A Big Swing for the Fences
The year was 1968, and Universal Pictures was betting big on Sweet Charity. The film was an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, itself based on a Federico Fellini film, and it had an elite pedigree. Visionary director and choreographer Bob Fosse was making
his feature film debut, and the effervescent Shirley MacLaine was starring as the perpetually hopeful taxi dancer, Charity Hope Valentine. In a supporting but key role was Sammy Davis Jr., cast as the charismatic cult leader Big Daddy Rhythm. Fresh off his hit song "I've Gotta Be Me," Davis was at the height of his fame, a member of the Rat Pack and a titan of stage and screen. The film was a massive, expensive production, and the pressure was on to deliver a box office smash.
The Co-Star in the Crosshairs
Cast opposite Chita Rivera as one of Charity's best friends, Helene, was the talented dancer and actress Paula Kelly. Kelly, along with Rivera, had been in the London stage production of the show and was a proven talent. However, as production loomed, studio executives at Universal reportedly got nervous. Compared to the star wattage of MacLaine and Davis, Kelly was a relative unknown to mainstream movie audiences. In the risk-averse world of big-budget filmmaking, producers often prioritize recognizable names to guarantee an audience. The studio began pushing to replace Kelly with a more established star, believing it would bolster the film's commercial prospects.
An Unmovable Force
When Sammy Davis Jr. got word of the studio's plan to fire Paula Kelly, he didn't just disagree—he drew a line in the sand. Accounts from the time describe how Davis went directly to the film's producers and delivered a simple, non-negotiable ultimatum: if Paula Kelly goes, I go. For an entertainer of his stature to threaten to walk away from a major motion picture over the casting of a supporting player was virtually unheard of. It was a move that could have had massive financial and career repercussions. But Davis, who had spent a lifetime breaking down barriers and fighting for respect, was leveraging his hard-won power. He saw a talented performer being treated as a disposable commodity and refused to let it happen on his watch.
The Principle of the Matter
Davis’s fierce loyalty wasn't an isolated incident. Throughout his career, he had faced down immense prejudice. His earlier relationship with white actress Kim Novak in the 1950s had drawn threats from studio head Harry Cohn and the mob, forcing him into a temporary sham marriage to a Black singer to quell the scandal. Later, while starring in the 1964 Broadway musical Golden Boy opposite white actress Paula Wayne, the production received bomb and death threats over their on-stage interracial kiss. Through it all, Wayne recalled, Davis stood by her and refused to back down. For Davis, the fight for Paula Kelly in Sweet Charity wasn't just about one role. It was a matter of principle, a stand against the dehumanizing machinery of the studio system and a testament to his belief in solidarity. Faced with the loss of one of their biggest stars, Universal Pictures relented. Paula Kelly kept her role.
