May Britt
May Britt | |
---|---|
![]() Britt in the 1960s | |
Born | May Britt Wilkens 22 March 1934 Stockholm,Sweden |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1952–1988 |
Spouses | Lennart Ringquist
(m.1993; died 2017) |
Children | 3 |
May Britt(bornMay Britt Wilkens;22 March 1934) is a Swedish actress who had a brief career in the 1950s in Italy and later in the United States. She was married to American entertainerSammy Davis Jr.from 1960 to 1968.
Career
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/May_Britt_1953b.jpg/235px-May_Britt_1953b.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/May_Britt_1955b.jpg/235px-May_Britt_1955b.jpg)
Britt was discovered as a teenager by Italian filmmakersCarlo PontiandMario Soldatiin 1951. She was then an assistant to aStockholmphotographer.[1]The two filmmakers were in Sweden to cast a young blonde for the title role inJolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair.They came to the studio where she worked to view photographs of models. After meeting her, they offered her the part. May Britt, as she was renamed professionally, moved toRome.As expected, she made her film debut as the leading actress inJolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair(1952). (Gary Fishgall, inGonna Do Great Things: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.,wrote of Britt, "... she made her film debut inLe Infideliin 1952. ")[1]
In the following years she worked in some tenCinecittàproductions. She also featured in the epic filmWar and Peaceof 1956.
In the late 1950s, Britt relocated to Hollywood after signing with20th Century Fox.She starred in a few movies, includingThe Young Lions(1958) withMarlon BrandoandMontgomery Clift,The Hunters(1958) withRobert MitchumandRobert WagnerandMurder, Inc.(1960) withPeter Falk,as well as a much-criticised remake ofThe Blue Angel(1959) in the role first created byMarlene Dietrichin 1930.
Marriage and retirement
[edit]Britt marriedEdwin Gregson,a college student, in 1958. In 1959 she filed for divorce.[1]
She metSammy Davis Jr.in 1959. They began dating, and, after a brief engagement, were married on 13 November 1960. Their wedding caused controversy. A rumour or myth was thatJohn F. KennedyandRobert F. KennedytoldFrank Sinatrato tell Davis not to marry May until after the1960 Presidential Election.At that timeinterracial marriagewas forbidden by law in 31 U.S. states, and only in 1967 were those laws (by then down to 17 states)ruled unconstitutionalby the U.S. Supreme Court.[2]Prior to the wedding, Britt converted to Judaism.[3]The couple were married by Reform RabbiWilliam M. Kramer.[4]It has been confirmed, however, by Sammy and Britt's daughter Tracey, Nancy Sinatra, and documentarian Sam Pollard that this marriage resulted in Kennedy rejecting an invitation for Davis to perform at his Inauguration. Yet,Harry Belafonte,who was married to a white woman at the time, was invited to perform.[5][6][7]
Once married, Britt left the movies.
Britt and Davis had a daughter,Tracey Davis(July 5, 1961 – November 2, 2020).[8][9]
Britt and Davis adopted two sons: Mark Sidney Davis (born 1960, adopted 4 June 1963) and Jeff (born 1963).
Britt and Davis divorced in 1968 after Davis reportedly had an affair with dancerLola Falana.
After the divorce, Britt resumed working with sporadic television guest appearances, the last in 1988. Since then she has been retired and mainly involved in painting. She currently resides in California. Her third husband, Lennart Ringquist,[10]died in 2017.
In popular culture
[edit]May Britt was portrayed byMegan Doddsin the 1998television filmThe Rat Packwhich depicted her marriage toSammy Davis Jr.,who was played byDon Cheadle.
Selected filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1953 | The Unfaithfuls | Liliana Capacci Rodgers | |
1953 | Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair | Jolanda | Alternative title:Jolanda la figlia del corsaro nero |
1953 | Fatal Desire | Santuzza | Alternative title:Cavalleria rusticana |
1953 | La lupa | Maria Maricchia | |
1953 | Funniest Show on Earth | Brigitte, la domatrice | |
1953 | The Ship of Condemned Women | Consuelo | |
1954 | Vergine moderna | Claudia Bardi | Alternative title:Modern Virgin |
1955 | Give 'em Hell | Gina | |
1955 | L'ultimo amante | Maria Spanisch | |
1955 | Revelation | Nadia Ulianova | |
1956 | War and Peace | Sonya Rostova | |
1958 | The Young Lions | Gretchen Hardenberg | |
1958 | The Hunters | Kristina Abbott | |
1959 | The Blue Angel | Lola-Lola | |
1960 | Murder, Inc. | Eadie Collins | |
1976 | Haunts | Ingrid | Alternative title:The Veil |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1968 | The Danny Thomas Hour | Anna | 1 episode |
1969 | Mission: Impossible | Eva Gollan | 1 episode |
1971 | The Most Deadly Game | Lili | 1 episode |
The Partners | 1 episode | ||
1988 | Probe | Helga | 1 episode |
References
[edit]- ^abcFishgall, Gary (2010).Gonna Do Great Things: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.Simon and Schuster. p. 141.ISBN9781439131572.Retrieved19 April2017.
- ^Loving v. Virginia,388 U.S. 1 (1967).
- ^"May Britt Joins Jewish Faith",The New York Times,18 October 1960, p. 46
- ^Tugend, Tom (17 June 2004)."Rabbi William Kramer Dies at 84]".The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
- ^Young, Deborah (10 September 2017)."Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me': Film Review".hollywoodreporter.com.
- ^Fisher, Luchina (18 April 2014)."Why JFK Refused to Let Sammy Davis Jr. Perform at White House".abcnews.go.com.
- ^Sinatra, N. (1986). Frank Sinatra my father. New York: Pocket Books.
- ^"Author Tracey Davis, daughter of Sammy Davis Jr., dies at 59".Today.com.17 November 2020.Retrieved22 August2021.
- ^"Tracey Davis, Chronicler of Ups and Downs With Her Famous Father, Dies at 59".The New York Times.The Associated Press. 20 November 2020.Retrieved2 August2023.
- ^"May Britt – The Private Life and Times of May Britt".Glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com.Retrieved22 August2016.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- 1934 births
- Living people
- 20th-century converts to Judaism
- Converts to Reform Judaism
- People from Uppland
- Actresses from Stockholm
- Swedish expatriates in Italy
- Swedish expatriate actresses in the United States
- Swedish film actresses
- Swedish television actresses
- Swedish former Christians
- Swedish Jews
- Sammy Davis Jr.