Who was in the ‘Rat Pack’ and how did they get their name?
Is the ‘Rat Pack’ still a better-known cultural entity than the ‘Brat Pack’? Don’t be so sure on this one. One is arguably a parody of the other—a crew of cherubic, hair-sprayed teens in the 1980s pretending they were as cool and ruthless as Frank Sinatra and his mob-tied pals.
It’s worth noting, though, that only about 25 years separated the Ocean’s 11 era ‘Rat Pack’ from the Sixteen Candles era ‘Brat Pack’. By comparison, another 40 years have passed to get us to the present day, meaning there are a lot more people walking around with nostalgic thoughts of Emilio Estevez than Joey Bishop.
So, for the sake of re-educating the populace, Manchurian Candidate style, let’s talk about the original ‘Rat Pack’—how it started, what it became, and why we mainly remember it in one of its later iterations.
For one thing, contrary to popular belief, the group wasn’t originally Frank Sinatra’s invention. The name first emerged from the orbit of another remarkably cool customer, Humphrey Bogart, and his wife, actress Lauren Bacall, in the 1950s.
How the Rat Pack became Sinatra’s showbiz empire
Their inner circle of Hollywood friends, which included Judy Garland, David Niven, and Spencer Tracy, would hang out at Bogart and Bacall’s place in Los Angeles, staying up late into the night drinking, smoking, and exchanging stories. One morning, after observing the aftermath of one of these gatherings, Bacall reportedly quipped, “You look like a goddamn rat pack”. The name stuck, at least privately.
When Bogart died in 1957, Sinatra gradually became the de facto leader of a new circle. Sinatra’s crew, like Bogart’s, was heavy with celebrities, but it had a more performative edge, both on and off-stage. Over time, the public began referring to Sinatra’s circle as the ‘Rat Pack’, and this group took on a cultural life of its own.
The most recognisable members—the so-called “core five”—were Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. Sinatra, of course, was the magnetic crooner in the midst of a push into more dramatic acting roles. Dean Martin, fresh off his break-up with comedy partner Jerry Lewis, brought a laid-back charm with his boozy lounge singer image and smooth baritone.
“The success of the Rat Pack or the Clan was due to the camaraderie, the three guys who work together and kid each other and love each other”.
Samm Davis Jr
Sammy Davis Jr was the group’s multi-talented dynamo: an expert singer, dancer, actor, and impressionist, who also broke racial barriers as the only Black member. Joey Bishop, a comedian and TV personality, was the behind-the-scenes joke writer and emcee, often credited with keeping the banter tight. Peter Lawford, an English actor, brought the Hollywood glamour and a fresh batch of political connections, being married to John F Kennedy’s sister, Patricia.
Together, they were a potent mix of talent, charisma, and showbiz clout. Their live shows in Las Vegas, often spontaneous and sloshy affairs at the Sands Hotel, became legendary for their blend of comedy, musical numbers, and off-the-cuff chemistry.
Offstage, they appeared in a string of films together, most famously 1960’s aforementioned heist caper Ocean’s 11, which showcased the quintet’s camaraderie and effectively locked in the group’s public persona for an audience that would never set foot in Vegas.
In the end, the Ocean’s 11 era might have also misrepresented the group a tad. While the Pack was looser and less formal than many fanbases today would imagine, the film communicated a concrete image that has endured for 60 years: tuxedos, highballs, showgirls, and all. By comparison, the group’s considerable political influence, with Lawford’s Kennedy ties, Sinatra’s Democratic fundraising, and Davis’ civil rights advocacy have all largely been forgotten, replaced more with a general sense of the ‘Rat Pack’s’ willingness to associate with some of Vegas’s shadier, unelected power brokers.
The legacy of the ‘Rat Pack’, as made evident by the modern approximation of the group in the 2001 remake of Ocean’s 11 starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon, was a specific type of American masculinity that many still aspire to. Expensive cars, suits, and jewellery aren’t just shown off stoically, but outwardly celebrated. These are men who like to have a laugh, tip back more than a few drinks, and win over the girl with the least amount of effort possible. Plus, unlike Clooney and co, they could all sing like canaries; rats, though, they may have been.
