The Rat Pack was a true sensation of their era. The members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford, were known for pursuing women, filming ‘Oceans Eleven‘ in Las Vegas, and appearing together in “the Summit at the Sands” when filming early in 1960.
The Rat Pack, however, wasn’t quite what you might expect because only one of the “big five” was involved in its founding and he wasn’t really a crucial member. So what was the Rat Pack all about and how did they come to be?
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Origin Of The Rat Pack
Actually, there were two distinct Rat Packs: the most well-known and significant was active in the 1960s, and the other was popular in the 1950s. Humphrey Bogart, Mickey Rooney, Errol Flynn, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Cesar Romero, and Jerry Lewis were among the members of the first.
Actor Humphrey Bogart served as the gang’s fierce head in its early years. In 1955, Sinatra went on a sleepless Las Vegas outing with Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, and David Niven. On the sixth day, Bacall looked over the messy crowd. “You look like a…rat pack!” she said.
Sinatra succeeded Bogart as leader after his passing. Afterward, the Rat Pack of the 60s came into existence.
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The Rat Pack Romp Of The 60s
Humphrey Bogart’s successor Frank began putting together a group. Dean Martin and Frank had previously collaborated on ‘Some Came Running‘, so they reunited.
In a recent vehicle accident, Sammy Davis Jr. had just lost an eye, and Frank wanted to support him. Then Joey Bishop entered because he was the kind of journeyman comic he needed to keep the audience’s attention. Peter Lawford was then married to Patricia Kennedy.
Drawn to the Kennedy factor of power, Sinatra included him in the group too. Meanwhile, Lawford brought in another present – a script for a heist movie called ‘Ocean’s Eleven‘. The Rat Pack produced many albums together, with ‘The Rat Pack Live at the Sands’ in 1960 being the most well-known. At the Copa Room in the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, the band frequently gave performances.
The Rat Pack was well-known for its connections to a number of notable actresses. Including Angie Dickinson, Marilyn Monroe, Juliette Prowse, Lauren Bacall, and Shirley MacLaine. The Rat Pack movies frequently featured the starring females. Even Prowse and Dickinson were romantically involved with Frank Sinatra.
How Did The Rat Pack Eventually End?
Due to Sinatra’s connections to Mafia leaders like Sam Giancana, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy encouraged his brother to cut all links with Sinatra. Tensions erupted between Sinatra and Kennedy. Sinatra “never again had a nice word” about Lawford once he was held accountable for this.
Lawford’s role was cut from the planned movie 4 for Texas. Bing Crosby was given his place in the movie Robin and the Seven Hoods. He was encouraged to leave The Pack. This was done to maintain his public image in line with the moral climate once JFK was president. The Rat Pack was considered to be the top entertainment for the Mafia.
Due to this, the FBI started to track their movements. The gang’s carefree celebration came to an end with JFK’s murder. It caused the somewhat already dispersed group to disband.
However, the Rat Pack has left behind its legacy. Rolling Stone credited them to having invented ‘cocktail culture’. The Rat Pack’s final living member, Joey Bishop, passed away in 2007. Peter Lawford died in 1984, Sammy Davis Jr. in 1990, Dean Martin in 1995, and Sinatra in 1998.
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