Lee Daniels‘ biographical series about Sammy Davis Jr‘s life finally has a home at Hulu.
Hulu ordered eight episodes of the untitled series that sat on a shelf for years. The series, based on the book “In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.,” is described as an exploration of Davis’ life and his complex relationship with the Black community.
Elijah Kelley, second from right, is set to play the lead role as Davis. Kelley, 35, is best known for his role as Ricky Bell in The New Edition Story on BET. Kelley also starred in 28 Days, Take the Lead, Hairspray, Red Tails, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, and Star TV series.
Davis is a former child star who became one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s. He was the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s famed Rat Pack.
But Davis ran afoul of the Black community when he supported Republican President Richard Nixon and kissed TV’s favorite white supremacist, Archie Bunker (Carrol O’Conner) on an episode of All in the Family in 1972. It was the kiss heard round the world.
The studio and crew laughed for so long that the kiss scene was edited to allow time for O’Conner to deliver his line. It was considered the longest studio audience laugh in television history.
The original kiss scene is lost. The second edit that aired on February 19, 1972 can be viewed below.
