Swedish actress May Britt, whose career spanned European and Hollywood cinema and who was famously married to entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., has died at the age of 91.
A Life in the Spotlight
Her son, Mark Davis, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, stating that Britt passed away from natural causes on December 11 at the Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Born Maj-Britt Wilkens, her journey to stardom began in 1951 while she was working as a photography assistant in Stockholm. Discovered as a teenager by Italian filmmakers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati, she was cast in the title role of Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair. This led to a professional rename to May Britt and a move to Rome, where she appeared in ten productions for the famed Cinecittà studio.
Hollywood Career and Iconic Roles
In the late 1950s, Britt relocated to Hollywood after signing with 20th Century Fox. Her film credits include notable works such as The Young Lions with Marlon Brando, The Hunters with Robert Mitchum, and Murder, Inc. with Peter Falk. She also portrayed Sonya Rostova in Paramount's 1956 epic adaptation of War and Peace, starring alongside Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda.
In 1959, she took on the controversial role of cabaret performer Lola-Lola in a remake of The Blue Angel, a part originally made iconic by Marlene Dietrich. The film, however, was a critical and commercial failure, with The Guardian at the time harshly labelling it a 'monstrosity'.
A Groundbreaking and Tumultuous Marriage
Britt's personal life drew intense public scrutiny when she announced her engagement to Sammy Davis Jr. in 1960. At the time, interracial marriage was still illegal in 31 US states, and the couple faced severe backlash. The controversy led to Davis being uninvited from President John F. Kennedy's inauguration, and Britt lost her acting contract with Fox. They endured death threats and required 24-hour armed guards for protection.
The couple married and welcomed daughter Tracey in 1961, later adopting sons Mark and Jeff. They divorced in 1968. In a 2014 interview, their late daughter Tracey (who died in 2020) revealed her parents "didn't regret being together." She explained the split was due to Davis's demanding career as an entertainer, not a lack of love, quoting her father: "I just couldn't be what she wanted me to be. A family man. My performance schedule was rigorous."
Britt was first married to Edwin Gregson for a year in 1958. Following her divorce from Davis, she married a third time to Lennart Ringquist, who died in 2017.
