He was diagnosed with throat cancer a month earlier and survived until May 1990, making this performance more resonant, as if he summed up his life with this song and was bidding us farewell. His voice is still unbelievable! One of a kind brilliant, performer.

Even as his throat cancer was overwhelming him, Sammy Davis still did a great rendition of I Dream A Dream.

Staggering to think he could perform like that when so ill. Such a great entertainer.

Wow! never knew Sammy did this....what an entertainer! I had the privilege of seeing him in concert in mid-60's....he played 6 instruments and sang fabulously

One word: Sammy. Sammy was an era.

Sammy did a perfect performance here taking all his effort. He had been given the bad news in August that he had incurable throat cancer. For Sammy to ask Jerry if his performance was alright, he must have felt pretty bad. One of the all time top performers of the 20th Century.....he did it all!

I got a goosebump! Sammy David jr a great music legend!

Amazing and so fitting for Sammy's last ride.

Sammy was the greatest entertainer to ever walk the earth. I feel we are very lucky to have the chance to see him.

As long as we remember him, listen his songs, Sammy will live forever. Great talent.

Sammy davis jr.was the greatest entertainer that ever lived.there will never be any performer ,as talented.

Truly one of the best entertainers of all time.

In my opinion: The Greatest performer of all time.

made me sit up and take notice of this superb talent that was Sammy Davies Junior x

One can never be tired of watching this immortal performer!

I will, while my brain still works, never forget the Las Vegas performances I attended of Sammy Davis Jr. Talk about a performer who gave it all away during every performance that was Sammy. The energy was so moving you couldn’t help but have your heart touched.

That voice and elegance!

There will NEVER ever be another artist, singer, dancer, tap impresario, performer like the late amazing Sammy Davis Jr. You are and will ALWAYS be very sadly missed by me. Sweet dreams Mr. Davis. :(

No one like him ever!!!!! Sammy Davis Jr. The greatest forever!

Tears of joy an sorrow to find this video. What a brave, wonderful man. He extended his hand and said "Sam Davis,'" then very graciously asked me to dance with him on an evening long ago, at the opening of the nightclub Arthur, in NYC. It is one of my favorite memories. Much love to you, always, Mr. Davis.

" Good bye to my dear dear friend Jerry said" "See you next year Sammy said"...... you just want to cry.....I had the honor of seeing Sinatra over 35 times, Dean Martin , Sammy Davis ...Ive been blessed..... i don't know about you my life's complete!!

They didn't call Sammy the greatest entertainer in the world for nothing!!

I came across this video bc I seen Sammy Davis Jr., I love his voice , then to my surprise, I seen Jerry Lewis Telethon!! Good Golly!! How I miss those days with the telethon, raising $$ for Jerry's kids.. Sammy Davis Jr., was so very talented, singing, dancing and acting!! Two great talents, gone too soon! RIH

He chose some of the most difficult songs ever in his later years, and this is what happened. WOW there is no other!!!

I am very happy to have lived when he walked among us. SIMPLY WONDERFUL PERSON!!!!

I cant help but keep commenting... everytime I hear him sing this song, Im filled with sadness and love....

Sammy Davis was greatest entertainer ever!

What a courageous performance. Given Mr Davis' illness at the time, it's remarkable he could have sung such a difficult song. It was obviously personal to him and the lyrics underscore what must have been going in his mind then. He was an amazing individual.

He was awesome!

Thank you Sammy Davis and JoeWellington for this vid. I believe that dreams can happen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even today at age 77 years old, I still forge ahead with my dreams every s I n g l e d a y. Sincerely, Robert S.J. Hu February 25, 2019 .

I read this was his last performance. Still a showman for showman!

You don't get entertainers like sammy anymore today's musicians, singers and actors are great, but they ain't the rat pack

Sammy. We can never forget you. Your voice will live on forever.

Vaudeville performer, singer, actor, comedian, tap dancer, drummer, gun artist, civil rights activist, self taught intellectual...We will likely never see such presence again!

It makes me so sad that I missed hearing / seeing him during his life....we are fortunate that we have his legacy..so much entertainment and beautiful music...Thanks Sammy

Sadly they just dont make them like this anymore, RIP, Sammy .

Sammy had throat cancer here & they could have done surgery but he would have lost his voice & he did not want to lose his incredible voice. I respect that. His life was entertaining. Wish he could have been around to receive his only grammy in 2002 for grammy hall of fame for what kind of fool am i. I hope to herar this man sing in heaven someday.

OMG.. Just beautiful.. he does the BEST version of this song, including the original. Rest In Peace, dear Sammy xxx

What could be a more fitting song on what turned out to be his farewell performance in Jerry Lewis' annual MDA telethon, a charitable event where Sammy was one of the cornerstone for 14 years.....".I DREAMED A DREAM". The greatest one-man all around entertainer of all time......GONE TO SOON. REST IN ETERNAL PEACE, Mr. Boojangles.

Sammy you are the best. What more can we ask for.

Awesome talent

What an incredible talent. There will never be another like Sammy who could plain and simply do it all. RIP Sammy, you are sorely missed. Speaking of much lamented things, this was obviously taken from the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, a show I looked forward to every year and never missed. Like Sammy, this show was one of a kind, and I will miss it.

one of the last great singers gone forever but lives on through his music r.i.p sammy

what a fabulous voice he had. love him

Sick or not, he always came with it 100% on the stage.

The greatest of the greats! A natural, virtuoso singer. Literally, born to sing. Thanks for the upload so awkward. R.I.P. Mr. Bo Jangles.

If Sammy Davis jr could hear me I would want to tell him I've loved him since I was little and thank you for sharing such talent. He was a very handsome man to me and a fabulous entertainer.

He was one of the greatest ever!

