Sammy Davis Jr & The Rat Pack

Performing was the only life that Sammy Davis Jr. knew. Sammy's parents were vaudevillians; his mother a Puerto Rican tap dancer, and Sammy Sr. was part of Will Mastin's dance troupe. When little Sammy was three his parents separated. Sammy Sr., not wanting to lose custody of his son, took him on the road. Soon the boy joined the act, which became the Will Mastin Trio. (When a theater manager would object to such a young child performing, Sammy Sr. would hand Sammy Jr. a rubber cigar and bill him as "Silent Sam, the Dancing Midget.”)

Show business and his father's protection largely shielded Sammy from racial prejudice while he was young, but he saw racism first hand when he answered the call to serve in the Army during WWII . "Overnight the world looked different. It wasn't one color anymore. I could see the protection I'd gotten my whole life from my father and Will... It was as if I had been walking through a swinging door for eighteen year, a door that they had always secretly held open."

The Army placed Sammy in a Special Services Unit, performing for his fellow troops as part of an integrated troupe, and found his talent lessened the sting of racism. When he was discharged the Will Mastin Trio began to perform together again, but Sammy's talent soon led him to solo success. The Trio remained close, however; Sam Sr. and Will often appeared with Sammy during his shows during the 50s and 60s. The trio are buried in the same cemetery in the Davis Family tomb.

In 1954 Sammy was nearly killed in an automobile accident near San Bernardino, CA, returning to Los Angeles from Las Vegas. While recovering he was visited in the hospital by performer Eddie Cantor, who discussed the similarities between the struggles of the Jewish People and the African American experience. These conversations led to Sammy's conversion to Judaism. When Sammy appeared on TV's Colgate Comedy Hour, Cantor took some heat for embracing Sammy and mopping his brow after his number. When sponsors threatened to drop the show, Cantor responded by booking Sammy for two more weeks.

In 1959 Sammy became part of Frank Sinatra's " Rat Pack ". The group had never called themselves by that name; initially the referred to themselves as "The Clan", but that name was dropped when Sinatra realized its racial insensitivity. They renamed themselves "the Summit". The popularity of the Rat Pack helped to break down segregation in the casinos of Las Vegas. When Sammy first began to headline in Vegas, he often wasn't allowed to stay or gamble in the casinos where he performed. The Rat Pack pointedly boycotted casinos with this policy, and when management saw the amount of business they were losing the policies were changed. The Rat Pack began to go their separate ways after Kennedy's assassination. Sammy and Dean Martin appeared together in the 1981 film Cannonball Run, and Sinatra joined them for the 84 sequel. In 1987 the trio launched a 29 date tour, "Together Again", however Martin dropped out after four performances due to health reasons. Liza Minnelli replaced Deano and the tour was retitled "The Ultimate Event".

Pain in Sammy's throat in 1989 was diagnosed as cancer. He refused the surgery that would have taken his voice, and succumbed to the disease in May of 1990. He was buried with his father and Will Mastin, wearing a watch he was given by Sinatra at the end of the "Ultimate Event Tour". Sammy Davis Jr. is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6245 Hollywood Blvd.

"Was Jack Benny Gay?": The Amount of Weight In Jack Benny's Loafers

While doing research for an article I came across an unexpected search result: "Was Jack Benny Gay?" There was no more than the question as previously stated from the original poster, but the replies made for interesting reading, ranging from: Jack Benny Celebrating his 39th Birthday "Of course not, he was a well known skirt-chaser in his youth, and he was married to Mary Livingston for many years" "Sure he was, everyone in Hollywood with the possible exception of John Wayne was and is homosexual!" "Part of Benny's "schtick" was his limp-wristed hand-to-face gestures. He was not gay, but emphasized what his fans observed as "acting like a girl" for humor. While heterosexual Benny tried to gay it up, many really gay actors or comedians in those days tried to act as "straight" as they could muster." "... the idea behind his character was to have him a little on the ambiguous side. His charact

OLD TIME RADIO ACTORS AND THEIR ROLES, AND OLD TIME RADIO PROGRAM

Old Time Radio Actor's Name, Character Played, Program Aaker, Lee Rusty Rin-Tin-Tin Aames, Marlene McWilliams, Lauralee Story of Holly Sloan, The Abbott, Judith Lawson, Agnes Aldrich Family, The Abbott, Minabelle Sothern, Mary Life of Mary Sothern, The Ace, Goodman Ace, Goodman Easy Aces Ace, Goodman Ace, Goodman Mister Ace and Jane Ace, Jane Ace, Jane Easy Aces Ace, Jane Ace, Jane Mister Ace and Jane Adams, Bill Cotter, Jim Rosemary Adams, Bill Hagen, Mike Valiant Lady Adams, Bill Roosevelt, Franklin Delano March of Time, The Adams, Bill Salesman Travelin' Man Adams, Bill Stark, Daniel Roses and Drums Adams, Bill Whelan, Father Abie's Irish Rose Adams, Bill Wilbur, Matthew Your Family and Mine Adams, Bill Young, Sam Pepper Young's Family Adams, Edith Gilman, Ethel Those Happy Gilmans Adams, Franklin Mayor of a model city Secret City Adams, Franklin Jr. Skinner, Skippy Skippy Adams, Franklin Pierce Emcee Word Game, The Adams, Guila Mattie Step M

Old Time Radio Shows "Transcribed" Explained

What does it mean on old time radio shows when you hear the show is "Transcribed"? During the Golden Age of Radio , "transcribed" programs were recorded and sent to stations or networks on a disc running at 16 rps. The discs are larger than 33 1/3s. "Transcribed" means it was recorded on a disc. "Recorded" was a term that was known, of course, but not used very much in Radio's Golden Age. During the era, it was also considered very important to distinguish which shows went out live and which were recorded (transcribed), so if a show was transcribed it was announced as such. "Transcribed" was a colloquialism of the era. One reason they came up with it was because there was still enough skittishness about recording that "pre-recorded" sounded a little obscene inside the industry. CBS and NBC were live through the '30s and '40s. Yet line transcriptions were made for either the sponsor or its ad agency.

Golden Age of Radio

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