In the early ’60s, Davis and close friend Frank Sinatra campaigned to elect President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration because of his marriage The couple began receiving multiple death threats a day, and many racists picketed the theaters where Davis performed.īut nothing the public did to the singer and his wife was more hurtful than how the Democratic party treated them during John F. While interracial marriage had been legal in California (where they had gotten married) since 1948, anti-miscegenation laws in the United States still stood in 23 states.Īfter their union was announced to the press, the public went mad and began blacklisting Davis. Since Britt was a white woman and Davis was Black, their relationship angered many racists. RELATED: ‘I Dream of Jeannie’: Barbara Eden Revealed How Larry Hagman Made Sammy Davis Jr.’ Incandescent With Rage’ However, his popularity took a significant hit when he married his second wife, May Britt, in 1960. Not only that, but Davis was also landing television roles regularly and recording dozens of albums.Īs many could see, Davis was on the rise to ultimate stardom. Wonderful on Broadway and was a headliner at The Frontier Casino in Las Vegas. He’d just completed an acclaimed performance in Mr. Like the rest of the Rat Pack members, Davis was at the height of his career in the late ’50/early ’60s. marriage to May Britt caused a racially charged public controversy In 1960, the Rat Pack reached ultimate stardom when they appeared together in Ocean’s Eleven, which not only made their names synonymous with all the glamor Las Vegas was selling but also helped seal the new image of the now glitzy city. They soon began making movies and appearing together in Las Vegas casino venues, which ultimately helped support new hotels and resorts popping up along The Strip.
They originated as a group of A-list show business friends who met casually at the Los Angeles home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. RELATED: A Tragic Car Accident Left Sammy Davis Jr. Members of the Rat Pack: Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, and Dean Martin | Jack Albin/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
0 kommentar(er)
