By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

The memory of Sammy Davis, Jr. will live on ... and on ... and on ... and on.

That's if the four high-profile projects celebrating the late entertainment legend's life -- that 'The New York Times' is reporting on -- come to fruition.

Denzel Washington is teaming with Hollywood big-shot Brian Grazer on a filmed adaptation of Wil Haygood's thick biography 'In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.'

Davis's beloved widow Altovise Davis -- who didn't give Haygood's tome her blessing -- is reportedly championing a biopic of her own based on her best-selling 1965 memoir 'Yes, I Can.' Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (whose credits include the movie musicals 'Chicago' and 'Hairspray') are in final negotiations for the project, along with New Line Cinema. Davis Jr.'s very own autobiography 1989 'Why Me' will be incorporated into the proposed project.

Burt Boyar, co-author of 'Yes, I Can,' has a feature documentary in place, which will draw on 150 taped hours of interviews with Davis Jr. during the 1980s.

Music video director Earle Sebastian is collaborating with hip-hop mogul Damon Dash on a project titled 'Sammy and Kim,' detailing his lurid affair with screen siren Kim Novak.Sam Kashner, who detailed the relationship for 'Vanity Fair' and is working on the screenplay. André 3000 (also known as André Lauren Benjamin) is expected to play Davis, and Mr. Sebastian plans to direct. Benjamin, who has starred in films such as 'Four Brothers,' 'Idlewild,' and 'Be Cool,' is building an impressive portfolio of work outside of his groundbreaking hip-hop outfit OutKast. Him taking on Davis Jr. can be just as career defining as Jamie Foxx portraying the late Ray Charles.

So what's the fascination with the story of the life and times of the Harlem native?

Well, he was known the world over as "the greatest living entertainer in the world."

This was way before Michael Jackson, James Brown and Usher made their mark on the music scene.

And if you think Bobby Brown is scandalous, Sammy Davis, Jr. is the original bad boy.

He rolled around with free-wheeling entertainers Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, making up what was known as the "Rat Pack."

A consummate performer, he broke down racial barriers during the 1950s and 1960s with his enthralling segregated shows.

"I'm a short, ugly, one-eyed, black Jew," he was known for professing -- way before any of those adjectives/nouns became in vogue with mainstream American audiences.

What a life he led.

The (white) women ... the drugs ... the politics ...the record business drama ...the debt.

He died of throat cancer at the age of 64 and was reportedly so much in debt that his memorabilia had to be sold in order to pay for the funeral arrangements.

His was quite a fascinating story.

Don Cheadle played a convincing Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1999 Emmy Award winning HBO movie 'The Rat Pack.' So much so that he won the Golden Award for Best Supporting Actor.

And that performance was just a touch of the life that he led.

Can't wait to see what's in store.

BV Extras:

Celebrate Black Music Month with Black Voices.

DID YOU KNOW that Sammy Davis, Jr. almost didn't record his biggest selling song 'Candyman.' He reportedly had to fulfill a contractual obligation with his soon to be former record company, Reprise, with just one more song. After denouncing the track, he recorded to get out of the contract ... and it was the best-selling single of his career.

Check out this blast from the past...