Rat Pack Confidential
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White House adulteries, 210 See also Rat Pack
Lawford, Sir Sydney (father), 66, 67–68, 72
Lawford, Victoria Francis (daughter), 79
Lazar, Swifty, 31, 36, 228, 232
Leigh, Janet, 63, 131
in JFK campaign, 173, 181
Lemmon, Jack, 118
LeRoy, Mervyn, 76, 188
Lester, Buddy, 197, 228
Lewis, Jerry, 58, 180
Mafia and, 146, 244
Dean Martin and, 39, 40–41, 44–47, 96, 112, 268
solo career, 35, 156, 308
Lewis, Joe E., 131, 181, 202, 208, 352
LoCigno, Sam, 256–257
Lollobrigida, Gina, 265, 266
Luciano, Lucky, 142, 143
McGuire, Phyllis, 151, 241, 245, 275, 317
MacLaine, Shirley, 320
JFK campaign and inauguration, 172, 181, 192,
movie career, 49–50, 51, 119, 338
on Rat Pack women, 216
on Sinatra, 24, 227
McQueen, Steve, 84
Mafia
FBI surveillance, 241–249, 252, 253, 272, 334–335
in Havana, Cuba, 93, 107, 141–144
Joseph Kennedy’s connections with, 80, 105, 178, 189, 273
Robert Kennedy’s investigations of, 147, 178, 240, 243, 245, 247
in Las Vegas, 93–94, 96–100, 102, 103, 104–108, 245, 327
in Miami, 147–148, 157–158
ownership of Copacabana Nightclub, 96, 146
show business connections, 146–147, 151–152, 244, 252–254
Sinatra’s connections with, 23, 94, 101, 103, 141–145, 147–149, 252–254, 335 See also Cohen, Mickey
Giancana, Sam
Lansky, Meyer
Maheu, Robert, 153, 241–243
Maltz, Albert, 76, 174–176
Manchurian Candidate, The, (Condon) (novel), 235
Manchurian Candidate, The, (movie), 233, 235–236, 289
Mannes, Marya, 208
Marcello, Carlos, 102, 142
Marriage on the Rocks, 315
Martin, Dean
Cal-Neva Lodge ownership, 272, 273
Judith Campbell and, 122–123
career decline, 297–298, 337–340
character, 41, 87, 212, 220, 228
childhood, 42–43
Dean Martin Show, The, 315–316, 321, 322
decline and death, 335–336, 345–346
denies Rat Pack’s existence, 205
earnings, 119, 265–266, 321–322
Friars Club roast, 81, 90
JFK campaign and inauguration, 172, 193
Las Vegas holdings, 101
Jerry Lewis and, 39, 40–41, 45–47, 96, 112, 268
Mafia and, 145–146, 250, 252–253, 273, 335–336
movie career, 47–52, 193, 197–198, 265–266, 268, 313, 315
nicknames, 114
in Ocean’s Eleven, 6, 119, 120, 130, 131
Sinatra’s friendship with, 39–40, 51–52, 87, 111–113
singing career, 44, 47, 51, 52, 137–138, 297, 322, 338
Sleep Warm, 51, 52
Summit performances, 125–128
women and, 220–221 See also Rat Pack
Martin, Dean, Jr., 337
Martin, Dick, 317–318
Martin, Elizabeth MacDonald (Mrs. Dean), 44, 46
Martin, Jeannie Biegger (Mrs. Dean), 46, 123, 220, 322
Mastin, Will, 56, 57, 59–62, 63, 164, 165, 308, 344
Mayer, Louis B., 21, 71, 262
Merrill, Robert, 96
Miami, 148, 155–160
Milestone, Lewis, as Ocean’s Eleven director, 5, 118–120, 129–130
Miller, Mitch, 21
Minnelli, Vincente, 48, 50–51
Misfits, The, 273
Mob. See Mafia
Monroe, Marilyn, 151, 273
decline and death, 261, 274–275, 283–286
JFK and, 182, 183, 261, 284
Peter Lawford and, 71, 261, 284
Moulin Rouge Hotel (Las Vegas), 104, 163, 167–168
Movies
Academy Awards, 9, 23, 51, 76
Joey Bishop’s career in, 6, 120, 131, 199–200, 263, 313
Sammy Davis, Jr.’s career in, 63–64, 84, 198, 263, 288, 289, 338
Peter Lawford’s career in, 71–72, 79, 83, 130, 198–199, 259–260, 307, 309
Dean Martin’s career in, 47–52, 193, 197–198, 265–266, 268, 313, 315, 321, 338
Rat Pack. See Four for Texas
Marriage on the Rocks
Ocean’s Eleven
Robin and the Seven Hoods
Sergeants Three
Sinatra’s career in, 9, 21–23, 39–40, 48–51, 173–175, 197–200, 235–236, 265–269, 288–289, 338 See also specific titles
Music
big band era, 18–19, 25, 57
rock ’n’ roll, 156–157, 267, 350–351 See also specific artists
Mutiny on the Bounty, 130
NAACP, integration of Las Vegas, 163
Neal, Bob, 157, 211, 212
Nevada Gaming Commission, 107, 142, 276–280
Never So Few, 79, 83–84, 197
Niven, David, 30, 31
Nixon, Richard, 189–190, 320–321
Novak, Kim, 162
O’Brien, Marty. See Sinatra, Marty (father)
Ocean’s Eleven
filming, 5–6, 84–85, 119–121, 129–130, 133
premiere in Las Vegas, 131–132
Sinatra as producer, 81, 84, 118, 119
story development, 117–118
Olsen, Ed, 276–280, 282.
