Deconstructing Sammy
Page 30
Academy Award nominations to, 45
auction of possessions, 62–63, 66, 72, 95, 105, 111, 128, 166
birth of, 32
books by, 25, 29, 39, 40, 160, 170, 172, 173
cancer of, 1, 59, 81, 84, 213–14, 226
CD boxed set of, 173–74, 188–90, 232, 233–34, 249
as celebrity, 15, 37, 39, 42, 62
childhood of, 32–34
children of, 25–26, 31, 66, 74, 106–9, 123–25, 130, 132–33, 160, 163, 175, 198, 253
conversion to Judaism, 38, 129
death of, 1–2, 30, 59, 82, 125–26
debts of, 21, 23, 40, 48, 54, 56–57, 59–63, 66
declining career of, 40, 43, 59, 210, 215, 230
discography of, 189–90
divorce from May Britt, 42, 74, 120, 129–30, 133
documentation about, 166–68, 186–87, 190, 194–95, 216–17, 245
dreams of stardom, 33–34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 42
drugs used by, 40, 41, 42, 79, 80, 123, 150, 178–79, 210, 223–24
employees of, 58–59, 64, 82–83, 97, 124, 215
estate of, 15, 21, 27–28, 43, 48, 59–62, 66, 81, 84, 85–96, 154–55, 166, 186–88, 202, 232–33, 252
eye lost by, 38, 218, 254
failed investments of, 78, 80, 88, 167, 216–17, 219–20, 223, 224, 225–26
fame of, 15–16, 42, 218, 222
forged signature of, 84, 108
glass eye of, 2, 134–35, 148, 254
honors and awards to, 234, 238–40, 243–45, 249
income of, 36, 38, 42, 57–58, 59, 77, 117, 186, 187, 213, 215
and IRS, 21, 30, 40, 42, 47–48, 51, 54–57, 59–60, 61, 66, 72, 74–75, 77–78, 85–90, 93, 104–5, 111, 116, 117–18, 127–28, 136–37, 145, 147, 158, 161, 168, 174, 186, 189, 192, 202, 232
legacy of, 21, 23–24, 43, 50–51, 107, 145–46, 175, 199–200, 232, 233–34, 249
life insurance policies of, 30–31, 60, 64, 74–75, 84, 90–91, 93, 96, 167, 168, 210, 255
lifestyle of, 58–59, 64, 76–78, 97–99, 111, 122, 123, 129, 170, 187, 215, 232
marriage to Altovise, 23, 40, 86, 122–26, 170
marriage to May Britt, 15, 25, 39, 120, 129, 178, 198, 208
master recordings of, 117, 184, 185, 190, 192, 195, 199, 200, 201, 216, 234, 236
musical arrangements of, 62, 160
and organized crime, 217–26
and ownership of his work, 117, 146–47, 163–65, 184, 185, 186–90, 200, 201, 233–34
as photographer, 199, 250–51
and pornography, 41, 79–80, 219–20
possessions missing, 2, 60–61, 65, 71–72, 73–74, 82, 83, 85, 92–93, 168
posthumous deals in the works, 21, 25, 27, 30, 50–51, 73, 85, 93, 106, 116–17, 131, 133, 145–47, 155–58, 174, 177, 188–90, 192, 201, 202–3, 205, 249–50
property in storage, 195, 198–200
and racial discrimination, 33, 34, 36, 39, 46–47, 129
and Rat Pack, 38, 44, 45–46, 59, 157, 160, 176–79, 182–85, 187–88, 198, 211
recording deals of, 186, 187
rise to stardom, 37–39, 215
and Satanism, 41, 70
talent of, 15, 32–33, 34–35, 36, 42, 214, 217, 233, 244–45
tax shelters of, 54–57, 59, 78, 88, 93, 155, 217, 250
television appearances of, 39, 40, 43, 81, 157, 190, 217, 227–31
tributes to, 72–73, 92, 234–36
in U.S. Army, 34–35
in vaudeville, 32–33
voice of, 205–7
will of, 66, 84, 169, 208, 255
Davis, Sam Sr., 32–33, 35, 36, 63
Davis, Tracey, 25–31
and Altovise, 21, 25–28, 30, 48–51, 109, 131–33, 160, 163, 164, 175, 232–33, 235, 240, 252
birth of, 25, 129
book about her father by, 131, 132–33
and her father’s estate, 21, 27, 28, 30–31, 50–51, 74, 131, 160, 167, 171, 186, 252
and her father’s legacy, 27, 50–51, 131–32, 164, 239, 240, 251
Sonny’s meetings with, 47, 48–51
Davis v. Commissioner, 54–57
Dean, James, 156, 186
Decca Records, 37, 187, 189, 201
