Loray White is an American actress and dancer whose name became permanently connected with entertainment legend Sammy Davis Jr. after she became his first wife in 1958. Yet Loray had her own entertainment career, appearing on screen under both her real name and the stage name Sonora. Their marriage lasted only a little more than a year, and later accounts placed it inside one of the most complicated chapters of Davis’s life—a period shaped by fame, racism, Hollywood pressure and his relationship with actress Kim Novak.
Quick Bio of Loray White
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Loray Betty White |
| Known As | Loray White |
| Stage Name | Sonora |
| Date of Birth | November 27, 1934 |
| Birthplace | Houston, Texas, USA |
| Age in September 2026 | 91 |
| Profession | Actress and dancer |
| Famous For | First wife of Sammy Davis Jr. |
| Former Husband | Sammy Davis Jr. |
| Marriage Date | January 10, 1958 |
| Divorce Finalized | April 23, 1959 |
| Known Film | The Notorious Cleopatra |
| Other Screen Work | The Ten Commandments, Miss Nymphet’s Zap-In |
| Current Public Life | Extremely private |
IMDb identifies her birth name as Loray Betty White, gives Houston as her birthplace and lists November 27, 1934, as her birth date. It also records her professional alternative name as Sonora.
Who Is Loray White?
Loray White is an American performer remembered both for her screen work and her brief marriage to Sammy Davis Jr.
For many readers, Sammy’s name is familiar immediately.
He was a singer.
A dancer.
An actor.
A comedian.
And eventually one of the famous entertainers associated with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.
Loray’s career was much quieter.
She worked as a dancer and actress and appeared in a small number of films, including a leading role years after her marriage ended.
Her story is unusual because the marriage for which she is most famous lasted only a short time.
Yet historians still discuss it more than six decades later.
Why?
Because the story was about much more than two entertainers getting married.
It reflected the racial pressures surrounding Hollywood and American society during the 1950s.
Loray White’s Early Life
Loray was born in Houston, Texas, on November 27, 1934.
Detailed reliable information about her parents, childhood home and education is limited.
That is not unusual for entertainers who worked during the 1950s but never became major long-term Hollywood stars.
Film databases preserve her credits, while archives preserve images from her marriage.
Much of her private childhood story, however, has never been widely documented.
What is clear is that Loray entered entertainment while still young.
She became known as both a dancer and actress.
By her early twenties, she was performing professionally.
Loray White Was a Dancer
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Special Collections archive describes Loray as a dancer as well as the former wife of Sammy Davis Jr.
This is important because Sammy himself was one of the greatest dancers of his generation.
Entertainment circles in cities such as Las Vegas brought singers, dancers, comedians and musicians together regularly.
By 1958, reports described Loray as a young singer-dancer associated with Las Vegas entertainment. A British music newspaper covering the wedding at the time called her a 23-year-old singer-dancer.
So Loray had an entertainment identity before the marriage made headlines.
Loray White’s Early Acting Career
Loray also appeared in one of Hollywood’s biggest films of the 1950s.
IMDb credits her with an uncredited appearance as a Nubian slave in The Ten Commandments, released in 1956.
The Cecil B. DeMille epic starred Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter and many other major performers.
Loray’s role was small.
Her name did not appear among the film’s famous stars.
But appearing in such a huge production placed her inside the Hollywood world several years before her marriage became national news.
She also appeared as herself in the 1956 short Lionel Hampton and Herb Jeffries.
How Did Loray White Know Sammy Davis Jr.?
Loray and Sammy did not appear to be complete strangers when they married.
A newspaper report published immediately before their wedding quoted Davis as saying that he had known Loray for about three years.
Later accounts also say they had gone out together before.
At first glance, their wedding might therefore sound like a normal entertainment-industry romance.
But the historical story is much more complicated.
To understand it, we have to understand what was happening in Sammy Davis Jr.’s life in late 1957.
Sammy Davis Jr. and Kim Novak
Before marrying Loray, Sammy Davis Jr. became romantically involved with Hollywood actress Kim Novak.
Novak was one of Columbia Pictures’ biggest stars.
She would later become particularly famous for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
But Sammy was Black and Novak was white.
In the America of the 1950s, an interracial relationship involving two major stars could create enormous controversy.
