Kimberly Harrison (The Crossover) has been tapped as showrunner for Hulu’s untitled eight-episode limited series about Sammy Davis, Jr. The project from Lee Daniels is based on the Wil Haygood book, “In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr.”
Elijah Kelley will portray the title role. Kelly and Daniels previously worked together on Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Fox’s Star.
You can read the official logline for the series below:
“Sammy Davis, Jr. rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and ’60s (and the only Black member of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack). At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule–over his affairs with white film stars, his 1960 marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his conversion to Judaism, his closeness to the Kennedys (and later Richard Nixon), and his problems with alcohol and drugs.”
Harrison executive produces with Daniels who will also direct the first two episodes. Kelley will also produce and collaborate on some of the show’s original music. Co-EP is Thomas Westfall, while Haygood will produce. Marc Toberoff is also an EP on the project.
20th Television is the studio.
The series will stream on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ internationally.
According to Deadline, Harrison is currently co-showrunner on Disney+’s upcoming basketball-themed drama series, The Crossover. She previously served as co-executive Producer on NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime. Prior to this, she was the co-executive producer on All Rise for CBS and executive producer/showrunner on Fox’s Deputy.
Source: Deadline