The 25+ Best Sammy Davis, Jr. Movies
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- 1
A Man Called Adam
Morgan Freeman, Louis Armstrong, Sammy DavisA Man Called Adam is a 1966 dramatic film starring Sammy Davis, Jr., Ossie Davis and Cicely Tyson. Directed by Leo Penn, it tells the story of a self-destructive jazz musician, played by Davis, and his tumultuous relationships with the people in his life. In addition to Davis, the film features appearances by such noted musical names as Louis Armstrong, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra, Jr. The picture also marked the film debut of Lola Falana. - 2Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy DavisThis musical drama focuses on the poverty-stricken residents struggling to survive in the Charleston tenement of Catfish Row. The sultry Bess (Dorothy Dandridge) becomes the object of desire of Porgy (Sidney Poitier), a disabled man who gets around in a cart. But Bess is also involved with thuggish Crown (Brock Peters) and drug dealer Sportin' Life (Sammy Davis Jr.). Crown kills a man and goes into hiding, and Bess seeks shelter with Porgy. But, when Crown returns, Porgy must take a stand.More Porgy and Bess
- #335 of 472 onThe Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
- #28 of 35 onThe Very Best Classic Musical Movies, Ranked
- #47 of 70 onThe Best Oscar-Winning Scores
- 3Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy DavisSet in Chicago during Prohibition, the Rat Pack's take on the Robin Hood legend finds bootlegger Robbo (Frank Sinatra) and his cronies refusing to pay the greedy Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) a cut of their profits after Guy shoots mob boss Big Jim (Edward G. Robinson) and takes over. When Big Jim's daughter, Marian (Barbara Rush), gives Robbo a large sum of money, believing he has avenged her father's death, the gangster donates it to an orphanage, cementing his reputation as a softhearted hood.
- 4Gregory Hines, Suzzanne Douglas, Sammy DavisAn ex-con just released from jail, Max Washington (Gregory Hines), is a veteran burglar, but he's also a talented tap dancer. Reuniting with his girlfriend, Amy (Suzzanne Douglas), Max is approached by her father, Little Mo (Sammy Davis Jr.), about a new dance production. Max's criminal past, in the form of his old buddy, Nicky (Joe Morton), also comes knocking, however, and he must decide between embracing dance and lapsing into his delinquent ways.More Tap
- #40 of 78 onThe 75+ Best Dance Movies Of All Time, Ranked
- #357 of 472 onThe Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
- #70 of 157 onThe Best TriStar Pictures Movies List
- 5Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy DavisMike (Frank Sinatra), Chip (Dean Martin) and Larry (Peter Lawford) are three rowdy American sergeants stationed in Indian territory. Along with Jonah (Sammy Davis Jr.), a former slave who aspires to be a trooper, the trio attempt to fight back against an Indian chief (Henry Silva) who has conspired to unite all of the local tribes and kill any Americans in sight. But when the sergeants are taken prisoner, they must find a way to warn their regiment of an impending ambush.
- 6Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy DavisDanny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) calls on some of his World War II buddies -- including Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford), Sam Harmon (Dean Martin) and Josh Howard (Sammy Davis Jr.) -- to pull off an elaborate New Year's Eve heist at five casinos in Las Vegas. Eleven members of Danny's crew come together to pull off a perfect robbery, but they suffer a series of setbacks when Duke Santos (Cesar Romero), a former gangster, tries to thwart Ocean's plans to disappear with the money.
- 7Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah FawcettPrepare for a high-octane, cross-country adventure in The Cannonball Run. This 1981 action-comedy film follows an eccentric group of competitors participating in the infamous Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The star-studded cast features Burt Reynolds as J.J. McClure, a daredevil race car driver, and Dom DeLuise as his trusted sidekick Victor Prinzim. Directed by Hal Needham, this rollicking road movie is brimming with comedic capers and wild stunts, all set against the sprawling backdrop of America's highways. It's a light-hearted romp that never takes its foot off the gas.More The Cannonball Run
- #135 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #152 of 703 onThe All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
- #13 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
- 8Vincent Price, Sammy Davis, Jr.Convicts 4 is a 1962 prison film drama starring Ben Gazzara and directed by Millard Kaufman. The film is a fictionalized version of the life of death row convict John Resko, who wrote his autobiography: Reprieve.
- 9Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Ricardo MontalbanCharity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) always tries to look on the bright side of life, despite working in a rundown dance hall and contending with a seemingly endless run of bad dates. Determined to find love, Charity falls for suave actor Vittorio Vidal (Ricardo Montalban), but their romance is all too brief. However, when Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator with the reserved Oscar Lindquist (John McMartin), it turns out that she may have finally met her match.
- 10Eartha Kitt, Sammy Davis, Frederick O'NealAnna Lucasta (Eartha Kitt) has been walking the streets in San Diego since being thrown out of home, at 19, by her alcoholic father, Joe (Rex Ingram). She's estranged from her family, but when her father and brother-in-law (Frederick O'Neal) see greedy potential in an arranged marriage to affluent Rudolph (Henry Scott), Anna is called back home. Old wounds have hardly healed, though. Just as Anna starts to feel for Rudolph, Danny (Sammy Davis Jr.), an old friend, returns to make life difficult.
- 11Ringo Starr, John Stamos, Sammy DavisAlice in Wonderland is a two-part film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice books. An Irwin Allen production, it was a special made for television and used a huge all-star cast of notable actors and actresses. The title role was played by Natalie Gregory, who wore a blonde wig for this miniseries. Alice in Wonderland was first telecast December 9, 1985, and December 10, 1985, at 8:00pm EST on CBS. It was filmed in Los Angeles at the MGM Studios in Culver City over a 55-day period from March 12, 1985 to May 28 of that same year. Additional filming took place at Malibu Beach for the oysters scene, and establishing shots of Alice's house took place at the S. S. Hinds Estate, also in the Los Angeles area.