Interracial marriage was still illegal in many U.S. states at the time.
California had ended its interracial-marriage ban in 1948, but social prejudice remained widespread.
The relationship therefore attracted powerful opposition.
Why Did Sammy Davis Jr. Marry Loray White?
This is the central question surrounding Loray’s story.
Later historical accounts say that Sammy came under serious pressure to end his relationship with Kim Novak.
Smithsonian Magazine’s detailed examination of the episode reports that Davis’s associates believed threats had been made against him and that he needed to quickly marry a Black woman to calm the situation.
According to that account, Sammy looked through his contacts and chose Loray White, whom he already knew and had dated previously.
The Royal Albert Hall’s biographical archive similarly describes Loray as the Black dancer Davis married during the controversy surrounding his relationship with Novak.
It is worth being careful here.
Some details of the story come from later recollections by people close to Davis, and not every participant agreed on exactly how dangerous the threats truly were.
So it is better to describe the marriage as one later biographers and associates characterized as arranged under extraordinary pressure rather than pretending every private detail can be independently proven.
Loray White and Sammy Davis Jr.’s Wedding
The wedding itself is well documented.
Loray White and Sammy Davis Jr. married at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas on January 10, 1958.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas preserves photographs from the wedding in its Special Collections archive.
The ceremony was small but filled with famous entertainment figures.
Harry Belafonte served as Sammy’s best man.
Other photographs show entertainers including Joe E. Lewis and Donald O’Connor around the couple’s wedding cake.
Loray wore an elegant light-coloured wedding dress.
Photos show the couple smiling beside a large cake decorated with the word “Happiness.”
Viewed without context, the photographs appear joyful.
The story behind them was much darker.
What Happened on Their Wedding Night?
Later accounts of the wedding night describe an extremely disturbing situation.
Smithsonian’s reporting, drawing on the recollections of Sammy’s assistant Arthur Silber, says Davis became heavily intoxicated and emotionally distressed.
Silber later alleged that Davis physically attacked Loray while they were being driven after the wedding.
That allegation should not be softened simply because Davis later became a beloved entertainer.
Violence against a spouse is serious.
At the same time, the historical record makes clear that Davis himself was under intense emotional pressure during this period.
Those two things can both be true.
Understanding the circumstances does not excuse harmful behaviour.
Was Loray White’s Marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. Real?
Legally, yes.
Loray and Sammy were married.
But later accounts describe the relationship as something very different from a conventional romantic marriage.
Smithsonian reports that Davis offered Loray money to enter the marriage, with the expectation that it would later end.
Vanity Fair’s historical account similarly described the unusual circumstances surrounding the ceremony and the arrangements made for Loray at the Sands.
The couple apparently did not build a traditional married household together.
This is why the relationship is sometimes called a “marriage of convenience.”
But that phrase can make the situation sound much simpler than it was.
Loray was a real person involved in a complicated arrangement during a period when racist attitudes had enormous power over public and private lives.
The Marriage Began Falling Apart Quickly
The marriage lasted only briefly as an active relationship.
Historical reporting indicates that Loray and Sammy separated within months.
A surviving scan from Jet magazine dated May 1958 was already reporting that Loray was threatening separation.
By September, divorce proceedings were underway.
Another archived Jet item from October 1958 reported that Loray was seeking a divorce.
The legal marriage remained in place longer than their actual relationship.
When Did Loray White Divorce Sammy Davis Jr.?
The divorce was finalized on April 23, 1959, according to IMDb’s biographical records.
A later Esquire publication of a historical Davis interview noted that Sammy learned Loray was in Las Vegas completing divorce proceedings and reacted as though the relationship had effectively ended long before the legal paperwork was finished.
From wedding to legal divorce, their marriage lasted roughly 15 months.
The actual period in which they functioned as a couple appears to have been much shorter.
Did Loray White and Sammy Davis Jr. Have Children?
There are no publicly documented children from Loray and Sammy’s marriage.
Later in his life, Sammy became a father during other relationships.
But Loray is not the mother of his known children.
Some online biographies have repeated additional claims about Loray’s family life before Sammy.
However, because strong primary documentation is limited, those details should be treated cautiously.
What Happened to Loray After the Divorce?
This is where Loray’s story becomes much quieter.
