He was a singer, dancer, actor, vaudevillian and comedian who has been called “the greatest entertainer ever to grace a stage in these United States.

At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the Will Mastin Trio, which toured nationally, and his film career began in 1933.After military service, Davis returned to the trio and became an overnight sensation following a nightclub performance at Ciro’s (in West Hollywood) after the 1951 Academy Awards. With the trio, he became a recording artist.

In 1954, at the age of 29, he lost his left eye in a car accident. Several years later, he converted to Judaism, finding commonalities between the oppression experienced by African-American and Jewish communities.

During World War II, Davis was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 at age 18. He was reassigned to the Army’s Special Services branch, which put on performances for troops.Davis, who earned the American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal, was discharged in 1945 with the rank of private.

Davis is pictured below in the cockpit of a helicopter while on tour, entertaining troops, members of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in an undisclosed location in Vietnam during February of 1972.Davis was an avid photographer who enjoyed shooting pictures of family and acquaintances. His body of work was detailed in a 2007 book by Burt Boyar titled Photo by Sammy Davis, Jr.