Vegas, Baby!!!

Cool just seemed to surround them like air does us mere mortals. It oozed from them. When they walked, stood still, smoked a cigarette [ always holding it like Bogart did ] and, of course, when they performed, cool was their constant companion. Only one of them was a truly fine actor, but, two of them were exciting to watch in their own right, and, the other two were harmless filler. They were not equals--- either in talent or personality. They had one Leader. He strode the planet like a man picked by God to lead his minions. Maybe, he was. They had swagger, good-looks, self-confidence, and charisma. They were saddled with a name that they abhorred, but, it was the name that they public embraced. They were The Rat Pack...... Mythology has long surrounded this group. They are all long gone to the other side, but, the startling image that they projected is stronger than ever. We know of their story, with the broads and the booze and the horseplay that was their M.O. And, truth be told, when they were on stage together, they seemed more intent on entertaining themselves than the audience. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr were electric performers when they performed solo, but, onstage with Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop they all acted like immature teenagers. Entertaining as hell, I grant you. However, if you wanted a solid performance, it was better to see them when they performed alone..... The first-- and, best--- of the famous Rat Pack movies, is''Oceans's Eleven''. The story is simple: old war buddies gather in Las Vegas on New Years Eve to rob all of the big casinos at once. The movie is slight in quality. But, it soars tremendously in fun. They were playing towards the camera and the audience is in on the fun as fellow henchmen and women. They were having a raving ole time and wanted us to get close to the action. And, they succeeded. Normally, this type of smirking and winking borders on megalomania and arrogance [ see Burt Reynolds movies with a speeding car ]. Somehow, though, all is forgiven and we, the audience, enjoy ourselves because we know they are enjoying themselves on the old big silver screen. Following the plot is not necessary. Just sit back with a cocktail and enjoy the fun..... The filming of this movie was some story!! Sinatra, as we all know, had power over everyone. He convinced the casinos of Vegas in early 1960 to let him and his buddies shoot their little caper movie and not be bothered. They shot the movie during the day and performed two shows a night at the Sands. Then, the action really started!!! The boys would hit the casino to do a little gambling. People, us mortals, gathered around them to watch and gawk. They were still relatively young, and, certainly, vibrant. After the gambling--- which always included women and the ever present consumption of booze--- they would head to Frank's lavish suite in the Sands and party until the wee small hours of the morning. More women and booze followed. And, then the boys would find the partners to pair up with for the evening [ except for Joey Bishop, who was faithful to his wife and usually did not make the after-show scene]. Wild scenes of debauchery are always associated with rock stars, but, these men blazed a trail with their partying that other, future musicians, rushed to emulate. Frank was the most dedicated to having fun with the fairer sex. Hookers, showgirls, and regular ladies of the day and evening would go in and out of his bed, sometimes as many as three with Sinatra at once. Sometimes, there would be John Kennedy in the suite to party with the Pack. Sometimes, mobsters like Sam Giancana to mix it up with the group. Anyone who liked a good time was welcome. Frank called it ''Ring-A-Ding-Ding'' time. Sexual freedom and hard drinking and blowing off firecrackers reigned all night long. When the next day would arrive, these men, bleary-eyed and hungover, would stagger to the Sands steam room to clear the body of toxins. Then, they would head to the movie set to start the process all over again. Many days were spent going on no, or, very little sleep. When you are these Titans and live like they did, sleep is just an irritant in life anyway..... Frank Sinatra was a supreme talent. If he hadn't had been the greatest and most influential singer of the 20th Century, then he would have made his mark as an extraordinary actor with limitless range. Not in this movie, but, many others in his career, Frank showed a stellar ability to bring a character to life and give it his all. You wanna see Frank excel in a role? Check out the original ''Manchurian Candidate''. He shows a sensitivity and vulnerability absent from the lark of his Rat Pack films. Always compelling to watch sing, Frank showed such promise as an actor that he seriously considered giving up singing to concentrate fully on acting. Wisely, he stayed with singing. However, this multi-talented man [ arguably the most talented man in the history of performing] could have succeeded in anything he attempted..... Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr also showed some chops as actors. Both seemed to be happy playing second and third fiddle to their Leader. Sammy, a bundle of talent and drive, was the little brother in the group. He was constantly teased, affectionately, and, at times, cruelly, as younger brothers are. All of these men fought the prejudices of the day. Sammy was caught in the hypocracy of being able to entertain in the main room at the Sands, but, he had to enter the hotel through the rear entrance. At first, he was not allowed to stay at the hotel that he was earning money for. Frank stepped in and changed the color barrier for not only Sammy, but, all blacks in Vegas. Frank championed civil rights his whole life. However, he and Dean would cross the line of taste onstage when teasing Sammy. Make no mistake, they loved Sammy and would have killed for him. But, some of the lines bordered on racism. Sammy  laughed, and, as he later related, gritted his teeth at some of the barbs. It was explained by defenders of Frank and Dean that by making fun of the stereotypes in race realtions they were bringing down the borders and prejudices of the day. That was stretching it a little bit. Every race and nationality should always be open for the sport of humor[ Frank and Dean called each other Dago], but, when it came to Sammy they were a bit too cruel. Sammy, however, always knew they loved him. There was a genuine feeling of love and respect that the Top Three in the group had for each other..... Dean Martin was the loner of the three. He liked his booze and women, but, did it quietly on his own terms. Many nights after being onstage he would stop by Frank's suite just for a drink or two and excuse himself by saying ''I have a broad waiting for me in my room.'' They did not believe him, but, because he was Dean, he was excused from Frank's orbit. Dean wanted solitude away from the madness. He did hook up with women--- many times there was in fact a women waiting in his room for him. And, many times, he was alone in his room, sipping milk and watching one of his beloved western films on TV. He also wanted to get to bed relatively early because he loved early morning golf. While he and Frank were the best of friends, Dean never did have all the devotion and obsession of Sinatra that Sammy did. Frank could walk on water in Sammy's view. Dean had a cooler impression of the Leader. He viewed him as an equal. This gave him a great gift: Frank Sinatra's respect......Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop were the scraps in the group. Lawford owed his membership in the Pack because of his family connections. He wife, Pat, was the sister of John F Kennedy, soon to run for President Of The United States in 1960. Peter was a lighweight but charming man of modest talent. No great shakes as an actor or singer. He was the good-looking mascot not to be taken seriously. Like Sammy, he idolized Frank. He got girls for Frank, who then got girls for Jack Kennedy. That was the bond of all three men. Three swingers enjoying showgirls galore. It shows you the morals of Jack Kennedy that he was partying with his brother-in-law who was married to his sister. But, cheating Lawford was, and the showgirls flew in and out of Jack's and Frank's rooms. One of these girls was named Judith Campbell. She was one of Frank's girls whom Kennedy fancied. Soon, the Senator from Massachusetts and the Party Girl Campbell were lovers. Not long after they started their two year affair, Frank introduced Campbell to another friend of his, Chicago mobster Sam Giancana. The future President and the most powerful mobster in the country shared Judith Campbell as a mistress. And, all because of Frank Sinatra. He wasn't called the Leader for nothing....... Joey Bishop was only in the Pack because he made Frank laugh. Joey was a minor comedian of not much talent. His whole career unfolded because of his connection to Frank Sinatra. He would have some success later on in his career with talk shows and small parts in movies. Still, he was the odd man out. If you were to redisgn the Rat Pack I would put Don Rickles as the fifth member. His style of lethal humor would have blended very well with the antics of the Rat Pack. Imagine, the jokes Rickles would have made about the Mafia onstage!!!..... There is a scene in ''Ocena's Eleven'' that has been a strong rumor for years. About a third of the way through the movie Frank strolls into the casino. He passes several tables, all with the people turned away from the camera. One dark haired man sitting there is of note. This ''extra'' would eleven months later be elected President Of The United States...... The weeks filming ''Ocean's Eleven'' were in January and February of 1960 in Las Vegas. Then, they hightailed it to Hollywood to finish it. The movie came out the following August and was a rousing success. The public flocked to this film with its weak plot to have some fun [ or, ''hey, hey'', as Frank called it]. The movie is great fun because we all know that we were eavesdropping a little of these famous men and how they lived their lives. For most men, there is a little fantasy in our minds to live life like they did. No rules. Nobody telling you what to do and how to behave. No time clocks and no restrictions. Male bonding at its best. Five men showing the world their performing talents and their intense loyalty towards each other. And, the booze mixed with the broads. Show me a man who hasn't once or twice, in his mind, planted himself in this group and I will show you a man who doesn't know what a good time is. Those of us who believe in monogamy and the love of a good women can also appreciate the thought of tearing up the town....... The Sands is long gone, along with The Rat Pack. The magic days of ''Ring-A-Ding-Ding'' ended with the death of JFK in 1963. Soon, rock and roll took over and the Rat Pack became old hat. They aged and grew mortal--- something that they never thought would happen to them. Lawford was thrown out of the group when Sinatra felt he was disloyal when JFK snubbed a visit to Frank's home. Frank took his rage out on Peter and closed his friendship with the British actor. Lawford tried and failed to get back in Frank's orbit. He would divorce Pat Kennedy, and, he would lose control with booze and drugs as the years went on. He died in 1984, never reunited with Frank.....Sammy was next to go. Years of alcohol, drug, and nicotine abuse took its toll on this little man and he died in 1990..... Dean died in 1995. He had a strong career for many years after the Vegas days with the boys and was one of the biggest stars around for a long time. But, in 1987, Dean lost his son, Dino Jr, in a plane crash and grieved himself to death. He became a recluse. Frank tried to save him, but, Dean did not want to be saved. He died as he lived. A loner, who went out on his own terms......The Leader was next. Frank still tore up all life around him into his 80's. Still drinking and smoking like a young man. The broads fell away with his fourth and last marriage to Barbara Marx. He toured the world relentlessly to massive audiences. Age caught up with him in the 1990's. Bladder cancer and heart problems. He died in 1998 of a heart attack. He died kicking and screaming into death. He went to the ''Big Casino'' His Way.......Joey Bishop lived out his final years quietly with his wife. No alcohol or smoking for him. He passed away in 2007 of old age...... The Sands imploded in 1996 to make way for the Venetian Hotel. I was in the Sands the year before it closed. The Copa Room, where the Rat Pack reigned, was no longer. When I went back in 1999, I saw a plaque on the floor of the Venetian. It was where the old Copa Room was supposed to be. Myself and various other people stopped for a few moments over this little monument to fun. Perhaps, without saying much, we were all thinking the same thoughts. We were listening for the ghosts of glories past. We were trying to catch lightning in a bottle for a lost time. We were trying to hear five men, full of life and energy, entertaining in a way that would never come again.... And, I'm sure we all wished we could go back for a little while to have some ''Ring-A-Ding-Ding''........