Sammy Davis Jr.’s fame continued to grow dramatically.
He became part of the Rat Pack.
He made films.
He performed in Las Vegas.
He became one of the most recognizable entertainers in America.
Loray did not follow the same path toward major celebrity.
But she did continue acting.
In fact, one of her most substantial screen roles arrived more than a decade after the marriage ended.
Loray White Became Known as Sonora
Loray sometimes performed under the name Sonora.
IMDb records Sonora as an alternative professional name.
That name is particularly important when looking for her later film work.
Without knowing the alias, someone researching Loray could easily assume she disappeared completely after her marriage.
She did not.
Her later career simply existed on a much smaller scale than Sammy’s.
Loray White in The Notorious Cleopatra
Loray’s most prominent known film role came in 1970.
She played the title character Cleopatra in The Notorious Cleopatra, credited as Sonora.
IMDb lists her as the movie’s leading star.
The film was an adult-oriented comedy rather than a giant historical epic like the famous Elizabeth Taylor version of Cleopatra.
Still, for Loray, it represented a genuine starring role.
She was no longer an uncredited background performer.
Her character was the centre of the movie.
That part of her career is often overlooked because biographies concentrate so heavily on Sammy Davis Jr.
Miss Nymphet’s Zap-In
Loray also appeared in Miss Nymphet’s Zap-In, another 1970 production.
IMDb credits her with multiple roles in the film under the name Sonora.
Together, these projects show that her entertainment career continued at least into the beginning of the 1970s.
After that, reliable screen credits become scarce.
Why Loray White’s Acting Career Is Often Forgotten
There is a simple reason.
Sammy Davis Jr. became enormously famous.
When one person in a relationship becomes an entertainment icon, the other person’s achievements can be pushed far into the background.
Search engines then repeat the same label:
“Sammy Davis Jr.’s first wife.”
It is accurate.
But it is incomplete.
Loray was also a dancer.
She appeared in The Ten Commandments.
And she later played Cleopatra in her own starring role.
Those facts deserve to be part of her biography too.
Sammy Davis Jr.’s Life After Loray
Sammy’s romantic life continued to attract attention after his marriage to Loray ended.
He later married Swedish actress May Britt in 1960.
That relationship itself became controversial because it was an interracial marriage during a period when such unions remained illegal in many parts of the United States.
Sammy and May eventually divorced in 1968.
He later married Altovise Gore in 1970 and remained married to her until his death in 1990.
Loray, meanwhile, increasingly disappeared from public celebrity coverage.
Where Is Loray White Today?
Loray White’s later life is not well documented.
IMDb continues to list her biographical record without a date of death and identifies her as born in 1934.
However, the absence of a death date in an entertainment database is not enough to establish someone’s current circumstances with certainty.
There are no strong recent interviews, major profiles or verified public updates explaining where Loray lives or what her daily life is like in 2026.
So the responsible answer is:
Loray White’s current private circumstances are not publicly documented in reliable sources.
If the IMDb birth date is correct, she is 91 as of September 2026 and will turn 92 on November 27.
Did Loray White Remarry?
Reliable modern sources do not provide a clear, well-documented account of Loray’s romantic life after Sammy Davis Jr.
Some websites make claims about later marriages or relationships.
But without stronger evidence, those details should not be presented as established facts.
Loray largely disappeared from mainstream press coverage after her acting career.
That leaves significant parts of her personal life unknown.
What Is Loray White’s Net Worth?
There is no trustworthy public record confirming Loray White’s personal net worth.
Precise figures found on biography websites should therefore be viewed cautiously.
Her known entertainment career included dancing and film acting, but there is not enough information about her later income, property or investments to responsibly calculate her wealth.
Her financial life appears to have remained private.
Loray White’s Place in Hollywood History
Loray’s story matters for reasons extending beyond celebrity gossip.
Her marriage took place in 1958.
That was only a decade after California’s ban on interracial marriage had been overturned, and similar bans remained in many other states.
Sammy’s relationship with Kim Novak became controversial precisely because race still shaped what Hollywood stars were considered “allowed” to do privately.
Loray became part of the solution that people around Sammy believed could protect his career and possibly his safety.
That placed her inside a situation created by forces much larger than either person.
Race.
Hollywood power.
Studio control.
