Trivia

She and Sammy Davis Jr. adopted a child, Manny.

Burdened with tax problems following the death of her husband in 1990, the tax liability was finally settled in 1997. However, Altovise's name was included in 2008 on the California Franchise Tax Board's list of top 250 delinquent taxpayers with $2,708,901.75 in unpaid personal income tax. That same year, she sued two former business partners in federal court, claiming they tricked her into signing away the rights to the estate. The suit was still pending at the time of her death.

Sammy died from throat cancer on May 16, 1990, five days after their 20th wedding anniversary.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson officiated her marriage ceremony to Sammy Davis Jr. in Philadelphia.

She and Sammy were married in a Philadelphia courthouse by the Rev. Jesse Jackson on May 11, 1970; they adopted a son, Manny, in 1989, a year before Sammy's death.

Raised in Brooklyn, New York, she danced during the 1960s in various chorus lines in various musical shows both in London and on Broadway.

She became active with several philanthropic organizations in Los Angeles. She performed at many benefit programs, particularly for SHARE Inc., a nonprofit group that raises money for developmentally disabled, abused and neglected children.

Co-exec produced "Mr. Bojangles: The Ultimate Entertainer," a theatrical tribute to her husband on the 75th anniversary of his career. The show premiered in 2006.

She met Sammy while they were performing in the 1968 Broadway show "Golden Boy". They hit it off and, after that, Sammy formed a nightclub show in which she was the lead singer-dancer.

Studied for four years at the High School of the Performing Arts in New York City.

Told Essence magazine in 2004 that she struggled with alcoholism, and moved to Pennsylvania at one point to go through an alcohol treatment program.

Dancer in chorus lines for many Broadway and London musicals.

In the 1970s and 1980s Altovise made a few token appearances in TV series and minor films.