Half-length doubleweight portrait photograph of the legendary American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director in formal attire.  10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.2 cm).  Upper left corner bumped; right edge rippled, else fine. 

Davis's popularity helped break the race barrier of the segregated entertainment industry.  He did, however, have a complex relationship with the black community and drew criticism after publicly supporting President Richard Nixon in 1972.  One day on a golf course with Jack Benny, he was asked what his handicap was. 'Handicap?' he asked. 'Talk about handicap. I'm a one-eyed Negro who's Jewish.'  This was to become a signature comment, recounted in his autobiography and in many articles.

From the collection of Paul McMahon, a critic, photographer and artist who worked for more than 13 years touring with Marlene Dietrich as the icon’s stage manager, announcer, dresser, secretary and escort, and later spent 25 years as an arts and entertainment reviewer and photographer with Gay Community News, Esplanade, Tommy’s Connection, The Mirror, Bay Windows and other publications.