May Britt, a Swedish-born actress who was one of Hollywood’s most fascinating people of the mid-20th century due to her personal life and cinematic talent, passed away at the age of 91.
According to her son Mark Davis, she died at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 11, 2025, from natural causes.
In addition to her work on international screens, Britt holds a special position in entertainment history for her bravery in negotiating one of the most contentious marriages of her time.
She traveled from a small Swedish island to the glitzy but harsh world of Hollywood, where she became the focal point of national discussions on equality, love, and race.
Sweden’s Early Years: From Lidingö to the Stars
May Britt was born Maj-Britt Wilkens on March 22, 1934, in Lidingö, Sweden, a lush, coastal neighborhood northeast of Stockholm. Her upbringing was far different from the Hollywood glitz she would eventually experience.
Her parents, Hillevi and Hugo Wilkens, were modest; her mother was a homemaker and her father was a postal clerk.
Britt had photographic instruction as a young woman and worked in Stockholm as a photographer’s assistant.
There, at the age of 18, destiny stepped in. She was noticed at a studio by Italian directors Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati, who were looking for a new face to star in the adventure movie Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair.
Struck by her outstanding personality and photogenic appeal, they awarded her a part, commencing her career in cinema.
Emerging Talent in European Film
After relocating to Rome and taking on the stage name May Britt, she soon started accumulating a collection of Italian cinema credits in the early 1950s.
She appeared in a range of parts in adventure, drama, and melodrama shows, exhibiting a versatility that distinguished her apart from many rookies of the period.
Alongside Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, Britt got a big part in King Vidor’s epic rendition of War and Peace in 1956.
She gained the attention of Hollywood executives thanks to her role in this opulent production, which paved the way for American cinema.
Promise, Breakthrough, and Stardom in the Hollywood Career
In 1957, Britt acquired a long-term deal with 20th Century Fox, which was a significant accomplishment for any European actress at the time and led to her Hollywood breakthrough.
Important roles in movies
Britt played opposite Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner in the 1958 movie The Hunters, which explored depth and nuance in a military story.
In Edward Dmytryk’s 1958 World War II film The Young Lions, Britt costarred with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift.
Britt’s most well-known early part was that of Lola-Lola, the cabaret performer in this 1959 adaptation of the beloved German movie The Blue Angel.
She became a rising sensation because to her performance, which was praised for its captivating intensity.
Britt proved she could control the screen even in grim crime stories when she played singer and dancer Eadie Collins in Murder, Inc. (1960). Collins was involved with mobsters.
She was praised for her grace, charm, and global appeal during this time, and she also appeared on the cover of Life magazine. She was described as “a star with a striking new style.”
Sammy Davis Jr.’s Marriage: An Unconventional Love
Few could have predicted how Britt’s life would change in 1959.
She met extremely successful entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., a singer, dancer, and actor known worldwide for his talent and as a member of the Rat Pack.
The public soon became aware of their relationship.
A Marriage That Made History
In June 1960, the pair made their engagement public.
Their union became a focal point in ongoing discussions about race, equality, and societal standards in a country where 31 states still prohibited interracial marriages.
With over 200 people in attendance, they were married on November 13, 1960, at Davis’s house in Los Angeles.
Frank Sinatra, Davis’s close friend and Rat Pack collaborator, served as best man. Davis was 34 and Britt, who became a Jew before the wedding, was 26.
The public’s response to their marriage ranged from acceptance and admiration to animosity and open contempt.
The couple occasionally kept armed protection around-the-clock for their safety after receiving death threats.
Cultural backlash and political controversy
The Kennedy administration’s purported decision to exclude Davis from performing at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, supposedly due to worries that the interracial marriage might spark backlash in Southern states, is a widely recalled incident from this era.
While details vary in different tales, it remains one of the most known symbols of the difficulties the couple encountered.
Britt subsequently stated that she never regretted her choice to wed Davis in spite of the animosity, claiming that their love and dedication overcame the difficulties they had.
Personal Difficulties and Family Life
During their marriage, May Britt and Sammy Davis Jr. created a family. In July 1961, Tracey Davis, their daughter, was born.
Additionally, they adopted Jeff Davis and Mark Sidney Davis as sons.
Although the family occupied a lavish mansion in Beverly Hills that had formerly belonged to producer David O. Selznick, their private lives were not immune to public scrutiny.
They received equal parts praise and criticism for having a multiracial household.