- 12Sammy Davis, Peter Lawford, Michael BatesChristopher Pepper (Peter Lawford) and Charles Salt (Sammy Davis Jr.) are hip Soho nightclub owners enjoying the good life -- until a secret agent turns up dead in their club. They find her diary and, pursuing the case on their own, discover a sinister plot to overthrow the British government, masterminded by a certain Col. Woodstock (John Le Mesurier). Salt and Pepper have a tough time getting anyone to believe their story until Col. Balsom (Ernest Clark) of MI5 hires them to foil the plot.
- 13
Rufus Jones for President
Sammy Davis, Jr., Ethel WatersRufus Jones for President is a satirical musical-comedy short subject directed by Roy Mack, and starring Ethel Waters. The film also stars Sammy Davis, Jr., in his first onscreen appearance, as the title character. Despite its tone that appears to today's audience as racist, it is still considered an important musical short. - 14Elizabeth Montgomery, Sammy Davis, Jr.Johnny Cool is a darkly violent 1963 crime film directed by William Asher based on the novel The Kingdom of Johnny Cool by John McPartland and starring Henry Silva and Elizabeth Montgomery. Produced in part by Peter Lawford, Johnny Cool features an interesting variety of notables as Johnny's associates and victims, including Mort Sahl, Telly Savalas, Jim Backus, Joey Bishop, and Sammy Davis, Jr., who also sings the theme song.
- 15
Gone with the West
James Caan, Stefanie Powers, Aldo RayHaving completed a spell in the clink for a crime he didn't commit, cowboy Jud McGraw (James Caan) heads back to a frontier town run by sleazy Mimmo (Aldo Ray), the crime boss who had him imprisoned. There he meets a beautiful Native American named Little Moon (Stefanie Powers), who also has a grudge against Mimmo. With the blessing of town elder Kid Dandy (Sammy Davis Jr.) and other locals who are fed up with Mimmo, the pair sets out on a daring and creative campaign of vengeance. - 16Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Shirley MacLaineWhen a sheik (Jamie Farr) decides to sponsor a cross-country race in hope of winning, racer J.J. McLure (Burt Reynolds) enters the competition along with his friend Victor (Dom DeLuise). They aspire to claim the $1 million prize and pick up two women on the way. Meanwhile, the sheik helps Jamie Blake (Dean Martin) and Morris Fenderbaum (Sammy Davis Jr.) with an angry mob boss. But when the sheik is kidnapped, the contestants must come together to help him.
- 17Liza Minnelli, Gene Kelly, Sammy DavisIconic figures such as Liza Minnelli, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly lead the viewer through this retrospective of classic dancing numbers throughout the films of the 20th century. From classical ballet to modern dance, the compilation features clips and never-before-seen footage from films such as "The Wizard of Oz," "West Side Story," and "Singin' In the Rain." Mikhail Baryshnikov also appears, commenting on the art of ballet and the responsibilities of the dancer.
- 18Sammy Davis, Peter Lawford, Ester AndersonCharles Salt (Sammy Davis Jr.) and Christopher Pepper (Peter Lawford) are owners of a nightclub that is about to go under. The two seek help from Pepper's wealthy twin brother, Lord Sydney Pepper, who promptly denies them a loan. Undaunted, Pepper returns once more and finds his brother murdered. He chooses to view the untimely death as an opportunity, posing as his sibling to keep the club afloat -- except his brother was a diamond smuggler, and his accomplices are still after him.
- 19Robert Duvall, Ursula Andress, Sammy DavisNightmare in the Sun is a film drama directed by John Derek and Marc Lawrence, and written by George Fass and Fanya Foss, about a murderous affair. Derek starred along with Ursula Andress and Aldo Ray. Smaller roles in the film featured Sammy Davis, Jr. and Robert Duvall.
- 20
Sammy Davis Jr.: Best of Live
Sammy Davis, Jr. - 21
Seasoned Greetings
Sammy Davis, Jr., Robert CummingsSeasoned Greetings is a 1933 musical film written by A. Dorian Otvos and Cyrus Wood; directed by Roy Mack. - 22Lorne Greene, Sammy Davis, Margery GrayA Swiss orphan girl joins her gruff old grandfather in his Alpine village.
- 23Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter BullLicensed to Kill is an Eastmancolor 1965 superspy imitation James Bond film starring Tom Adams as British secret agent Charles Vine. It was directed and co-written by Lindsay Shonteff. Producer Joseph E. Levine picked it up for American and worldwide distribution and reedited it under the title The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World. The theme song for the American version, composed by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen and performed by Sammy Davis, Jr., is used in the 2011 film drama Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
- 24
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis - 25
Remembering Nat King Cole
Sammy Davis, Jr., Harry Belafonte - 26
Sweet and Low
Sammy Davis, Jr., Richard WebbSweet and Low is a 1947 musical and short film written by Jack Roberts and directed by Jerry Hopper. - 27
The Perils of P.K.
Sammy Davis, Jr., Anne MearaThe Perils of P.K. is a 1986 comedy film written by Naura Hayden and directed by Joseph Green. - 28
James Dean: The First American Teenager
Elizabeth Taylor, Dennis Hopper, Sammy Davis - 29
The Mama Cass Television Program
Joni Mitchell, Sammy Davis, Jr.