It’s an oldie… and a goodie. In a new developing story reported by Deadline, the streaming giant Hulu has ordered eight episodes of a limited series detailing the life and legacy of Sammy Davis Jr. Reportedly based on the book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr. by Wil Haygood, the series aims to be a deep-dive into the life and career of the stage starlet who redefined what a black man could accomplish in Hollywood.
The official series logline goes like this: Sammy Davis, Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s (and the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack). At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule–over his affairs with white film stars, his 1960 marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his conversion to Judaism, his closeness to the Kennedys (and later Richard Nixon), and his problems with alcohol and drugs.
The titular role will be played by Elijah Kelley (The Butler, Hairspray), who will also be having a role in producing and collaborating on the original musical arrangements for the show. Directing the first two episodes and produced primarily by Lee Daniels (The Butler), the show will also have executive producers Thomas Westfall (Empire), Marc Toberoff (Piranha), and Wil Haygood (Sammy, In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr.).
A production date has not yet been set for the series.