The pair eventually got divorced in 1968 amid reports of work pressures and Davis’s demanding professional schedule, despite their shared love and respect for one another.
Although Tracey Davis later remarked that her parents “never fell out of love,” she did acknowledge the stressors associated with travel, celebrity, and outside demands.
Sadly, Tracey Davis passed away in 2020 at the age of 59, far earlier than her mother.
Retirement and Later Acting Roles
Britt went back to acting after her divorce from Davis, but her star power had waned in Hollywood’s shifting cultural milieu and her assignments were less frequent.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she made cameos in a number of well-known television shows, such as:
Goal: Unachievable
The Hour of Danny Thomas
The Deadliest Game
The Partners
She also starred in the horror movie Haunts in 1976, and she kept making sporadic appearances on cinema into the 1980s.
Her final acknowledged performance was in 1988, after which she effectively retired from acting.
Painting, Family, and a Second Marriage in Life After Hollywood
After retiring, Britt focused on painting, which was her real interest outside of movies.
After decades in the spotlight, she led a peaceful life in California, savoring her art, her family, and her tranquility.
She wed entertainment executive and horse breeder Lennart Ringquist in 1993. They stayed together until his passing in 2017.
Influence and Legacy
May Britt is renowned for her dual legacy as a gifted worldwide actress and a woman who, in the face of intense social unrest, remained steadfast in her own beliefs.
More than just a celebrity union, her marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. was a cultural event that brought to light the profound racial and civil rights divides and slowly shifting views in American culture.
She frequently discussed that time with elegance and introspection, prioritizing loyalty and love over regret.
Her life story continues to serve as a testament to the challenges of celebrity and the bravery required to live a genuine life in the spotlight.
Survivors and Final Tribute
May Britt’s siblings include her sister Margot, her sons Mark and Jeff Davis, and a number of grandkids. In 2020, her daughter Tracey passed away before her.
Her demise signals the end of an amazing life—one that bridged countries, civilizations, and moments of societal revolution.
Her story still has resonance as part of Hollywood’s and America’s changing narrative, even if the world she joined as a young Swedish lady is very different today.
May Britt, rest in peace.Your life was a tremendous adventure of art, love, and courage.
May Britt, a Swedish-born actress who was one of Hollywood’s most fascinating people of the mid-20th century due to her personal life and cinematic talent, passed away at the age of 91.
According to her son Mark Davis, she died at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 11, 2025, from natural causes.
In addition to her work on international screens, Britt holds a special position in entertainment history for her bravery in negotiating one of the most contentious marriages of her time.
She traveled from a small Swedish island to the glitzy but harsh world of Hollywood, where she became the focal point of national discussions on equality, love, and race.
Sweden’s Early Years: From Lidingö to the Stars
May Britt was born Maj-Britt Wilkens on March 22, 1934, in Lidingö, Sweden, a lush, coastal neighborhood northeast of Stockholm. Her upbringing was far different from the Hollywood glitz she would eventually experience.
Her parents, Hillevi and Hugo Wilkens, were modest; her mother was a homemaker and her father was a postal clerk.
Britt had photographic instruction as a young woman and worked in Stockholm as a photographer’s assistant.
There, at the age of 18, destiny stepped in. She was noticed at a studio by Italian directors Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati, who were looking for a new face to star in the adventure movie Jolanda, the Daughter of the Black Corsair.
Her career in film began when they offered her a role after being impressed by her stunning presence and photogenic appeal.
Emerging Talent in European Film
After relocating to Rome and taking on the stage name May Britt, she soon started accumulating a collection of Italian cinema credits in the early 1950s.
She demonstrated a versatility that distinguished her from many of the newcomers of the day by appearing in a range of roles in melodrama, drama, and adventure plays.
Alongside Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, Britt got a big part in King Vidor’s epic rendition of War and Peace in 1956.
She gained the attention of Hollywood executives thanks to her role in this opulent production, which paved the way for American cinema.
Promise, Breakthrough, and Stardom in the Hollywood Career
In 1957, Britt acquired a long-term deal with 20th Century Fox, which was a significant accomplishment for any European actress at the time and led to her Hollywood breakthrough.
Important roles in movies
Britt played opposite Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner in the 1958 movie The Hunters, which explored depth and nuance in a military story.
In Edward Dmytryk’s 1958 World War II film The Young Lions, Britt costarred with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift.
