Altovise Joanne Gore Davis Dead at 65
By: Eddie Varley Mar. 15, 2009
Altovise Joanne Gore Davis, the widow of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., died Saturday in Los Angeles at age 65 after suffering what appeared to be a stroke.
Altovise Davis trained as an actress and dancer, she met the Rat Pack icon at the peak of his career in 1967. They were both performing in Broadway musicals: he was playing the lead in Golden Boy and she was in the chorus line of High Spirits.
She also appeared in the musical Sherry, the 1965 City Center revival of Guys and Dolls and Kwamina among others.
To read a BWW interview with the late Ms. Davis click here.
They marrried in 1970 and adopted a son in 1989.
Sammy Davis Jr. died of throat cancer at age 64 in 1990.
Altovise Davis was active in several philanthropic organizations and performed in many benefit productions, particularly for SHARE Inc., a non-profit group that raises money for disabled and abused children.
She is survived by her son, Manny.
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