Sammy Davis Jr. his left eye in a car accident, and several years later, he converted to Judaism, finding commonalities between the oppression experienced by African-American and Jewish communities. Davis's film career began as a child in 1933. In 1960, he appeared in the Rat Pack film "Ocean's 11". After a starring role on Broadway in "Mr Wonderful" (1956), he returned to the stage in 1964's "Golden Boy." In 1966 he had his own TV variety show, titled "The Sammy Davis Jr. Show". Davis's career slowed in the late 1960s, but he had a hit record with "The Candy Man" in 1972 and
Frank Gagliardi Frank Gagliardi Frank Gagliardi (November 16, 1931, Denver, CO – February 6, 2011, Plano, TX) was an American jazz drummer and percussionist, big band composer, arranger, director, and professor. He was the creator and director of the UNLV Jazz Ensemble from 1974 until 1996. Prior to that, he worked as the drummer and percussionist at the Sands Hotel, accompanying such notable performers as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Patti Page, Lena Horne, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Joe Williams, Marlena Shaw and Joey Bishop among many others. Born in Denver, Frank’s interest in music started at a young age.