May Britt dead at 91: Mission Impossible star and Sammy Davis Jr’s ex-wife passes away in California

by

May Britt, an actress and the second wife of Sammy Davis Jr., passed away on Thursday at the age of 91, according to her son.

I was so saddened to hear about the passing of Britt Ekland. She was a truly iconic actress, known for her roles in classics like The Blue Angel, Murder Inc., and The Young Lions. She passed away peacefully of natural causes on December 11th at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. It’s a real loss for the film world, and she’ll be dearly missed.

In 1960, Sammy Davis Jr. ended his engagement to Joan Stuart, a Canadian dancer, after he met Britt at the Mocambo nightclub on Sunset Strip in Hollywood.

The Swedish actress later became Jewish, and Davis Jr. announced their engagement to reporters while they were in England that June.

Let me tell you, it was a beautiful wedding! They chose to get married at the singer’s home here in Los Angeles on November 13th. It was a lovely Jewish ceremony led by Rabbi William J. Kramer, who’s Reform. And how sweet is this – Frank Sinatra, a dear friend of the groom, actually served as his best man! It was a really intimate and special occasion.

Although both Davis Jr. and his future spouse were Jewish – Davis Jr. had converted after a serious car accident – their wedding caused a lot of trouble. This was because interracial marriage was illegal in 31 states at the time.

The U.S. Supreme Court later declared laws prohibiting marriage between people of different races to be unconstitutional.

In 1961, the couple had their only child, a daughter named Tracey. However, they divorced eight years later when rumors surfaced of a romantic relationship between Davis Jr. and singer/actress Lola Falana.

Tracey, the author of two books about her parents, sadly passed away in November 2020 at her home in Franklin, Tennessee. She was 59 years old and had been battling a brief illness.

Britt Wilkens was born on March 22, 1934, in Lidingö, Sweden. She grew up with her father, Hugo, who worked as a postal clerk, and her mother, Hillevi, who was a homemaker.

Her life took a turn when, at 18 years old and working as a photographer’s assistant, she was noticed in Stockholm by the famous Italian film producer Carlo Ponti.

A lucky encounter opened the door to roles in multiple Italian movies. This led to a screen test and, in 1957, a valuable contract with 20th Century Fox, launching her Hollywood career.

Some of the first English-language films featured war stories like the 1957 epic The Hunters, which focused on the Korean War. The Young Lions, a 1958 World War II drama starring Marlon Brando, was a major success with audiences.

Marlene Dietrich became a true Hollywood star after playing the bold and provocative cabaret singer Lola-Lola in the 1959 remake of ‘The Blue Angel,’ directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Britt’s choice to play the lead role in a new version of the 1930s German musical was unexpected, as many people thought Marilyn Monroe would be cast instead.

In 1961, Britt returned to singing and dancing with a leading role in the 1960 gangster movie, Murder Inc.

In February 1958, the actress married Edwin Gregson, her first husband, in Tijuana. Gregson was the son of a wealthy real estate developer and a Stanford University graduate.

However, the marriage didn’t last long, ending in divorce by September 1960. Just two months later, Britt married David Jr.

Read More

2025-12-19 13:34