THE ONE,THE ONLY MR SAMMY DAVIS JNR. LEGEND

I would go to see a hologram show of him. If they can make one for Michael Jackson and Tupac, they can certainly do it for MR SAMMY DAVIS JR!

I dreamed a dream that all these great singers, actors, performers, comedians of my youth were still with us, but alas most are now gone.

Beats the modern "artists" with ease...Class.Peace Sammy Jr.

I love this guy. Too bad i wasn't able to ever see him life. Maybe i'll see him in the afterlife.

Sammy - the greatest all round performer of all time 🙏so much for posting

To my favorite entertainer of all time.No one could do it all better than Sammy.Saw him when I was 13 at the Copa on N.y.,had the pleasure of seeing him dance atop a white piano!What a legend.Will never be another like him.In the last 25 since he died,No one comes close.You will always be the best to me!He gave his all and never did a bad show.He sang better with cancer,when he didn't know he had it on the grand tour,than anyone.Amazing cherished singer,dancer,musician,impersonator .He can never be duplicated.

I've watched this again and again. I get goosebumps every time. What a a performer.

Amazing voice, What a performance! Great talent, One of the best !!!!

Beautiful but sad. Thank you Sammy.

The best all rounder of them all ?? Ole Blue eyes certainly appeared to have thought the world of Sammy !

Sammy was one of the great performers of all time. A great singer, dancer, and entertainer.He was inthe same class as his great friend Frank Sinatra.RIP Sammy.;

Thank you for posting this. One of my favorite songs....Sammy did it justice.

This Jewish man was the SHIIIIIIIT! Miss him so...The coolest Cats, Dino and Sammy in the Rat pack...

R.I.P Jerry you just reached your friends from the past.

We will never see another Sammy Davis, Jr.

What a wonderful man, actor, singer etc he was one of my favourite my parents lived him ❤

A marvellous performance

Sammy Davis Jr. is a natural for Les Mis songs.

Tremendous effort; beautiful performance. He had to be exhausted and ready to drop when he sang this that day; still, he pushed on.. Highest honors to him..

I am a great fan of Sammy Davis jr. He was a definition of true natural talent. He was the greatest and there is no other like him.

There will never be another Sammy Davis, Jr.

Last singing appearance on Earth. Now he's singing in heaven. And I'm an atheist! That's how good this guy was.

a talent, a star, a man............we were so fortunate to have him.......thanks to God, for sharing him with us for a little while........our lives have been made better because of him

Wow. Speechless

First time I’ve heard that …..the greatest all round entertainer ever

So sad. His last singing performance, Sept. 1989 on the Telethon. He died in May of 1999. What a great man and great performer. RIP Sammy. Youll live on forever in your music.

noone like him-he is so missed-and the youth today don't even know who he was.

a true legend greatest all round performer blessed to have had him in my lifetime thank you for hours of endless pleasure

The conversation at the end is heartbreaking. The way Lewis says goodbye. He knew this was probably the very last time Sammy would perform and the "I'll see you next year", "I think I'll see you sooner" is almost too much realism for primetime TV.

It took all the strength he had to get through that song. He was so sick, but gave a perfect performance, as usual. What a beautiful voice, what a beautiful song. Rest in Peace, dear Sammy xo

Seen this the day it aired Labor Day 1989 and this version Sammy did was about the best I ever herd, one can clearly see Sammy was not well but he did not let that affect this outstanding perfermance which sadly turned out to be his last for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Sammy was my favorate and I beleave the greatest entertainor that ever lived he is truely missed!!

What a trouper? A sick man but a true pro and world class artiste. The best and I love you still in 2017....

Pure class! Love you SDJ!

Great song! Great singer!!!

That song by Sammy gave me the goose bumps. He had an angel no doubt.

Absolutely stellar. Rest in Peace , great man.

Ah sammy davis jnr ! you know I have talked to some younger people about how good he was and they looked at me with that bemused expression , then, some watched and said thanks for recommending a terrific experience .This is how to perform, this is how to do music and todays singers should look and learn.

Susan Boyle brought me here from Manila, Philppines. Great performance for a great song by Sammy.

Yes he was a specialist..in his way he sang to us...he was Great yes one of the singers we will not hear again dought it..RIP 🙏

Thank God for these performances that otherwise would be lost. Sammy was the best, saw him live multiple times. Always gracious, humble, verbose and heartfelt in his appreciation for the audience and his orchestra, family and friends. One of the greats, already suffering from cancer when this aired. A showstopper till the end. Gone but never forgotten. And could do anything, comedy, drama, stage, screen, impersonation, play multiple instruments ( went through every one in a 12 pieve orchestra and played perfectly) dance and SING. love Sammy

Sammy you are still bring us together to hear you perform and share your magic thank you and much love to all who still remembers..

I have to say sammy sings it better than anyone else

Magnificent ♥️♥️♥️⭐️⭐️⭐️♥️♥️⭐️⭐️🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵

We don't live forever,my dad died from the same thing very sad. When I see this it like they are still alive.

We need a movie on his amazing and sometimes tragic life.I have been waiting for one since he passed .A lot of trouble with his estate,and the bills he left screwing things up,but it has to be done.Any ideas on Who Could Pissibly Play Sammy ?I have no idea.Gregory Hines is gone too,so that eliminates him.I cannot think of anyone to fill those shoes!

a buddy went to see Sammy in concert in the early 80's and said he'd never seen so much talent....wish I had been so lucky....maybe in heaven....

God I miss this guy He was awesome Just unreal he can really sell a song

Love it -Sammy and this song

It was aired on WPIX-TV Channel 11 on December 31,1989 on Sunday.

Holy crap, versatile right to the very end,, where are all these stars today that do a song, dance and act!!!! RIP Sammy, you are fondly remembered as well as the rest of them dirty Rats!!!! ;-)