In 1960, Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford and Bishop starred in the movie Ocean’s 11, which started filming in Las Vegas on 26 January.
Peter Lawford had appeared with Sinatra in It Happened in Brooklyn in 1947, but the two only become friendly in 1958 through mutual friends Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner, and thanks to Lawford’s connection as John F. Sammy knew Dean, partly through Sinatra and partly through his close friendship with Martin’s comedy partner Jerry Lewis. The truth is that by 1954 Sammy had become a big enough star to break the colour barrier in Las Vegas of his own accord.įrank and Dean Martin had known each other for years, but it was while filming Some Came Running in 1958 that the two became close.
While Sinatra assisted his protégé wherever possible, there is a myth that Sinatra used his clout to enable Sammy to break the color bar in Las Vegas. To say Sammy idolised Frank would be an understatement. Sinatra heard about the incident and insisted Sammy return the following night, alone, to be let in.
They were turned away at the door on account of Davis’s skin colour. In March 1950, Sammy went to see Frank at the Copacabana in New York with Buddy Rich. Sinatra and Davis cemented their friendship during this period – and while Davis’s role in the Trio’s generic act at the time featured him doing singing impressions of other singers, Sinatra encouraged him to sing in his own voice. Two years later, Sinatra personally requested The Will Mastin Trio open for him (instead of the Nicholas Brothers) for three weeks at the Capitol Theatre in New York in 1947. The two reconnected in 1945 when Sammy showed up at the stage door of Frank’s CBS radio show in Los Angeles. Sinatra, then 26, was the lead singer, and he and Sammy, aged 15, hit it off. Your results may vary.Sammy first met Sinatra in 1941, when The Will Mastin Trio opened for Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra in Detroit. Looking for things to do in Las Vegas? How about Las Vegas news, hotels, restaurants, shows and attractions? Welcome to the Las Vegas blog that's as exciting as Las Vegas itself. That was a great night and Frankie’s tip was more that i got paid for the Gig. Getting home i dropped the chips on the bed. The Boss just tipped you so use it wisley. He looked at me and said ok your done and being escorted by Mr Huge Guy the guy said here and stuck something in my tux pocket Hey magic guy blow some of your magic on these dice…So of course i did and Bingo he rolled a 7…Winner Winner Chicken Dinner somebody yelled.ĭo it again Magic man….Bingo again a 7…Again Bingo an 11.įourth time he rolled a number and two rolls later ‘he made his point.Blow again lucky. He walked me to the crap table where the Boss Frank Sinatra was shooting craps. Frank Sinatra’s mother, Dolly, was killed in a plane crash 10 years earlier on the exact same mountain.Īs a Magician, back in 1963 i was hired to do some walk around Magic at a party in the Copa Room at the Sands I can not remember who the other Magician was.Īfter my time strolling was up i was headed to the exit.I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around and there was a HUGE guy in a black suit and dark glasses.He said “The Boss wants to see you” Dean Martin’s son, Dean Paul Martin, died in a plane crash in 1987 on the San Gorgonio Mountain in California. Frank Sinatra once ordered 300 Bloody Marys from room service for a Rat Pack party.ġ0. Kennedy would sometimes hang out with the Rat Pack in Vegas, and when they did, they referred to themselves as the “Jack Pack.” A falling out between Sinatra and the Kennedys about Sinatra’s links to the mob got Peter Lawford booted from the group.ĩ. For example, the Sands marquee read: “Dean Martin, Maybe Frank, Maybe Sammy.”Ĩ. Hotel-casino marquees were known to tease the Rat Pack’s appearances. The multi-talented performers sold out almost all of their appearances, and visitors would stream into Las Vegas, often sleeping in their cars if they couldn’t find rooms. In Las Vegas, when a member of the Rat Pack would be scheduled for a performance, the rest of the Rat Pack would turn up for an impromptu show. The Venetian now stands on the former site of the Sands.ħ. The Sands was opened in 1952 and was imploded in 1996. The Copa Room at the Sands was considered the “home” of the Rat Pack. The Rat Pack had several “associate” members, called “Rat Pack Mascots,” including Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, Juliet Prowse and Judy Garland.Ħ. Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop are the ones you don’t recognize.ĥ.