Britt’s most well-known early part was that of Lola-Lola, the cabaret performer in this 1959 adaptation of the beloved German movie The Blue Angel.
She became a rising sensation because to her performance, which was praised for its captivating intensity.
Britt proved she could control the screen even in grim crime stories when she played singer and dancer Eadie Collins in Murder, Inc. (1960). Collins was involved with mobsters.
She was praised for her grace, charm, and global appeal during this time, and she also appeared on the cover of Life magazine. She was described as “a star with a striking new style.”
Sammy Davis Jr.’s Marriage: An Unconventional Love
Few could have predicted how Britt’s life would change in 1959.
She got to know the wildly successful performer Sammy Davis Jr., who is a member of the Rat Pack and a well-known singer, dancer, and actor throughout the world.
The public soon became aware of their relationship.
A Historic Marriage
In June 1960, the pair made their engagement public.
Their union became a focal point in ongoing discussions about race, equality, and societal standards in a country where 31 states still prohibited interracial marriages.
With over 200 people in attendance, they were married on November 13, 1960, at Davis’s house in Los Angeles.
Frank Sinatra, Davis’s close friend and Rat Pack collaborator, served as best man. Davis was 34 and Britt, who became a Jew before the wedding, was 26.
The public’s response to their marriage ranged from acceptance and admiration to animosity and open contempt.
The couple occasionally kept armed protection around-the-clock for their safety after receiving death threats.
Cultural backlash and political controversy
The Kennedy administration’s purported decision to exclude Davis from performing at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, supposedly due to worries that the interracial marriage might spark backlash in Southern states, is a widely recalled incident from this era.
While details vary in different tales, it remains one of the most known symbols of the difficulties the couple encountered.
Britt subsequently stated that she never regretted her choice to wed Davis in spite of the animosity, claiming that their love and dedication overcame the difficulties they had.
Personal Difficulties and Family Life
During their marriage, May Britt and Sammy Davis Jr. created a family. In July 1961, Tracey Davis, their daughter, was born.
Additionally, they adopted Jeff Davis and Mark Sidney Davis as sons.
Although the family occupied a lavish mansion in Beverly Hills that had formerly belonged to producer David O. Selznick, their private lives were not immune to public scrutiny.
They received equal parts praise and criticism for having a multiracial household.
The pair eventually got divorced in 1968 amid reports of work pressures and Davis’s demanding professional schedule, despite their shared love and respect for one another.
Although Tracey Davis later remarked that her parents “never fell out of love,” she did acknowledge the stressors associated with travel, celebrity, and outside demands.
Sadly, Tracey Davis passed away in 2020 at the age of 59, far earlier than her mother.
Retirement and Later Acting Roles
Britt went back to acting after her divorce from Davis, but her star power had waned in Hollywood’s shifting cultural milieu and her assignments were less frequent.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she made cameos in a number of well-known television shows, such as:
Goal: Unachievable
The Hour of Danny Thomas
The Deadliest Game
The Partners
She also starred in the horror movie Haunts in 1976, and she kept making sporadic appearances on cinema into the 1980s.
She essentially withdrew from performing following her last recognized performance in 1988.
Painting, Family, and a Second Marriage in Life After Hollywood
After retiring, Britt focused on painting, which was her real interest outside of movies.
After decades in the spotlight, she led a peaceful life in California, savoring her art, her family, and her tranquility.
She wed entertainment executive and horse breeder Lennart Ringquist in 1993. They stayed together until his passing in 2017.
Influence and Legacy
May Britt is renowned for her dual legacy as a gifted worldwide actress and a woman who, in the face of intense social unrest, remained steadfast in her own beliefs.
More than just a celebrity union, her marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. was a cultural event that brought to light the profound racial and civil rights divides and slowly shifting views in American culture.
She frequently discussed that time with elegance and introspection, prioritizing loyalty and love over regret.
Her life story continues to serve as a testament to the challenges of celebrity and the bravery required to live a genuine life in the spotlight.
The Last Tribute and the Survivors
May Britt’s siblings include her sister Margot, her sons Mark and Jeff Davis, and a number of grandkids. In 2020, her daughter Tracey passed away before her.
Her death signifies the end of a remarkable life that crossed borders, cultural boundaries, and periods of societal change.
Her story still has resonance as part of Hollywood’s and America’s changing narrative, even if the world she joined as a young Swedish lady is very different today.
May Britt, rest in peace.Your life was an incredible journey filled with bravery, love, and art.
