On Sammy Davis Jr.’s farewell tour with his old buddies Frank Sinatra and Liza Minelli in 1988-89, he mixed a little dancing into his act. It was a short interlude, a few basic steps, but it was ...

Thanks in large part to his champion Frank Sinatra, Davis — who even as a child in Vaudeville was entertaining with his incredible tap-dancing repertoire –truly was able to thrive.

When she met Sammy Davis, his career had reached its peak. A vaudeville performer as a child, he had become a consummate entertainer, singing, dancing and acting on stage, in film and on TV.

By age 10, Sammy Jr. was a tap-dance prodigy, trained and raised by his father, who had custody of the child after he and Elvera Davis divorced.

Here's Davis the showbiz legend: a consummate performer who got his start in vaudeville, a triple threat of singing, acting and dancing, a charter member of the high-flying, hard-partying Rat Pack.