Samuel George Davis Sr. (December 12, 1900 â€" May 21, 1988) was an
American dancer and the father of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.Davis was
born in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Rosa B. Taylor (1870â€"1957)
and Robert Davis (1868â€"1948). He and his former wife Elvera Sanchez
were both dancers in a vaudeville troupe. The couple split up when
their son Sammy Jr. was three. Davis took custody of his son, who then
went into show business with his father. He and Will Mastin, the
leader of the dance troupe, taught Sammy Jr. how to dance and they
performed together as the Will Mastin Trio.Sammy Jr. once stated,
"When I was nine I told my father, 'I can outdance you'. 'Oh yeah?
What makes you think that?' he asked. 'Cause you taught me everything
I know'. 'Yeah, but I didn't teach you everything I know.'"Davis began
dancing early in life, and as a young man joined Will Mastin to form a
dancing troupe. Soon Sammy Jr. joined the act and they became known as
the Will Mastin Trio. The three appeared in the 1956 Broadway musical
Mr. Wonderful.
American dancer and the father of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.Davis was
born in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Rosa B. Taylor (1870â€"1957)
and Robert Davis (1868â€"1948). He and his former wife Elvera Sanchez
were both dancers in a vaudeville troupe. The couple split up when
their son Sammy Jr. was three. Davis took custody of his son, who then
went into show business with his father. He and Will Mastin, the
leader of the dance troupe, taught Sammy Jr. how to dance and they
performed together as the Will Mastin Trio.Sammy Jr. once stated,
"When I was nine I told my father, 'I can outdance you'. 'Oh yeah?
What makes you think that?' he asked. 'Cause you taught me everything
I know'. 'Yeah, but I didn't teach you everything I know.'"Davis began
dancing early in life, and as a young man joined Will Mastin to form a
dancing troupe. Soon Sammy Jr. joined the act and they became known as
the Will Mastin Trio. The three appeared in the 1956 Broadway musical
Mr. Wonderful.
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