SAMMY DAVIS JR - SAMMY DAVIS JR'S WIDOW SUES OVER SINGER'S ESTATE

The widow of SAMMY DAVIS JR. is suing two former business partners over the rights to the late singer's life story. Altovise Davis has filed a suit at U.S. federal court in Dallas claiming Barrett LaRoda and Anthony Francis cheated her into signing away some of the rights to Davis Jr.'s estate, by exaggerating their business credentials and hiding their company's financial records from her. The issue came to a head when LaRoda and Francis scrapped plans for a Davis Jr. biopic - expected to star Usher - by demanding a huge fee. Davis, along with Judy and Burt Boyar - who helped her write the two books the movie would have been based on - are seeking damages from the two men. Sammy Davis Jr. died in 1990 aged 64, owing more than $5 million (GBP2.5 million) to the IRS (internal revenue service).