Deep Throat (movie), 79–80
Dellow, Brian, 78–84, 208–10, 211, 217, 244, 254
and Altovise, 81, 124
and Quincy Jones’s security, 82, 208, 254
and Rat Pack, 212–13
as Sammy’s bodyguard, 1, 31, 58, 78, 243
and Sammy’s estate, 66, 81, 84, 169, 208
and Sammy’s illness and death, 1–2, 82, 96, 126, 214
DePalma, Gregory, 180
Diana, Princess, 72
Dixie Barbecue, 167
Dorsey, Tommy, 35
Double Dutch (film), 20, 162
Douglas, Calvin, 255–56
Altovise introduced to Sonny by, 13–15, 16, 20, 159
and Altovise’s drinking, 29–30, 53, 118, 128
and Altovise’s treatment, 53, 68, 104, 113, 141, 142
support for Altovise from, 23, 24, 30, 68–70, 86, 105, 113, 117, 126, 134, 136, 142
Douglas, Kirk, 196
Douglas, Mike, 122
Doumani, Edward and Fred, 222, 224
Dylan, Bob, 83
Early, Gerald, 233
Eastwood, Clint, 66, 149
Edwards, Daphne, 232–33
E. F. Hutton, 16–19, 57, 100–101, 102, 183, 210, 240
Elkins, Hilliard, 151–54, 156, 164–65
EMI, 189
Eminem, 239
Ernst & Ernst, 218, 219
Ernst & Young, 168, 219
Exner, Judith, 204, 209
Falana, Lola, 120, 121–22, 129, 153, 228
Falk, Jonathan, 121
Falk, Peter, 129
Farrow, Mia, 178, 196
Fawcett, Farrah, 118, 119
FBI:
and Hutton, 19
and Kennedy, 209
and organized crime in Las Vegas, 224
and Sammy’s drug habit, 224
and Wayman, 220
and Weisman, 180–81
Ferko, Richard, 28, 48, 60, 91–96, 254
Finkelstein, Robert, 28, 240
and posthumous deals, 27, 30, 49, 50–51, 131, 203–4
and Sammy’s debts, 51, 115, 179
as Sinatra’s attorney, 177, 179, 183–84, 189, 194, 203–4, 211
and Tracey, 27, 48, 50–51, 131
Fitzsimmons, Frank, 222
Flushing Federal Savings and Loan Association, 181–82
Fomon, Robert, 18
Ford, Betty, 118–19, 171
Ford, Gerald, 82, 119
Ford Freedom Award, 234–36, 239
Forrest Gump (film), 157
Four Tops, 83
Foxwoods Casino, 249
Francis, Tony, 235–36, 239–40, 241, 242, 249, 250, 252
Frerking, Daryl, 90, 105, 113, 127, 137
From Here to Eternity (film), 194
Front Row Theater, Cleveland, 223, 225
Fusco, Richard, 180
Gable, Clark, 157
Gambino, Carlo, 180, 181
Gap, The, 186
Garbo, Greta, 156
Garfunkel, Ben, 66, 84
Genesee County Bank, 16
Giancana, Sam, 182, 204, 206, 209, 210, 212, 254
Gibson, Mel, 157
Giuliani, Rudolph, 18, 225
Gleason, Jackie, 11
Global Icons, 157–58, 192, 201
Glover, Danny, 157
Golden Boy (Broadway), 39, 120–21, 129, 152, 156, 165, 228, 230
Goldman, Fred, 156
Gomberg, Max, 167
Good Morning America (TV), 225, 251
Gordy, Berry, 71, 216
Gore, Altovise (Davis):
use of name, 115
see also Davis, Altovise
Gore, Altovise (mother), 14, 22–24
Gore, Joe (father), 13–14, 22–24, 104, 105, 113
Gor
me, Eydie, 180, 255
Gotti, John, 181
Grace, Princess of Monaco, 97–99
Grammy Awards, 238–40, 249
Griffin, Merv, 156
Gustafson, Deil, 222, 224
Haley, Jack Jr., 71, 106, 107, 109–11, 125, 172
Haley, Jack Sr., 110
Hall, Ernest William, 54–55, 56, 88, 166–67
Hall, Monty, 217
Hanks, Tom, 184
Harpo Productions, 156
Harrah’s, Las Vegas, 172
Hayman, Fred, 149
Hayworth, Rita, 38
HBO, 160–61, 183, 203–4
Hemion, Dwayne, 145, 227
“High Hopes,” 41
High Spirits (Broadway), 120
Hill, Faith, 239
Hillside Inn, 67–75, 116, 256
African-American guests in, 3–4, 5, 8, 39, 99–100, 102–4, 144
as anachronism, 4
bought by the Judge and Mama, 5–6
early years of, 5–9
and the Judge’s death, 4
remodeling of, 4, 67, 161, 237–38
special events in, 191
survival of, 12, 100, 161–62, 190–93
