It’s no wonder Sammy Davis Jr. was called Mr. Showbusiness – the legendary entertainer faced uphill battles to become one of Hollywood’s finest performers, boasting over 50 hit albums, dozens of movie appearances, and countless stage performances over six decades. The Candy Man singer also shared four children with his second and third wives, with three out of four of his kids also being adopted.
On what would have been the Rat Pack star’s 100th birthday, we’re taking a look at the lives of his four children, what they’re getting up to now, and what they’ve had to say about growing up with the trailblazing performer as their father.
© Getty Images,Getty Images for TropicanaFrom L-R: Tracey with her mother May Britt in 1961, Tracey photographed in 2009
Tracey Davis (born 1961)
Tracey Davis was Sammy’s only biological child, whom he shared with his second wife, Swedish actress May Britt. The couple met in the late ‘50s after May relocated to the US to take on Hollywood, and their 1960 marriage was the subject of much scrutiny.
Tracey, who was a television producer in Tennessee, published several books about growing up with the Rat Pack entertainer as her father, most recently Sammy Davis Jr.: A Personal Journey with My Father (2014). In the book, she reflects candidly on her father’s dedication to his work, which strained their relationship, but noted that they grew closer as they got older, with Tracey describing him as having a “huge heart and huge zest for life”.
Tracey passed away in November 2020 from an undisclosed illness, at age 59, leaving behind a husband and four children, as well as her mother May, who is currently 91.
© Nate Cutler/Globe Photos via ZUMA PressSammy and Mark at an event in Las Vegas, year unknown; image from a 2003 archive
Mark Davis (adopted 1963)
Two-year-old Mark Davis was adopted by Sammy and May in 1963, according to IMDb, and is around a year older than his sister. Though he lives a life away from the spotlight, Mark made headlines in 2015 when he shared in a Daily Mail article that the legendary entertainer was allegedly his biological father, and that his father’s last words to him in 1990 were “you are my son”.
Mark and sister Tracey did an on-air DNA test with Inside Edition the same year, which revealed that Mark, who was working as a Costco photo clerk, was not genetically related to his sister. However, the siblings appeared to be closer than ever, exchanging sweet words at the end of the interview.
© Bettmann ArchiveMay carrying Jeff, alongside Tracey and Mark, in 1965
Jeff Davis (adopted 1965)
Jeff was reportedly born in 1963 and adopted by Sammy and May in 1965. Jeff was the last child of the couple before they divorced in 1968, and is thought to have been named after actor Jeff Chandler, a close friend of Sammy’s.
Not much is known about the Mr. Bojangles singer’s second son, and he’s elected to live his life away from the Hollywood limelight.
© Getty Images for AFIManny at the screening of "Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me" at AFI FEST 2017 in California, 2017
Manny Davis (adopted 1989)
Manny Davis is the third adopted child of Sammy, and the only one he shared with his third wife, Altovise Davis, a former chorus-line dancer. He was adopted at around 11-years-old, and revealed in an interview with Closer that his experience growing up was very different to that of his siblings.
“Being the youngest of Sammy’s children, my experience was different from my siblings,” he explained. “My siblings grew up during the civil rights era. I was a child of the ’70s and ’80s. Most of his goals had been accomplished by then. He and my mother used to take me everywhere with them.”
The Rat Pack star passed away from throat cancer just a year after adopting Manny, with his third son candidly reflecting that “he taught me to never give up on my dreams”.
