May Britt, 91, Dies; Her Marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. Sparked Outrage
May Britt, a Swedish-born actress known for her Hollywood career and marriage to Sammy Davis Jr., has died at the age of 91. She passed away on December 11, 2022, in a Los Angeles hospital, with her son Mark Davis confirming the news.
Born on March 22, 1934, on Lidingo, an island near Stockholm, May Britt began her acting career in Italy. There, she starred in 11 films produced by Carlo Ponti before moving to Hollywood. By the late 1950s, she had appeared in notable movies like The Young Lions and The Hunters.
In 1959, she met Sammy Davis Jr., then one of America’s most famous entertainers. Their interracial relationship sparked outrage, drawing death threats, hate mail, and neo-Nazi protests. Despite the backlash, they married in 1960, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The controversy led to 20th Century-Fox dropping her contract that same year. After their divorce in 1968, Britt returned to acting but mostly in smaller roles. Her final lead part came in the 1976 horror film *Haunts*, marking the end of her major on-screen appearances.
May Britt’s death closes a chapter on a life that spanned European cinema, Hollywood stardom, and a marriage that challenged racial barriers. Her career, though cut short by personal struggles, left a mark on film history.
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