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Why Me?: The Autobiography of Sammy Davis Jr.
The legend that is Sammy Davis Jr. was born over sixty years ago in Harlem. At the age of three he was already sharing a vaudeville song and dance act with his father and 'uncle' Will Mastin. Drafted into the army, the young Sammy experienced the worst kind of racial prejudice in his 'integrated' unit He emerged a sadder, wiser man determined to succeed the only way he knew how — through his talent Returning to showbiz and befriended by Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. slowly gained a formidable reputation as a night-club entertainer in Las Vegas, Miami and the West Coast while being constantly shunned by the white, American establishment.
Why Me? is the gripping, personal story of Sammy Davis Jr.'s obsession with stardom yet his fear of losing his appeal; of his glittering star-studded West Coast lifestyle, lived to excess, always overspent; of his campaigning for the civil rights movement and his friendship with Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson and Bobby Kennedy, his work for Richard Nixon in Vietnam; of his doomed marriage to white, Swedish actress May Britt, his estrangement from his children, sacrificed to the tireless pursuit of superstardom, and of his subsequent re-marriage to a young black dancer. He reveals his struggles with drugs, alcohol and financial debt, eventually overcoming abuses and obstacles to make a startling come-back in his 'rat-pack' reunion tour with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
Told with wit and candour, this is showbiz autobiography at its most compelling — the remarkable human story of a warm, likeable, hugely entertaining performer who is willing to sacrifice everything for the love of his audience.
Why Me? is the gripping, personal story of Sammy Davis Jr.'s obsession with stardom yet his fear of losing his appeal; of his glittering star-studded West Coast lifestyle, lived to excess, always overspent; of his campaigning for the civil rights movement and his friendship with Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson and Bobby Kennedy, his work for Richard Nixon in Vietnam; of his doomed marriage to white, Swedish actress May Britt, his estrangement from his children, sacrificed to the tireless pursuit of superstardom, and of his subsequent re-marriage to a young black dancer. He reveals his struggles with drugs, alcohol and financial debt, eventually overcoming abuses and obstacles to make a startling come-back in his 'rat-pack' reunion tour with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
Told with wit and candour, this is showbiz autobiography at its most compelling — the remarkable human story of a warm, likeable, hugely entertaining performer who is willing to sacrifice everything for the love of his audience.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Sammy Davis Jr.
19 books21 followersSamuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American entertainer. Primarily a dancer and singer, he also had many acting roles on stage and screen, and was noted for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 23, 2011
Sammy didn't win any literary prizes to my knowledge but this is a hell of a good read. His sheer force of personality really comes across well in this book. What a man! To say he had a tough life would be an understatement - the childhood on the road with his dad and uncle performing where they'd have them, his experiences of blatant racism through an American upbringing and into the armed forces, and into his breakthrough into Hollywood success - his suffering at the racial prejudices of others is a tragic constant. The bigoted forces of the Columbia studio bosses and the mob even interfered in his own private life to keep him apart from the actress Kim Novak, and his marriage to May Britt lead to his exclusion from the Democrats' inner circle of star-backers surrounding the success of JFK's election.
Obviously his days as one of the infamous Rat Pack are thoroughly recounted. Sammy pulls no punches when it comes to his own failing either - as he retells the excesses of his drink and drug addictions, and his physical self-destruction. He was an amazing performer though right through it all, and truly one of a kind. This book is a very entertaining and revealing read.
Obviously his days as one of the infamous Rat Pack are thoroughly recounted. Sammy pulls no punches when it comes to his own failing either - as he retells the excesses of his drink and drug addictions, and his physical self-destruction. He was an amazing performer though right through it all, and truly one of a kind. This book is a very entertaining and revealing read.
November 30, 2007
He seems like such a nice guy, but he had a bad self-image. He acts like he owes Frank Sinatra his life, because he helped him get a table in a restaurant once. He was forced to dance for change by his parents, and gave his father and some other person HALF of everything he made forever. He doesn't realize the sadness of any of this, which makes it ten times worse. He lost his eye, and all he could think about is how it would put people out to visit him in the hospital. He was five foot one inches tall. The way he talks about the women he loved is heartbreaking. He never stopped liking anyone he ever went out with.
June 11, 2015
Honest
Sammy was very forthcoming in speaking about his life from the overt racism to infidelity and then his fears of failure and his inability to be a family man with May Brit and their children. An enjoyable read.
