Nicknamed “Mister Show Business,” Samuel George Davis Jr. (1925-1990) started performing in vaudeville with his father at age 3. In his late 20s, he lost his left eye in a near-fatal car accident, which precipitated his conversion to Judaism a few years later. In a prolific career, he was nominated for three Grammys, four Emmys, and a Tony Award, and his recording of “The Candy Man” topped the Billboard charts. His controversial and trail-blazing career broke numerous color barriers in the entertainment industry.

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