Bedtime Biography: Yes I Can

Narrated by Jeannette Robinson

Music by Federico Coderoni

Yes I Can (1965) is the bestselling autobiography of Sammy Davis Jr, viewed as one of the best autobiographies of all time. Written halfway through his life, it tells the story of how Davis battled racism, poverty and discrimination to become a star. Starting with his difficult childhood, it traces his life from his vaudeville days to his time as one of the most famous men in America. 

• Fans of Sammy Davis Jr
• Anyone who wants to learn more about racism in 20th-century America
• Fans of vaudeville and Broadway

Sammy Davis Jr (1925-1990) was a singer, actor, dancer, comedian, and much, much more. He first rose to fame in the 1950s as part of a vaudeville trio with his father. He later became a household name, starring on Broadway, in Las Vegas, in his own TV show, and in hit movies such as Ocean’s 11. He wrote two autobiographies, Yes I Can, and Why Me?

Burt and Jane Boyor were a husband and wife team who wrote together. They were married from 1954 until Jane’s death in 1997. Burt died in 2018.