Sammy was very forthcoming in speaking about his life from the overt racism to infidelity and then his fears of failure and his inability to be a family man with May Brit and their children. An enjoyable read.
August 26, 2008
I entertained my friends for months with Sammy anecdotes. Poor Sammy.
May 27, 2013
Brutal, unflinching and memorable.
April 24, 2012
What a crazy read! He jumps from ridiculous story to ridiculous story, and whenever things are going really well.. blam! something terrible happens. It's interesting to read such a personal account of a celebrity, and even more so to learn more about the civil rights era (and the insane racism he encountered, and how he dealt with it) from someone who "was just trying to help."
Not done yet, but so hard to put down!
Not done yet, but so hard to put down!
February 23, 2015
Running on fear
Sammy Davis Junior spent his life running from racism and hatred. The more money he made he felt the more he fit in. He was a wonderful singer dancer who pushed every boundary he was told not to.
Sammy Davis Junior spent his life running from racism and hatred. The more money he made he felt the more he fit in. He was a wonderful singer dancer who pushed every boundary he was told not to.
October 2, 2016
Man this book had me so turned. At times I was rooting for SDJ, then at times he pissed me off! But this was definitely an eye opener for me because it gave me a different perspective of an older era. This was definitely a good read.
November 15, 2016
Sammy is my all time favourite entertainer, no one compares.
August 20, 2008
It was interesting learning more about Sammy and his life struggles. It made him more human and helped me to appreciate again the struggles of early african american entertainers and the humiliations they suffered to share thier craft.
June 27, 2012
Enjoyed first half, then got boring with all the Kennedy crap.
February 15, 2014
Great book
January 7, 2015
My favorite biography
September 2, 2015
An interesting book telling a fascinating story
August 19, 2025
C 1989. 1925-1990
Amazingly, it seems the book was published before he died [1990] -- maybe they worked on it after his diagnosis of throat cancer? [1988]
Anyway, they let it end on an upbeat, the traveling tour of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy. Wikipedia says nearly right away Martin quarrelled with Sinatra and left, whereupon Liza MInelli took his place. And then after a few concerts Davis had to stop because of the throat cancer. But we only hear about the happy first performance.
ALCOHOL had such a huge place in DAvis's life, and he describes that role in great detail. Along with the boozing went staying up all night nearly every night, some drugs, lots of sex, and lots and lots of people, many of them strangers, being invited to party.
We see clearly how this lifestyle was incompatible with a meaningful relationship with his wife May Britt, and their children.
Amazingly, at age 50???, when told by a medical specialist that either he stayed off alcohol entirely or he would die -- and that he was lucky he was not 'chemically addicted' to alcohol [so no dts, withdrawal symptoms] -- Davis literally did stop drinking.
He mentions later what he missed about alcohol, the little feelings, using it as a crutch to prepare for performances and so on. And describes his remarkable new lifestyle -- giving himself hours a day of alone time, cooking for himself, resting up and preparing mentally for each performance, going to bed on time. I can't imagine there are many people who can so totally change/reform their daily habits.
It allowed him to live to age 65.
Early chapters describe in searing detail many experiences of racial taunting and brutal violence [in the army and elsewhere], plus exclusion from hotels, bars, casinos, restaurants. He'd be paid to perform in, but not visit, these Las Vegas places.
And even earlier, his childhood experiences of performing 'Negro vaudeville' with his father and uncle. We need to hear these stories, however disheartening.
Davis got a lot of help from a lot of people he worked with, and he gives each of them full credit [as far as I can tell...] and so many of them stayed with him for decades. So he must have had a sincerity and caring about him, and loyalty himself...
We also can imagine, from all his descriptions, how nearly impossible it was for him to be sensible about spending money. You might call it an addiction, but it gave him such a charge to be able to just on the spur of the moment buy an expensive mink coat or diamond bracelet for a girlfriend or any other friend. And to be able to give huge parties and invite all his friends and acquaintances.
Quite a long chapter trying to justify his support for Pres. Nixon, whereas earlier he had always supported Democrats. Many prominent Democrats, both white and black, cold-shouldered him after he switched to Nixon, having been convinced that Nixon was taking more concrete action than Dems to help black people.
Amazingly, it seems the book was published before he died [1990] -- maybe they worked on it after his diagnosis of throat cancer? [1988]
Anyway, they let it end on an upbeat, the traveling tour of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy. Wikipedia says nearly right away Martin quarrelled with Sinatra and left, whereupon Liza MInelli took his place. And then after a few concerts Davis had to stop because of the throat cancer. But we only hear about the happy first performance.
