Sammy Davis Jr. was a man of unmatched talent—an electrifying performer who dazzled audiences with his singing, dancing, acting, and charm. But behind the stage lights and standing ovations was a man who carried deep emotional scars—some left by the very people he once called friends.

In a recently resurfaced interview and supporting revelations, Sammy opened up about the darker side of his rise to fame, confessing that despite his public smiles and signature flair, he often felt exploited and sidelined. “They used me,” he said bluntly, referring to fellow stars who, behind the scenes, didn’t always treat him as an equal.

Throughout his career, Sammy navigated the treacherous waters of Hollywood and the music industry as a Black entertainer in a deeply segregated America. He broke barriers, but he also faced betrayal—from people he had admired, trusted, and sometimes even loved.

While Sammy never made a formal list of names, those closest to him—and those who later studied his life—have revealed six high-profile singers with whom his relationships were far more complicated than the public ever knew.

1. Frank Sinatra
It may come as a shock, but even the man Sammy once called a “brother” had his flaws. While Sinatra helped open doors for Davis—bringing him into the Rat Pack and standing by him during some racially charged moments—Sammy later hinted that the friendship was not as balanced as it seemed. “Frank loved the idea of loyalty,” one biographer noted, “but when Sammy needed emotional support, Sinatra was often too absorbed in his own world to give it.” For years, Sammy felt like the sidekick in a white man’s story.

2. Dean Martin
Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. shared the stage often, but according to those who worked with them, Dean kept a cool distance when the cameras stopped rolling. Sammy, ever the energetic showman, would sometimes feel mocked rather than embraced. “Dean’s jokes cut deep,” one former Rat Pack member recalled. “Sammy played along, but it hurt.” He often questioned whether the laughs were with him or at him.

3. Elvis Presley
The King of Rock ’n’ Roll and Sammy Davis Jr. shared the same stages and spotlight during overlapping decades—but rarely the same respect. Sammy, whose roots in Black jazz and R&B ran deep, once said, “They gave Elvis credit for what my people created.” Though he never directly attacked Elvis, there was resentment over how easily Elvis soared while Black performers had to fight every inch of the way.

4. Jerry Lewis
Sammy and Jerry Lewis crossed paths many times in Vegas and on television, but their relationship was anything but warm. Lewis often used Sammy as the punchline in racially charged gags—something Sammy tolerated publicly, but despised privately. “He laughed because he had to,” said a confidant. “But he hated being reduced to a caricature.”

5. Harry Belafonte
On the surface, two successful Black entertainers should have been allies. But Davis and Belafonte couldn’t have been more different. While Belafonte was politically outspoken, Sammy often tried to walk a more neutral line to protect his career. Belafonte criticized Davis for performing at President Nixon’s inauguration—a decision that sparked harsh words and a permanent rift. Sammy later admitted, “I never stopped respecting him. But I hated the way he judged me.”

6. Sammy’s Own Reflection
Perhaps the most haunting name on this list isn’t a person—it’s Sammy Davis Jr. himself. Toward the end of his life, Sammy grappled with regrets about the choices he made to fit in, to succeed, and to be accepted by a society that still saw him as ‘less than.’ “I smiled when I wanted to cry. I danced when I wanted to scream,” he said in a candid moment. “And I let them use me because I thought that was the price of being great.”

Sammy Davis Jr. lived a life full of brilliance and contradictions. He broke barriers, made history, and brought joy to millions—but he also suffered in silence. His story is a reminder of the emotional cost so many Black performers paid to pave the way for others.

Behind every glamorous photo was a man struggling to be seen, not just as an entertainer, but as a human being. Sammy’s story isn’t just a Hollywood exposé—it’s a call to look deeper, listen more closely, and never mistake applause for true acceptance.