Sammy Davis jr. and guns.

[the ringo kid]

Sammy Davis Jr. was on a The Rifleman episode Saturday. Apparently, its an after 2nd season episode. Anyway, reason I'm mentioning this, is because it was actually he himself, and not a stand-in, doing his gun tricks.

 

[Leonard]

He competed in fast draw competition was supposed to have been quite good

 

[NYlakesider]

Had quite a collection of Colt Peacemakers and was very capable with them!

I have read that do to circumstances that he carried a small weapon at most times.

He was one of the best entertainers of the last century IMHO!

 

[gunnails]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aNzFYHyz8[/ame]

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Did he shoot with both eyes open, or one closed?.


WuzzFuzz

 

[SC_Mike]

Did he shoot with both eyes open, or one closed?.


WuzzFuzz

Boooo...

 

[italiansport]

Several of the members of the Rat Pack were gun fans and most of them collected Colt SAAs. Another performer with a large Colt Collection was Mel Torme the crooner known as the Velvet fog.
Jim

 

[the ringo kid]

Did he shoot with both eyes open, or one closed?.


WuzzFuzz

Unknown. I was watching the TV attached to the cycling machine at freedom fitness yesterday, didn't have my glasses on and sweat was in my eyes.

BTW, wm is currently selling the 2nd half of season 2 of: The Rifleman now.

 

[Aticus]

Unknown. I was watching the TV attached to the cycling machine at freedom fitness yesterday, didn't have my glasses on and sweat was in my eyes.

BTW, wm is currently selling the 2nd half of season 2 of: The Rifleman now.

Ringo that was a bum question. Davis was blind in, I believe, the left eye.

 

[Will Carry]

Sammy Davis Jr. was fast. He may have been the fastest in Hollywood. They say Glen Ford and James Arnes were fast.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Sammy Davis Jr. was fast. He may have been the fastest in Hollywood. They say Glen Ford and James Arnes were fast.

I used to be fast too......................with guns, not so much.


WuzzFuzz

 

[Big Cholla]

And don't forget Jerry Lewis. He was very very good with his Colt SAAs. I watched a demo by him at the Sahara Hotel in LV about 1959 while he was practicing in a back yard area. I later saw him on stage doing his gun handling demo about 1980. He was even better at the fancy gun handling and was a great entertainer.

In 1959 I was a carpenter working on an addition to the Sahara Hotel. Jerry Lewis was appearing there and was out and about during the afternoon most days. He was very nice to talk with and actually let me handle his two Colt SAAs after a practice session. Heck of nice guy. He wasn't anything like the character he played while partnered with Dean Martin. ..........

 

[PALADIN85020]

I'm betting that most of these guys were either taught by Arvo Ojala or Thell Reed, Jr. Both were expert single action virtuosos and were consultants on many western movies.

Here's Thell as a youngster -

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COjMqAXK1h8[/ame]

John

 

[gunnails]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7GZmxw21EA[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddFqDq8LyKI[/ame]

 

[les.b]

And today's kids have.... The Kardashians. Well, my dad used to say "The worlds going to hell in a hand basket". Back then I didn't know what he meant. Now I think I do.

Those guys... Sammy Davis, Frank Sinatra, James Arness, etc. we're gun guys, and gave guns a positive image. There are still a few of them left... I understand that Tom Selleck and a few others in Hollywood are positive images that present firearms in a positive way.

Still love watching some of the old shows, though. Thanks, Ringo!!!

 

[meaneyedcatz]

SD J was in two episodes of the Rifleman.
In one he was a fast draw expert.
In the other (if I remember correctly) he could not hit the broad side of a barn so he got some "help" from Lucas boy.

 

[DWalt]

SD Jr. had a hit contract out on him to discourage his getting married to Kim Novak (that was before his marriage to Mai Britt). So he didn't. He lost his eye in an auto accident. I saw him at a Baccarat table at the Golden Horseshoe in Las Vegas sometime in the mid-80s.

 

[Protected One]

Had quite a collection of Colt Peacemakers and was very capable with them!

I have read that do to circumstances that he carried a small weapon at most times.

He was one of the best entertainers of the last century IMHO!

He was THE best entertainer of the last century!

 

[pharman]

Urban Legend?

In Ohio there is a small farming town named Monroeville. Rumor has it that many years ago an older farmer around there somewhere had an old Colt revolver that was worth quite a bit of money. Not sure what model it was. Supposedly Sammy Davis Jr. came here and bought the revolver for a very large sum of money. I heard it was 6 figures something like $125,000 CASH! Don't know anymore info on this, but I believe it is quite possible that it happened.

 

[old bear]

Assorted gun handling was part of Mr. Davis' act for years, After receiving credible death threats, he moved the fast draw portion of his act into his intro. Mr. Davis then reloaded both revolvers with live ammo and wore them through the rest of his performance.