ALCOHOL had such a huge place in DAvis's life, and he describes that role in great detail. Along with the boozing went staying up all night nearly every night, some drugs, lots of sex, and lots and lots of people, many of them strangers, being invited to party.
We see clearly how this lifestyle was incompatible with a meaningful relationship with his wife May Britt, and their children.
Amazingly, at age 50???, when told by a medical specialist that either he stayed off alcohol entirely or he would die -- and that he was lucky he was not 'chemically addicted' to alcohol [so no dts, withdrawal symptoms] -- Davis literally did stop drinking.
He mentions later what he missed about alcohol, the little feelings, using it as a crutch to prepare for performances and so on. And describes his remarkable new lifestyle -- giving himself hours a day of alone time, cooking for himself, resting up and preparing mentally for each performance, going to bed on time. I can't imagine there are many people who can so totally change/reform their daily habits.
It allowed him to live to age 65.
Early chapters describe in searing detail many experiences of racial taunting and brutal violence [in the army and elsewhere], plus exclusion from hotels, bars, casinos, restaurants. He'd be paid to perform in, but not visit, these Las Vegas places.
And even earlier, his childhood experiences of performing 'Negro vaudeville' with his father and uncle. We need to hear these stories, however disheartening.
Davis got a lot of help from a lot of people he worked with, and he gives each of them full credit [as far as I can tell...] and so many of them stayed with him for decades. So he must have had a sincerity and caring about him, and loyalty himself...
We also can imagine, from all his descriptions, how nearly impossible it was for him to be sensible about spending money. You might call it an addiction, but it gave him such a charge to be able to just on the spur of the moment buy an expensive mink coat or diamond bracelet for a girlfriend or any other friend. And to be able to give huge parties and invite all his friends and acquaintances.
Quite a long chapter trying to justify his support for Pres. Nixon, whereas earlier he had always supported Democrats. Many prominent Democrats, both white and black, cold-shouldered him after he switched to Nixon, having been convinced that Nixon was taking more concrete action than Dems to help black people.
February 22, 2021
3.5*
I've been a fan of Frank Sinatra since high school (not enough of a fan to have ever read any biographies or anything, I just like listening to him croon), but I never paid much attention to the rest of the Rat Pack, other than to know they existed and to watch a movie or two with them.
I certainly never thought much about Sammy Davis Jr., or what it it must have been like to be a black performer during segregation/Jim Crow. I never really thought of all the work that Sammy Davis Jr. must have done to ensure that black musicians and performers could have a place on the state next to the likes of Frank Sinatra. I didn't know that Davis had married a white actress in 1960, or what kind of drama that must have caused, or any of the rest.
This book, to say the least, was eye opening.
There's exactly one event in this book that I have any real knowledge in, having just finished Helter Skelter a couple weeks ago, and that was the Sharon Tate murder - something that Davis got very wrong. Tate wasn't hung upside-down, and her baby wasn't cut from the womb. This was something that kind of soured the rest of the book for me, since I had to take everything else with a grain of salt. I also wish that Davis had included years or something, so I could keep track of how much time had elapsed between x-event and y-event.
Even still, the book was extremely interesting, and this is coming from someone who didn't think much about Sammy Davis Jr. before reading this book.
I've been a fan of Frank Sinatra since high school (not enough of a fan to have ever read any biographies or anything, I just like listening to him croon), but I never paid much attention to the rest of the Rat Pack, other than to know they existed and to watch a movie or two with them.
I certainly never thought much about Sammy Davis Jr., or what it it must have been like to be a black performer during segregation/Jim Crow. I never really thought of all the work that Sammy Davis Jr. must have done to ensure that black musicians and performers could have a place on the state next to the likes of Frank Sinatra. I didn't know that Davis had married a white actress in 1960, or what kind of drama that must have caused, or any of the rest.
This book, to say the least, was eye opening.
There's exactly one event in this book that I have any real knowledge in, having just finished Helter Skelter a couple weeks ago, and that was the Sharon Tate murder - something that Davis got very wrong. Tate wasn't hung upside-down, and her baby wasn't cut from the womb. This was something that kind of soured the rest of the book for me, since I had to take everything else with a grain of salt. I also wish that Davis had included years or something, so I could keep track of how much time had elapsed between x-event and y-event.
