Exclusive: MGM has set a Sammy Davis Jr. biopic that will be based on Sammy Davis Jr.: My Father, a 1996 book written by Davis’ daughter Tracey Davis and Dolores A. Barclay. Studio has Hillman Grad’s Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani producing with Sight Unseen’s Julia Lebedev and Eddie Vaisman. David Matthews is writing the script.
The project reunites Waithe with MGM’s Pamela Abdy, who most recently collaborated on Queen and Slim at Makeready. In the book, daughter Tracey recounted a loving but distant relationship with her father, describing how she confronted him and how they drew closer as she grew older. The movie will look at the singer’s later life. In his 60s, he tried to pull off the biggest showbiz reunion in history — but first, he had to mend all the relationships he’d broken along the way to stardom, including the one with his daughter.
The project reunites Waithe with MGM’s Pamela Abdy, who most recently collaborated on Queen and Slim at Makeready. In the book, daughter Tracey recounted a loving but distant relationship with her father, describing how she confronted him and how they drew closer as she grew older. The movie will look at the singer’s later life. In his 60s, he tried to pull off the biggest showbiz reunion in history — but first, he had to mend all the relationships he’d broken along the way to stardom, including the one with his daughter.
- 10/14/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Paramount Pictures is moving forward with a biopic of Sammy Davis Jr. Studio has set Charles Murray to write the script. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura; fellow musical icon Lionel Richie, latter of whom was instrumental in gathering rights from Sammy Davis Jr’s estate; and Mike Menchel. The movie is based on several resources, among them the singer’s 1965 memoir Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr, which Davis wrote with Jane and Burt Boyar.
Menchel said after they set the project at Paramount under di Bonaventura’s deal, they searched long and hard for the right writer, and eventually found themselves on Murray’s doorstep. Physically, Charles Murray is the polar opposite of the wiry and diminutive film subject, nor would you confuse him with Arthur Murray for that matter. His credits as a writer/producer include the muscular dramas Sons of Anarchy and Luke Cage,...
Menchel said after they set the project at Paramount under di Bonaventura’s deal, they searched long and hard for the right writer, and eventually found themselves on Murray’s doorstep. Physically, Charles Murray is the polar opposite of the wiry and diminutive film subject, nor would you confuse him with Arthur Murray for that matter. His credits as a writer/producer include the muscular dramas Sons of Anarchy and Luke Cage,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sammy David Jr. biopic is set up at Paramount Pictures and it will be produced by Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. According to Deadline, the project is on the fast track and they are in the process of hiring a writer and director to take on the life of the iconic entertainer who could do it all.
The movie will be based on the 1965 memoir Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. that he penned with Jane and Burt Boyar. Davis’ heirs are also joining a producing team, which will also include Lionel Richie.
Apparently, Richie was the key to getting all the right deals done to be able to bring Davis’ story to the big screen. In a statement, he said:
“I cannot tell you how excited I am about the signing of the Sammy Davis Jr. project with Paramount. I knew and loved Sammy dearly.
The movie will be based on the 1965 memoir Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. that he penned with Jane and Burt Boyar. Davis’ heirs are also joining a producing team, which will also include Lionel Richie.
Apparently, Richie was the key to getting all the right deals done to be able to bring Davis’ story to the big screen. In a statement, he said:
“I cannot tell you how excited I am about the signing of the Sammy Davis Jr. project with Paramount. I knew and loved Sammy dearly.
- 6/19/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Legendary musicians Marvin Gaye and Sammy Dave Jr. lives are to end up on the big screen for the latest in a string of biopics to come out of Hollywood.
Firstly, the soul man, Marvin Gaye has successfully moved into development thanks to Hip Hop god and savvy businessman, Dr Dre. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, has been more successful than most in trying to get a biopic off the ground on the singer’s life. Previous attempts have all been thwarted by the Gaye estate.
Sony/Atv music publishing, (who currently hold the rights for Gayes catalogue of music) has confirmed that Dre has won the rights to use the music.
Dre acted as a producer on Straight Outta Compton, the biopic which focused on his own rise to fame in the hip-hop group Nwa.
Also in the news – Spotlight helmer Tom McCarthy in talks to direct...
Firstly, the soul man, Marvin Gaye has successfully moved into development thanks to Hip Hop god and savvy businessman, Dr Dre. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, has been more successful than most in trying to get a biopic off the ground on the singer’s life. Previous attempts have all been thwarted by the Gaye estate.
Sony/Atv music publishing, (who currently hold the rights for Gayes catalogue of music) has confirmed that Dre has won the rights to use the music.
Dre acted as a producer on Straight Outta Compton, the biopic which focused on his own rise to fame in the hip-hop group Nwa.
Also in the news – Spotlight helmer Tom McCarthy in talks to direct...
- 6/19/2018
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: The biopic about Sammy Davis, Jr. now has been set up at Paramount Pictures, where producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has his overall deal. The project is on the development fast track, soon to be hiring a writer and a director to make the feature film about the dancer-singer-actor-musician to becoming a reality.
The movie will be based in large part on the 1965 memoir Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. that he penned with Jane and Burt Boyar.
Davis’ heirs are joining a producing team led by Lionel Richie, di Bonaventura and Mike Menchel. The latter two most recently joined forces for Only the Brave, the feature about the 19 firefighting heroes who died during the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona.
Richie was the key to getting all the rights deals done to be able to bring Davis’ story to the masses. “I cannot tell you how excited...
The movie will be based in large part on the 1965 memoir Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. that he penned with Jane and Burt Boyar.
Davis’ heirs are joining a producing team led by Lionel Richie, di Bonaventura and Mike Menchel. The latter two most recently joined forces for Only the Brave, the feature about the 19 firefighting heroes who died during the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona.
Richie was the key to getting all the rights deals done to be able to bring Davis’ story to the masses. “I cannot tell you how excited...
- 6/18/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
http://www.lajfilmfest.org
The 13th annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival will begin on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 and conclude on Wednesday, May 2nd with films from around the world celebrating the Jewish experience.
The opening night begins with a Bar Mitzvah or 13th year, style party and a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. with the premiere of a new documentary Sammy Davis Jr. — I Gotta Be Me, an amazing Documentary made for American Masters which I was elated to see when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Sammy Davis Jr. was the ultimate performer. His worldview was unique and self made just as he was. It did not conform to the liberal “style” of the time, but it was not conservative either.
USA/2018/100 minutes
Directed by Sam Pollard).
Sammy Davis Jr. was recognized as a groundbreaking entertainer who frequently found himself bracketed by the bigotry of white America and...
The 13th annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival will begin on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 and conclude on Wednesday, May 2nd with films from around the world celebrating the Jewish experience.
The opening night begins with a Bar Mitzvah or 13th year, style party and a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. with the premiere of a new documentary Sammy Davis Jr. — I Gotta Be Me, an amazing Documentary made for American Masters which I was elated to see when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Sammy Davis Jr. was the ultimate performer. His worldview was unique and self made just as he was. It did not conform to the liberal “style” of the time, but it was not conservative either.
USA/2018/100 minutes
Directed by Sam Pollard).
Sammy Davis Jr. was recognized as a groundbreaking entertainer who frequently found himself bracketed by the bigotry of white America and...
- 4/10/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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