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15 Things You Didn’t Know About the Rat Pack

vitalvegas.com
e decided to learn more about this merry band of
miscreants, and quickly realized there’s a lot we didn’t Maybe Sammy.”
Wknow. Some of these Rat Pack facts might surprise you,
too. 8. Peter Lawford was John F. Kennedy’s brother-in-law. Kennedy
1. Originally, the Rat Pack was a group of friends centered around would sometimes hang out with the Rat Pack in Vegas, and when
they did, they referred to themselves as the “Jack Pack.” A falling
the group’s leader, Humphrey Bogart. The original members out between Sinatra and the Kennedys about Sinatra’s links to the
included Errol Flynn, Nat King Cole, Mickey Rooney, Jerry Lewis mob got Peter Lawford booted from the group.
and Cesar Romero.
2. Nobody’s sure where the “Rat Pack” name came from, but 9. Frank Sinatra once ordered 300 Bloody Marys from room service
for a Rat Pack party.
most attribute it to Lauren Bacall. Bogart and Bacall lived in a
neighborhood called Holmby Hills, so their house and the original 10. Dean Martin’s son, Dean Paul Martin, died in a plane crash in
group were sometimes called the Holmby Hills Rat Pack. 1987 on the San Gorgonio Mountain in California. Frank Sinatra’s
3. The original rat pack had a coat of arms, a rat gnawing on a human mother, Dolly, was killed in a plane crash 10 years earlier on the
exact same mountain.
hand. The group’s motto was “Never rat on a rat.”
4. Later, the name was used for a variation of the group with Frank 11. Among the Rat Pack, Sammy Davis Jr.’s nickname was
“Smokey.” While not commonly known, he was an accomplished
Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey quick-draw artist. When Davis was denied entry into the
Bishop. The group didn’t call itself the Rat Pack, though. They used Copacabana, Sinatra used his clout to ensure he got in the next time.
“The Summit” or “The Clan.” When Davis wasn’t allowed to stay in the Las Vegas hotel where he

5. The Rat Pack had several “associate” members, called “Rat Pack was performing, Sinatra helped Davis sidestep the racist practices
Mascots,” including Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Shirley so prevalent in Las Vegas at the time.
MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, Juliet Prowse and Judy Garland. 12. Rat Pack member Dean Martin would often deal blackjack at
6. The Copa Room at the Sands was considered the “home” of the Las Vegas casinos.
Rat Pack. The Sands was opened in 1952 and was imploded in 13. The first movie all five Rat Pack members appeared in together
1996. The Venetian now stands on the former site of the Sands. was “Ocean’s Eleven.” It was released in 1960. Frank Sinatra played
7. In Las Vegas, when a member of the Rat Pack would be scheduled Danny Ocean.
for a performance, the rest of the Rat Pack would turn up for an 14. The Rat Pack recorded five live albums together, including “The
impromptu show. The multi-talented performers sold out almost Rat Pack Live at the Sands” in 1960.
all of their appearances, and visitors would stream into Las Vegas,
often sleeping in their cars if they couldn’t find rooms. Hotel-casino 15. The last time Sinatra, Martin and Davis would appear in a movie
marquees were known to tease the Rat Pack’s appearances. For together was “Cannonball Run II.”
example, the Sands marquee read: “Dean Martin, Maybe Frank,

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