Public prejudice.
Celebrity.
And fear.
Understanding Loray’s marriage therefore tells us something about America in the 1950s—not simply about Sammy Davis Jr.’s love life.
Interesting Facts About Loray White
- Loray’s full birth name is Loray Betty White.
- She was born in Houston, Texas, on November 27, 1934.
- She worked as both an actress and dancer.
- Loray also performed under the name Sonora.
- She had an uncredited appearance in The Ten Commandments in 1956.
- She married Sammy Davis Jr. at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas on January 10, 1958.
- Harry Belafonte served as Sammy’s best man.
- The wedding happened during controversy surrounding Sammy’s relationship with Kim Novak.
- Loray and Sammy separated relatively quickly.
- Their divorce became final in April 1959.
- They had no publicly documented children together.
- Loray later starred as Cleopatra in The Notorious Cleopatra in 1970.
- She also appeared in Miss Nymphet’s Zap-In.
- Her later personal life has remained extremely private.
Why People Still Search for Loray White
Sammy Davis Jr. remains one of the most fascinating entertainers of the twentieth century.
His talent was extraordinary.
So was the world in which he had to build his career.
When people learn about his relationship with Kim Novak, they often encounter Loray’s name next.
Then a surprising question appears:
Who was the woman Sammy Davis Jr. suddenly married in 1958?
That question leads to Loray White.
But once you look beyond the wedding, another story appears.
She was a performer herself.
She had already appeared on screen.
She later continued acting.
And she spent the rest of her life largely outside the celebrity machine that made her first marriage famous.
Final Thoughts
Loray White deserves to be remembered as more than a footnote in Sammy Davis Jr.’s biography.
She was a dancer and actress who entered entertainment in the 1950s, appeared in The Ten Commandments and later starred as Cleopatra under the name Sonora.
Her marriage to Sammy, however, placed her inside an extraordinary and painful chapter of American entertainment history.
They married at the Sands Hotel on January 10, 1958, during intense controversy surrounding Sammy’s relationship with Kim Novak. Later historical accounts described the marriage as an arrangement made under pressure rather than an ordinary romantic union.
The relationship quickly collapsed.
Their divorce became final in 1959.
Sammy moved on to enormous fame.
Loray returned to a much quieter path and continued acting before eventually fading almost entirely from public view.
More than six decades later, the surviving photographs look glamorous.
The real story behind them is much more complicated.
It is a story about an actress and dancer, a famous entertainer, Hollywood power, racial prejudice and a marriage created during a moment when private relationships could carry enormous public consequences.
That is why people are still searching for Loray White today.
FAQs About Loray White
Who is Loray White?
Loray White is an American actress and dancer best known publicly as the first wife of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. She also acted under the stage name Sonora.
When was Loray White born?
She was born on November 27, 1934, in Houston, Texas.
How old is Loray White?
Based on her documented November 1934 birth date, Loray is 91 years old as of September 2026.
When did Loray White marry Sammy Davis Jr.?
They married on January 10, 1958, at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
Why did Sammy Davis Jr. marry Loray White?
Later historical accounts say the marriage occurred during severe pressure surrounding Davis’s interracial relationship with Kim Novak. Smithsonian reports that Loray agreed to an arranged marriage with Davis during that crisis.
How long were Loray White and Sammy Davis Jr. married?
Their legal marriage lasted from January 1958 until April 23, 1959, although reports indicate they separated much earlier.
Did Loray White and Sammy Davis Jr. have children?
There are no publicly documented children from their marriage.
Was Loray White an actress?
Yes. Her credits include The Ten Commandments, The Notorious Cleopatra and Miss Nymphet’s Zap-In.
What was Loray White’s stage name?
She also performed under the name Sonora.
Who played Cleopatra in The Notorious Cleopatra?
Loray White, credited as Sonora, played Cleopatra in the 1970 film.
Is Loray White still alive?
Major entertainment records do not list a death date for Loray, but there are very few reliable recent public updates about her. Her exact current circumstances should therefore not be assumed.
Where is Loray White now in 2026?
Her current residence and day-to-day life have not been reliably documented. She appears to have maintained an extremely private life after leaving the public spotlight.
What is Loray White’s net worth?
No trustworthy source has publicly verified Loray White’s personal net worth.
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