May Britt, Swedish actor and former wife of Sammy Davis Jr, dies aged 91

Britt, whose marriage to Davis in 1960 provoked threats due to racism and anti-miscegenation laws in the US, has died of natural causes in Los Angeles

May Britt, Swedish actor and former wife of Sammy Davis Jr, dies aged 91

TL;DR

  • May Britt, a Swedish actor, died at 91 from natural causes.
  • Her marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. in 1960 was controversial due to US laws and attitudes against interracial marriage.
  • Britt starred in films like 'Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair,' 'War and Peace,' and 'The Blue Angel.'
  • Following her marriage, Britt largely stopped acting, though she resumed her career later with smaller roles.
  • She converted to Judaism before marrying Davis Jr., and the couple faced harassment and death threats.
  • Their daughter, Tracey Davis, spoke about the extreme difficulties they faced due to their parents' relationship.
  • Britt and Davis Jr. divorced in 1968.
  • She was married a second time to Lennart Ringquist, who died in 2017.