You may have heard stories of Frank Sinatra and his famous group of friends, dubbed the Rat Pack. In the ’50s and ’60s, this group of entertainers, which included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, practically ran Hollywood. They performed together, made films together and participated in some major bad-boy behavior that made women swoon and grandmothers clutch their pearls. The Rat Pack affiliated exclusively with the most powerful and elite people in America, including Hollywood starlets, politicians and even mobsters, which is why they were so compelling.
Las Vegas Was An Oasis For The Rat Pack
Out of everywhere in America, the Rat Pack gravitated most towards Las Vegas, Nevada. It allowed for a certain level of debauchery the group became notorious for. While in Vegas, Sinatra would play golf, party, and gamble. They’d also create some pretty amazing work.
The Rat Pack filmed two movies that took place in Vegas: Ocean’s 11 and Sergeants 3. They also took the stage at the Sands Copa Room and regularly performed to ecstatic crowds. Back then, the price of a ticket was less than $6, but their chemistry made the show intensely compelling.