Gonna Do Great Things: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "For most of its history, Harlem was white..." (more)
Key Phrases: old hoofer, nightclub circuit, greatest entertainer, New York, Sammy Davis, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Sammy Davis Jr. died, the New York Times called him "an incandescent figure whose glow is still with us." In exhaustive detail, Fishgall, who has written biographies of Jimmy Stewart and Burt Lancaster, traces the development of Davis's star as it rose luminously in the mid-20th century and burned out precipitously in the 1960s. Relying on Davis's autobiographies Yes, I Can and Why Me? as well as on interviews with Davis's family, friends and professional colleagues, Fishgall offers a remarkably honest, yet sympathetic, portrait of the performer's extraordinary life and work. From his birth to show folks in Harlem in 1925, Davis appeared destined for the stage and stardom. By the time he was four, Davis was already a part of his father's vaudevillian traveling show. Davis's own career eventually blossomed, and he found himself starring in Vegas shows, partying with Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra and a host of others, and making a name for himself through a recording, film and television career that propelled him into the entertainment spotlight that he had always craved. Fishgall points out that Davis's neediness caused him to spend lavishly on himself and others, and his need for love led him to surround himself with women and other friends. Fishgall expertly chronicles Davis's life, including his stint in the army, his relationships with the Rat Pack, his several marriages, his deep involvement in the civil rights movement and his tumultuous descent into drug and alcohol addiction. While Fishgall's admirably candid biography presents Davis with all his shortcomings, it warmly reveals Davis's generosity, his exceptional talent and his remarkable legacy.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In the wake of Will Haygood's superb In Black and White [BKL S 15 03] comes another biography of Sammy Davis Jr. Fishgall, who has also authored lives of Jimmy Stewart, Burt Lancaster, and Gregory Peck, turns out a serviceable star bio: thorough chronological survey of Davis' career; plenty of anecdotes from the star's pals; and a review of all the important performances. This is a perfectly satisfactory tribute to a great entertainer, but it suffers from comparison to Haygood's very different kind of book. Where Fishgall is satisfied to retell the stories and report the scandals and life crises, Haygood digs much deeper--into Davis' unresolved racial identity, into his relationship with his mother, into his youth in vaudeville, and into his insatiable craving for adoration. Fishgall touches on all those issues but then hurries on to the next Sinatra story. Both biographies will attract attention, though, so larger collections may want to own each of them. If you must make a choice, however, it's Haygood by a mile. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (October 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743227417
• ISBN-13: 978-0743227414
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #853,452 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside Picture of A True Star, February 26, 2008

By	Barbara Sternig "Hollywood Journalist" (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Gonna Do Great Things : The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. (Hardcover)

This is an exceedingly well researched glimpse into the early, middle, and later life of the brilliant and God-gifted Sammy Davis Jr.- each period of his genius life very well explored. From birth onwards, SD went through stuff we never dreamed, and did stuff we never knew, but this book gives the whole story, warts and all. A very good read, full of fascinating insights and some tasty dish too. As a longtime Hollywood journalist myself (who had many interactions with Sammy) I found quite a few minor errors (Fishgall called Michael Cole of Mod Squad "Peter Cole",) but most people won't notice these, and will really enjoy this thorough look inside a truly amazing life. Congrats to the author!

Barbara Sternig, Hollywood

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Life..Expectations vs. unRealistic Avenues, December 30, 2006

By	Jackie M "jaibeem" (Jacksonville, Florida) - See all my reviews

I personally have not read any other book written around the life of Sammy Davis Jr. I was interested after all this time, for I heard so much surrounding such a well known and honored Entertainer. Reading this story at times I found to be tedious and boring, too many descriptors of movies, the theatre and surroundings in the environment of which Sammy Davis Jr. lived. The best part of this story in the last few chapters which captures the essence of ones personal life, unfortunately it surrounds the deterioration of a magnificient man. The story is well written and leads you to believe that the author has researched and thoroughly done his homework. I must say that I am very surprised at the lifestyle that Sammy Davis Jr lead and I feel for his loved ones, because this story of how he was and how he treated his family, his wives, is really terrible and they had to see and want something deeply to have stayed involved and connected to Sammy Davis Jr. I guess also that you have to understand the drugs and addiction and need for stardom to really understand how Altovise, May, his children and his close friends really dealt with him. Truthfully by the count of what this author has documented the only ones who truly benefitted from Sammy Davis Jr. legacy is the World who wanted to be entertained. Those who went to the theatre, to Vegas shows. His wives were just pawns and lived their lives through his status (never getting much from him) and his children, well I am surprised they refer to him as daddy, 'cause it seems as if he was just Sammy in their lives. Truthfully this book is really a very sad story of a man that was... did he really every love his family, it seems as if his only love was the Stage. I think that the author could have written less and got the point across....maybe his aim was to also get you to read the Autobiography, but it also seems like the author capture the essence of all the other material that has been written on this entertainer. I rated it a 3 for interest only, and there were probably 4 good chapters in this book. Authors writing ability I give him 2 thumbs up for research and documentation, footnotes etc... Content and interest to the avid reader, less descriptors and explanation of other characters. I felt at some points in the book that it was more about Frank Sinatra and others then Sammy Davis Jr.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i didnt want it to end, April 29, 2005

By	Derek S. Mellino (waltham ma) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

i was a fan before i m a bigger fan now. excellent pacing beautifully written and really tells the story of a truly remarkable man i very easliy could have read this in one sitting but i savored every page. highly recommended