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
500 Club supper service featured top-billed acts in the summer months and for special bookings. The 500 Club became one of the most popular nightspots on the East Coast, regularly attracting top-name talent. Performers included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Martin and Lewis, the Will Mastin Trio, Jimmy Durante, Eartha Kitt, Patti Page, Sophie Tucker, the Jackie Paris Trio, Milton Berle, Nat King Cole, and Liberace, among many others. Frank Sinatra called on his friendship with D'Amato to perform at the club in the 1940s when his career was at a lull. He regularly performed there from the 1940s through to the