The Rat Pack .. the Original Kings of Cool

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sam Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop

In case you aren't old enough to remember, the Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers who everyone in Hollywood looked up to and idolized.  Women wanted them and men wanted to be them!  There was one member who was eventually banished from the group and that member was Peter Lawford who married JFK's sister, Patricia. Sinatra was furious, believing Lawford had failed to intercede with the Kennedys on his behalf during the Kennedy for President campaign and therefore excluded him from the Rat Pack.  Sinatra and Lawford's friendship was over.  Sinatra fell out with Bishop in 1964 when Sinatra asked him to fill in for him at the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe as a favor and Bishop demanded $50,000 and to be flown in a private jet. 

The group was known for their partying life-style, Old Hollywood charm and scandalous behavior. The Rat Pack was often seen at the Copa Room at the Sands in Las Vegas.  They performed together in films such as Oceans 11. The Rat Pack of Oceans 11 fame grew out of Humphrey Bogart's circle of friends becoming synonymous with booze, women and the nightlife.  Rat Pack members not only partied together, but they worked with one another on albums, movie sets and stages.  There were numerous associates and outsiders wanting to join among them being ladies and even mobsters with supposed ties to the group adding to the lore around the famous group.  Rat Pack stories reveal a lot about its members who found friendship, fun and a bit of rebellion during their heyday. 

Originally, Bogart surrounded himself with friends who became known as 'The Rat Pack'. The Holmby Hills Rat Pack, at it became known, formed during the 1940s and 1950s and centered around Bogart.  Sinatra was a member of the esteemed group which included Bogart's wife, Lauren Bacall, actress Judy Garland and her husband, Sid Luft and actor David Niven and his wife, Hjordis.  Bogart took Sinatra under his wing, where the musician enjoyed the group camaraderie.  The pack spent a lot of time in California and migrated to Las Vegas on occasion for parties and nights out. 

Actress Lauren Bacall met Humphrey Bogart on the set of To Have and Have Not in 1944 and the two quickly became romantically involved.  Bogart was 25 years older than Bacall and already married at the time.  Bogart soon divorced his wife and married Bacall in 1945.  Bacall became the "Den Mother" of her husband's group. As the story goes, after Bacall came upon the group after they returned from a long night of drinking, she reportedly said, "You look like a rat pack". The name stuck.  Bogart and his friends designed a coat of arms and etablished a motto .. "Never rat on a rat".

Humphrey Bogart 

(December 25, 1899-January 14, 1957)

Bogart passed in 1957 and the original Rat Pack fell by the wayside.  Sinatra missed the friendships he had established and sought to recreate the experience with another group.  He first reached out to the witty charming Dean Martin, his co-star in the 1958 movie, Some Came Running.  Martin had recently split up from his comedy partner, Jerry Lewis.  Sinatra soon brought Sammy Davis Jr. into the fold, a dancer that he had met years before.  British actor, Peter Lawford and comedian, Joey Bishop soon followed, rounding out the original five. When the group first formed they considered being called "The Clan" though Sinatra reportedly hated the name.  Some also referred to the members as "The Summit" which is how Sinatra became known at the "Chairman of the Board."

Members of the Rat Pack enjoyed a lot of time together at the Sands Health Club.  Sinatra had bathrobes made for the occasion.  On the robes were the members' nicknames which Sinatra assigned and gave out embroidered bathrobes to the group.  Nicknames were on each:  Sinatra was "The Pope", Davis was "Smokey the Bear" and Martin was "Dino. 

Shirley MacLaine was often invited to join the group on stage.  Other celebrities who were often seen with the group included Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. 

It doesn't get more iconic than the Rat Pack. They were considered the "bad boys" of the late '50s and '60s.  With their good looks and plenty of talent to go around, they sold out Las Vegas crowds on a nightly basis.  They also took their acting chops to the big screen, sharing credits on a handful of movies together.  

All members of the Rat Pack have now passed, but their films, television performances and music left behind an iconic legacy in the entertainment history.  Following Sammy Davis, Jr.'s passing in 1990, Sinatra who was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral told the Daily News .. "I wish the world could have known Sam as I did." 

Sinatra with Sammy