Hines, Gregory, 23, 234–35
Hoehne, Ann, 127, 137–38, 140, 147, 234
Hoffa, Jimmy, 221
Hoffman, Abby, 135
Holiday, Billie, 64
Holiday in Dixieland (vaudeville), 32
Holland, John, 100
Hollywood in a Suitcase (Davis), 29, 40
Hollywood Reporter, 37
Hope, Bob, 12, 71, 134
Houston, Whitney, 188
Hullabaloo (TV), 145, 205, 227, 228, 231
Hunt, Joe, 226
Iacocca, Lee, 196
Iglesias, Julio, 11
I Gotta Right to Swing (album), 201
Illumanardi, Manny “Cheech,” 68, 69–70, 91, 94
International Creative Management (ICM), 160, 176
International Red Cross, 97
Intimate Portrait (TV), 157
Isenberg, Leonard “Bud,” 30–31, 74–75
“I’ve Gotta Be Me,” 157, 189
Jackson, Jesse, 121–22, 210–11, 231
Jackson, Joe, 44–47, 83, 254
Jackson, Lessie Lee, 58, 66, 124
Jackson, Michael, 23, 28–29, 105, 149, 156, 173, 188
Jackson Five, 12
Jenner, Bruce, 203
Jilly’s Place, New York, 181, 227
Jilly’s Resort and Sports Complex, Pennsylvania, 182
J. M. Kaplan Fund, 136
Joey (cat), 181
John, Elton, 188
Johnson, Lyndon B., 153, 157
Johnson, Magic, 156
Jones, Quincy, 72, 125, 196
and Altovise, 121, 160, 163–64
Broadway musical plans of, 21, 25, 27, 30, 50, 107, 125, 145, 147, 163–65, 170, 171, 173, 204, 252
lack of follow-through, 164, 204
security for, 82, 208, 254
and Tracey, 25, 27, 107, 160, 171, 252
Jones, Tom, 72
Jumpin’ (film), 162
Kaplan, Jacob M., 136
Kaplan, Joel David, 136, 254
Kaufman, Abe, 5–6
Kaye, Danny, 12
Kennedy, Caroline, 209
Kennedy, Ethel, 208–9
Kennedy, Jacqueline Bouvier, 209
Kennedy, John F., 39, 46, 62, 157
assassination of, 209
election campaign of, 129, 182
and Giancana connection, 182, 204, 206, 209
Kennedy, John F. Jr., 209
Kennedy, Robert F., 208–9
Kennedy Center Honors, 243–45
Kerkorian, Kirk, 71, 215
Kerry, John, 255
Khashoggi, Adnan, 79
Khashoggi, Soraya, 79
King, Alan, 11, 180
King, Harvey, 80, 81, 124, 211
King, Larry, 196
King, Martin Luther Jr.:
and civil rights movement, 39, 151–54, 231
“I Have a Dream,” 39, 151
Kingston Trio, 83
Klowns, The (TV), 227–31
Knight, Gladys, 71, 105, 149, 188
Ku Klux Klan, 153
“Lady Is a Tramp, The,” 201
Lansing, Sherry, 162
LaRoda, Brian and Barret, 241–42, 249, 250
LaRoda Group, 249–50, 251–53
Las Vegas:
organized crime connections in, 221–24
Sammy booked into clubs in, 37, 40, 46–47, 57, 59, 71, 223, 233
Sammy’s line of credit in, 64
Laugh-In (TV), 43, 62, 181, 230
Laventhol and Horvath, 117
Lawford, Peter, 45, 157, 230
Lawrence, Steve, 180, 196, 255
Lear, Norman, 20, 114–15, 162, 240
Leary, Timothy, 135
Leigh, Janet, 48, 122
Lemmon, Jack, 196
Lennon, John, 157
Leno, Jay, 12, 125
Lethan Weapon 4 (film), 157
Lewis, Jerry, 37, 72, 125, 198, 217, 218, 227, 230, 254
“Life Is a Woman,” 233
Light, Judith, 157
Lincoln Center, New York, 256
Lindsay, John V., 6
Lindy’s, New York, 37
Liotta, Ray, 183
Livingston, Mary, 122
Lloyd’s of London, 60
LMNO, 157
Los Angeles Times, 37
Louis, George:
declining to cooperate, 30
fees paid to, 59
and Sammy’s estate, 28, 87, 167, 168
Louis, Joe, 64
Lovelace, Linda, 80
Luchese family, 211
M&M/Mars candy company, 157–58
MacLaine, Shirley, 176
Madonna, 174, 239
Magic Johnson Entertainment, 156
Mancini, Henry, 71
Mankarios, Akram, 58, 83
Mantegna, Joe, 183
Manufacturers Hanover Trust, 18
March on Washington, 151, 154
Marley, Bob, 239
Marriott Company, 162, 191
Marsalis, Wyndon, 256
Marsh, Molly, 97
Marsh, Sy, 97
death of, 253