Even still, the book was extremely interesting, and this is coming from someone who didn't think much about Sammy Davis Jr. before reading this book.
December 28, 2022
What can you say that hasn’t already been said about this guy? This covers from his time very early on when he was part of a vaudeville act back in the 30s to about 1990 towards the end of his career. Sammy talks quite candidly about being black in show business and America. He covers his marriages, his time with MLK, the Kennedy clan, Nixon and of course the Rat Pack. Definitely recommended
March 4, 2020
Antique store find! An interesting guy and an interesting read. Autobiographies always seem to involve a little aggrandizement. This one appears to be fairly honest and a good telling of the struggles that occurred.
April 11, 2022
What a life
Great reed about an unbelievable man what a life he had the book gives you a lot of details about him but i bet there is still a lot more to be written about Sammy ,
Brilliant book i loved it .
Great reed about an unbelievable man what a life he had the book gives you a lot of details about him but i bet there is still a lot more to be written about Sammy ,
Brilliant book i loved it .
November 28, 2019
Excellent books
January 4, 2020
Amazingly honest and heartfelt.
June 5, 2022
Great book with alot information.
November 6, 2022
Great book- his stories were amazing!
January 1, 2021
If you're looking for soul searching or dirt, this is not the memoir for you. Davis was an entertainer his entire life and couldn't find happiness in anything other than being on. He doesn't spend a lot of time soul searching, but he doesn't have to. Being one of the best performers of the 20th century was enough. I admire his loyalty to his family and friends. He speaks well of all his wives, particularly May Britt. It's amazing their marriage worked as long as it did since she was a very private person while he was not. Davis also showed a great commitment to civil rights. He was willing to risk his career to stand up for what is right. It ultimately worked out for him, but he just as easily have lost everything.
Fair warning if you read the Kindle version of the book since it is riddled with typos. Mostly you can figure out what a garbled word is supposed to be, but there's some typos that are gibberish. It's very distracting in what should be a light read.
Fair warning if you read the Kindle version of the book since it is riddled with typos. Mostly you can figure out what a garbled word is supposed to be, but there's some typos that are gibberish. It's very distracting in what should be a light read.
November 12, 2020
When I think of Sammy Davis, Jr., three things come to mind: extraordinary talent, limitless energy, and perpetual motion. I had the privilege of seeing him perform live not once, but twice, and it was something that you would never forget. Some years ago, I read his book, 'Yes I Can', and enjoyed it so I thought that this book would be an equally good read--and it was. To be sure, Davis led a full life and he embraced being a celebrity--both onstage and off. He began working when he was three so he really never knew a different kind of life. He earned millions and spent millions and never grew tired of the razzle dazzle life-style that went with it. His financial stability, his health and his family suffered for it, but he went full steam ahead anyway. To his credit, however, he also opened many doors for people of color and always believed that his talent was God-given. He openly discussed it all--the good and the bad--from the loss of his eye to his work with Martin Luther King to his friendship with Frank Sinatra. This book is entertaining and touching and gives some incite to a man who truly lived to entertain.
January 10, 2021
The first 40% of this book was an abridgement of "Yes, I Can". It lost a star for that. The rest is well witten, very honest account of his life after "Yes, I Can" ended. It ends with the reunion of Sammy, Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin in 1985, about 5 years before Sammy's death.
HOWEVER:
And this is a huge however & APPLIES ONLY TO THE KINDLE VERSION
While not as bad as "Yes, I Can", the Kindle version has the same OCR errors, making it almost impossible to read, difficult at best. For that, it loses another star.
HOWEVER:
And this is a huge however & APPLIES ONLY TO THE KINDLE VERSION
While not as bad as "Yes, I Can", the Kindle version has the same OCR errors, making it almost impossible to read, difficult at best. For that, it loses another star.
July 15, 2025
I read Yes I Can many years ago, and Why Me was an enlightening sequel that completed his story and enlightened us on his sense of purpose in the latter years of his career. It is an easy read, more like a conversation than a narrative. And I liked the photos included!
March 25, 2011
Good read!
Swinging, Frank & the mob, Satanism, JFK & Nixon, Drugs and Lionel Blair!?!
Swinging, Frank & the mob, Satanism, JFK & Nixon, Drugs and Lionel Blair!?!
March 4, 2014
Another book I came across in my library that's a must re-read.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews