The Rat Pack immediately brings mind images of Las Vegas in its heyday but this fabulous group of entertainers no doubt had a good time wherever they went!
- The Rat Pack originally referred to a group of friends centred around Humphrey Bogart. The original group included celebrities like Cesar Romero, Errol Flynn, Jerry Lewis, Mickey Rooney, and Nat King Cole.
- The group’s name is attributed to Lauren Bacall, who used to describe what her husband, Bogart, and his pals looked like after a particularly debauched weekend in Sin City.
- The gang even had a coat of arms! It featured a rodent gnawing on a human hand and sported the motto Never Rat on a Rat.
- The most famous members included Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis Jr. The official Pack had associate members, called The Rat Pack Mascots, namely Angie Dickinson, Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, and Shirley MacLaine.
- The Copa Room at the now-defunct Sands Hotel on The Las Vegas Strip was considered to be the Rat Pack’s home away from home. It opened in 1952, was imploded in 1996, and The Venetian® now stands in its place.
Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra would often hit the Blackjack tables after the last show at the Sands, but you can indulge in a game or two without even leaving your house! Check here for more.
- When one member of the Rat Pack was scheduled to perform in Vegas, the rest of the group would frequently turn up at the event and give an impromptu show. Thanks to the incredible level of talent they boasted, these were often sold-out events, and would-be audience members would stream into bucket list destinations in Las Vegas. Some even slept in their cars when they couldn’t find rooms.
Understandably, hotel marquees would sometimes tease about Rat Pack appearances, with signs reading Dean Martin, Maybe Frank, Maybe Sammy.
- Peter Lawford was President John F. Kennedy’s brother-in-law and the famous politician would sometimes hang out with the Rat Pack. When he did, they referred to themselves as the Jack Pack.
Eventually, though, there was a fallout between the Kennedys and Sinatra about Ol’ Blue Eyes’ alleged connections to the mob. This saw Lawford leaving the group.
- Sinatra once ordered 300 Bloody Marys via room service for a party the Rat Pack was hosting.
- Dean Paul Martin, named after his famous father, was killed in a plane crash on the San Gorgonio Mountain in California in 1987. Dolly Sinatra, Frank’s mom, died exactly the same way a decade earlier.
- Sammy Davis Jr’s nickname in the Pack was Smokey.
- Although it’s not commonly known, Davis Jr was more than adept when it came to quickdraws.
- When the Copacabana denied Davis Jr entry due to the rampant racism prevalent at the time, Sinatra used his clout to make sure it didn’t happen again. Sinatra also made sure that Davis Jr was able to stay at the Las Vegas hotels Sinatra was performing at.
