Sammy Davis Jr. on set of the show ‘Poor Devil.’ LaVey didn’t need to see the show to appreciate its PR potential. So he, Hegarty, and Aquino hatched a plan.

LEAD: Sammy Davis Sr., a vaudeville performer and the father of the entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., died Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 87 years old.

The five-concert schedule begins Oct. 9 at Stern Auditorium in Carnegie Hall with a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke, performed by Wayne Brady, the comedian and television host.