partnership with Sammy, 87, 215–17, 220–21, 224
Sammy’s breakup with, 58, 83, 226, 253
and Sammy’s estate, 31, 84, 93, 185
and tax shelters, 54, 56, 93, 217, 253
Martin, Dean, 37, 42
>estate of, 160–61, 176–78, 185, 204
ownership of his work, 185, 188
and Rat Pack, 44, 59, 157, 175, 176–78, 179, 182–83, 202, 211–12
and Sinatra, 177–78, 194, 211–13
and son’s death, 115, 211
in Vegas, 44, 45, 176
and Westchester Theater, 179
Martin, Dean Paul, 115, 211
Marx, Groucho, 37
Mastin, Will, 32–33, 35, 36, 47, 59, 65
Mayfield, Curtis, 188
McMahon, Ed, 71
McMahon, Vince, 141, 162
McMillan, Londell, 250, 251
McQueen, Steve, 111, 215
McTeere, Alice, 138, 141
Meadows, Jayne, 72, 217
Meese, Edwin, 100
Meminger, Dino, 58, 84, 109, 254
Mendlovitz, Jack, 91
Meron, Neil, 251
Merv Griffin Entertainment, 156
Meyer, Neville, 141
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 157
Milstein, Nathan, 244
Minnelli, Liza, 110, 125, 196, 255
and Altovise, 28, 29, 105, 118, 119, 143, 149, 244
on tour with Frank and Sammy, 42, 59, 179, 213, 225
“Tribute to Sammy,” 72
Mod Squad script, 62
Monroe, Marilyn, 40, 44, 61, 62, 156, 186, 215
Monroe County Children & Youth Agency, 191
Monsanto Compa
ny, 161
Morehouse Teachers College, 66
Morrow, Geoff, 73
Motown Records, 171, 189, 216
“Mr. Bojangles,” 189
Mr. Bojangles, The Ultimate Entertainer (live show), 249
Mr. Wonderful (Broadway), 38, 58, 152, 198
Murphy, Eddie, 81, 111, 134
Murray, Albert Jr. “Sonny”:
birth and childhood of, 5
and E. F. Hutton, 16–19, 57, 100–101, 102, 240
and father’s death, 3–4
and Hillside Inn, 4, 7, 8, 9, 102–4, 116, 190–92, 237–38, 256
law practice of, 7–8, 162
legal bills of, 159, 174, 191, 200, 202
letter to Altovise, 138–39
loss of Davis account, 241–42, 250
marriage of Patricia and, 99, 140, 236–37
obsession with Davis case, 24, 31, 42, 68, 116, 131, 140, 142, 168–69, 192, 206–7, 237, 240–41
Offer in Compromise to IRS, 85–90
and racial discrimination, 101–2
retained by Altovise, 30, 159
and Sammy’s children, see Davis, Jeff; Davis, Mark; Davis, Tracey as U.S. prosecutor, 16–17, 100–102
Murray, Albert R. Sr. “the Judge”:
as criminal court judge, 6–7, 43
death of, 3–4, 8, 9
early years of, 4–5
as grandson of slaves, 4
and Hillside Inn, 3–4, 5–7, 8–9, 39, 67–68, 102–4, 144, 161–62, 190–93, 237–38, 247
illness and death of, 247–48
intervening in Sonny’s life, 8
and Mama’s death, 247–48
partnership with Kaufman, 5–6
and racial discrimination, 5, 6, 7, 103–4
and Sammy’s success, 15–16, 23
and Sonny’s beatings, 9–10
and Sonny’s career, 16–17, 19
Murray, Odetta “Mama”:
and Altovise, 21, 142–43, 246
death of, 3–4, 8, 9, 245–46
and Hillside Inn, 5–6, 7, 67–68, 103, 161–62, 191–92, 237–38, 247
Murray Pocono Estates, 68
“My Funny Valentine,” 187
Namath, Joe, 143
National Highway Safety Foundation, telethon, 217–19
Nealon, William, 100
Nederlander family, 173
Nevada Gaming Commission, 224
New Frontier casino, Las Vegas, 38
Newley, Anthony, 122
New Line Pictures, 251, 253
Newton, Wayne, 196
Nikolais, Alwin, 244
Niven, David, 44
Nixon, Pat, 119
Nixon, Richard M., 42, 222
and Rumsfeld, 29, 82, 119
Sammy’s connection with, 15, 40–41, 62, 119, 149, 210
“Nothing Can Stop Me Now,” 228, 229
Novak, Kim, 38, 39’N Sync, 239
Oakland Coliseum, 212
Obama, Barack, 255
Ocean’s Eleven (film), 38, 45, 46, 176, 184, 204
O’Connor, Carroll, 40, 71, 149, 156–57