Adored by millions, Sammy Davis Jr. was considered an entertainment icon and a national treasure. But despite lifetime earnings that topped $50 million, Sammy died in 1990 near bankruptcy.
Years later his once-vivacious wife, Altovise, heir to one of the greatest entertainment legacies of the twentieth century, was living in poverty. With nowhere to turn, she asked a former federal prosecutor, Albert “Sonny” Murray, to try to resolve Sammy’s debts and restore his estate. For seven years Sonny probed Sammy’s life and cam to understand the tormented artist as a man of tragic complexity.
Deconstructing Sammy is the extraordinary story of an international celebrity whose outsize talent couldn’t save him from himself. (from back of book)
Deconstructing Sammy: Music, Money, and Madness is not an actual biography in the traditional sense. Author Matt Birkbeck shares the stories and memories of those that were closest to the iconic entertainer as well as the findings of Sonny Murray, whose investigation into Sammy’s debts encompasses the bulk of the book. This is not a glamorous portrait of a man who was, and still is, a loved entertainer. This is a look at a man who wanted fame and fortune at almost all costs. He spent without reserve, dabbled heavily in drugs and alcohol, married for convenience, neglected his wife and children, had numerous affairs, made deals with the mob, and surrounded himself with an entourage of mostly self-serving individuals. Those around him could see his decline but few, very few, attempted to put a stop to the disaster that was inevitable – they were being paid to say yes.
This was a truly fascinating book. There are so many stories and recollections of other household names. Frank Sinatra “discovering” Sammy and supposedly introducing him to the ways of the mob. Dean Martin was actually a quiet homebody who did not partake in the over-the-top partying of the Rat Pack crew. Sammy ran with a powerful crowd, in the entertainment industry as well as politically. There is even a hint that Sammy knew the true story who shot JFK. What really struck me was how massive the fall from fame and fortune. From buying Chinese carry-out for an entire commercial airliner that was stranded on the runway all the way to his “friends” sneaking into his home and stealing his belongings (furniture, clothes, heirlooms from his friends in the entertainment industry, jewelry) while Sammy Davis laid in bed stricken with cancer. There is also the story of Sonny Murray’s attempts to deal with the largest individual IRS debt on record in 1994 and revitalize Sammy’s name and reputation. The obstacles in dealing with the wife (Altovise), Sammy’s children, the IRS, and Sammy’s former accountants and financial advisors makes for an interesting read.
Reading this book was like peeling back layers with a new revelation in each chapter. Entertaining read!
Plese visit the author’s, Matt Birkbeck, website for additional information on some of his other works, his blog and audio of Sammy Davis singing Mr. Bojangles. You can also listen to a discussion of the book on NPR and read an excerpt.
The video is Mr. Birkbeck discussing the looting of Sammy’s home:
Twitter: Vasilly
02. Dec, 2009 at 9:11 am #
What a great review! I’ve never heard of Deconstructing Sammy before. It sounds like a book I would love to read.
Wow! This sounds fascinating!