Sammy Davis Jr.: Ambition and Generosity By Raquel Stecher
Sometimes a movie is more important for what it did than for what it is. This is the case for A MAN CALLED ADAM (’66), a drama starring Sammy Davis Jr. as a self-destructive jazz musician who is so tormented by past traumas that he lashes out at those who support him. A MAN CALLED ADAM was an opportunity for Davis to sink his teeth into a more serious role, to launch his production company and to support those both in his inner circle as well as up-and-coming young Black talent. In his book Hollywood Black, film historian Donald Bogle writes about the era: “the very nature of film production was gradually questioned. Who tells the stories of Black Americans on-screen? What’s being said? What’s not being said? Though major African American filmmakers were still absent at the Hollywood studios, some new faces worked in significant ways behind the scenes. A sign of the shift was 1966’s A MAN CALLED ADAM…”
By the mid 1960s, Davis was at the top of his game as a multi-talented entertainer and one of the faces of the Rat Pack. When he wasn’t performing in Las Vegas, he was making films with fellow Rat Packers, hosting The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show on TV and performing on Broadway. What was missing for him was being taken seriously as a film actor. He craved the type of character that was devoid of stereotypes and not an easy target for white characters. He found this in the title role of Adam Johnson, a fictional character created by husband-and-wife screenwriting team Lester and Tina Pine. The script was originally intended for Nat King Cole who took an interest in the project but knew he didn’t have the acting chops to play the role. According to Cole biographer Will Friedwald, Cole was intrigued by the authenticity of the story and how it was an opportunity to make what he referred to as a real jazz movie. Cole passed away at the age of 45 before he had the opportunity to make the film, albeit in what would have been a supporting role.
The script then found its way into the hands of Ike Jones, a young Black producer who had turned down a lucrative offer to play professional football in order to follow his dream of working in the movies. Jones had been an assistant director on the THE JOE LOUIS STORY (’53) and found work as an executive for Burt Lancaster’s Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Company, Nat King Cole’s Kell-Cole Productions and Harry Belafonte’s HarBel Productions. Independent film productions were all the rage at the time as it gave actors more artistic freedom to play the parts that they felt the studios were withholding from them. Davis had started his own company, Trace-Mark Productions, named after his children Tracey and Mark, and this script would provide the material for its very first film. Davis made history when he hired Ike Jones as the first Black producer for a major Hollywood production.
In taking on this project, I imagine that Davis was inspired by Frank Sinatra, the leader of the Rat Pack and someone whom he greatly admired, despite their often-contentious relationship. Sinatra had turned his career around a decade earlier with dramatic performances in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (’53) and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (’55). Sinatra was particularly proud of his performance in the latter, and I can see how the title might have influenced Davis’ decision to change ADAM to A MAN CALLED ADAM.
Davis used this production as an opportunity to help new talent in the business, especially Black performers. Cicely Tyson, who plays an activist and the main love interest, Claudia, was making a name for herself in television and film but was still a few years away from her breakout performances in THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER (’68) and SOUNDER (’72). As Bogle points out, Tyson stood out with her sensitive performance and her unique brand of beauty which challenged the standards of the time. A MAN CALLED ADAM debuted new talent including Johnny Brown, Lola Falana and Ja’net DuBois. Brown had impressed Davis with his impressions and acting chops. In the film, Brown essentially plays a Ray Charles type figure. Lola Falana was an up-and-coming dancer who had made an appearance on Davis’ variety show and would soon tour with Davis in Europe. Also appearing as extras are Morgan Freeman and George Kirby, who can be spotted in a party scene in the latter half of the movie.
Davis also used this production as an opportunity to help those in his inner circle. Black actor and civil rights activist Ossie Davis had landed in some hot water with his public criticism of the Vietnam War. Sammy supported his friend by threatening to leave the studio that tried to oust Ossie and by hiring him for a supporting role in his new production. Davis even gave his own mother Elvera, who had been working as a bartender in Atlantic City, a bit part. Other members of the crew included white director Leo Penn who had previously been blacklisted and had directed Davis on an episode of the Ben Casey series. Davis also extended a hand by hiring on fellow Rat Packer Peter Lawford as well as Frank Sinatra’s son Frank Sinatra Jr. in supporting roles.
The casting of A MAN CALLED ADAM demonstrates both Sammy Davis Jr.’s generosity and his support for new and struggling talent. He was clearly aware of how the industry was driven by a who-you-know mentality. By opening doors for others, he created a pathway for talent to bloom and blossom in an industry that desperately needed change, especially in the ways it represented Black characters.
