the presentation.