Operation Mongoose, 153, 158, 334
Paar, Jack, 91, 131–132
Paich, Marty, 202
Parsons, Louella, 36, 78
Patriarca, Raymond, 105
Pearl, Ralph, 132
Piermont, Sidney, 60
Podell, Jules (“Julie”), 91, 95–96, 146
Poitier, Sidney, 170, 192
Porgy and Bess (movie), 63
Presley, Elvis, television special
with Sinatra, 156–160, 175
Prowse, Juliet, 123, 192
Puccini (restaurant), 79, 182, 239
Raft, George, 119, 233
Rat Pack
Lauren Bacall coins name, 31–32
Joey Bishop expelled from, 287
Bogart in, 31–33
criticisms of, 131–132, 204–205, 206–208
decline of, 265, 297–298, 351–354
denials of existence, 204–206, 339–340
JFK presidential campaign, 131, 171–174, 181–183
Las Vegas lifestyle, 3–6, 8, 32–33, 120–122
Peter Lawford expelled from, 240
membership requirements, 6–7, 32–33, 112–113, 115
movies. See Four for Texas
Marriage on the Rocks
Ocean’s Eleven
Robin and the Seven Hoods
Sergeants Three
nicknames in, 114–115
women and, 210–212 See also Summit (Rat Pack nightclub act)
individual members.
Rayburn, Samuel, 77
Reagan, Ronald, 330
Reprise Records, 201–203, 252, 281, 301, 307
Rickles, Don, 6, 228
Riddle, Nelson, 133, 134, 291
Riviera Hotel (Las Vegas), 104, 120, 166, 168, 321
Rizzo, Jilly, 228, 232, 327
Robin and the Seven Hoods, 286, 288–289, 298
Rock ‘n’ roll, impact of, 156–157, 297, 350–351
Roemer, Bill, 246–247, 334
Romanoff, Mike, 31, 211, 228, 232
Romanoff’s (restaurant), 31, 243
Rondelli’s (restaurant), 256
Rooney, Mickey, 58, 330
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 20, 192
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 77
Roosevelt, Franklin D., Jr., 178
Rosemary’s Baby, 302
Rosselli, Johnny
death of, 333
>
as Giancana’s employee, 153, 158, 242–243, 245, 248–249, 273–274
Sinatra’s acquaintance with, 23, 148
Rowan, Dan, 241, 242, 243, 317–318
Royal Nevada Hotel (Las Vegas), 168
Rubirosa, Porfirio, 209, 211, 309
Sahl, Mort, 182
Salinger, Pierre, 209, 212
Salt and Pepper, 309
Sands Hotel (Las Vegas), 124
dismantled, 347–348
integration of, 167, 170
Mafia ownership, 96–99, 103
Ocean’s Eleven filming, 120–121
popularity among entertainers, 95–96, 101–102
purchase by Howard Hughes, 324
Sinatra’s feud with management, 321, 324–329 See also Summit (Rat Pack nightclub act)
Sands, Tommy, 188–189
Sanicola, Hank
as Cal-Neva Lodge partner, 232, 272, 273
Sinatra’s friendship with, 26, 135, 228
Santana (yacht), 31, 34
Sawyer, Grant, 107, 163, 280
Schlesinger, Arthur, 260
Schneider, Romy, 309
Sergeants Three, 197–199, 206
Sevano, Nick, 26
Shaw, Irwin, 47
Shriver, Eunice, 211
Siegel, Benny, 93–94, 97, 143, 148
Siegel, Sol, 48, 51
Silva, Henry, 85, 197, 263
Sinatra, Barbara Marx (Mrs. Frank), 229, 336
Sinatra, Frank
affair with Lauren Bacall, 30, 34–37, 224
affair with Judith Campbell, 122–123, 179–180, 222–223
affair with Marilyn Monroe, 285
All Alone, 136
Cal-Neva Lodge ownership, 272–282, 324
career begins, 18–19
career declines, 21–23, 27–28, 95, 297–300, 323–324, 329, 337–340, 346–347, 352–354
character, 10, 24–26, 50, 221–225, 227–230, 244
childhood, 15–18, 24–25, 75
criticisms of, 143–144, 175–176, 204, 207–208, 282
denies Rat Pack’s existence, 204, 339
earnings, 21, 119–120, 265–266, 282
feud and reconciliation with Sammy Davis, Jr., 83–84
feud with Sands Hotel management, 322, 324–329
friendship with Joey Bishop, 87, 90, 112, 113, 314
friendship with Bogart, 24, 30–32, 35
friendship with Sammy Davis, Jr., 54–55, 57, 60–61, 112–113, 185–187, 228, 229, 304
friendship with Giancana, 49, 151–153, 157–158, 178, 251, 281–282
friendship with JFK, 80–81, 122, 196, 204, 209, 210–211, 224, 260
friendship with Joseph Kennedy, 80, 209, 211, 238
friendship with Peter Lawford, 78–81, 83, 113, 211–212, 228, 261–262, 332
friendship with Dean Martin, 39–40, 51–52, 87, 111–113
“High Hopes,”, 173
JFK breaks relations with, 236–239, 244, 248
JFK inaugural gala, 192–193, 195–196, 209
JFK presidential campaign, 131, 133, 171–176, 177, 181–183, 188, 189–190
Jacqueline Kennedy’s dislike of, 210–211
Kennedys pressured for Giancana by, 247–250
kidnapping of son, Frank Jr., 291–293
Las Vegas holdings, 99, 101, 102, 103, 325, 328
Mafia connections, 23, 94, 101, 103, 141–145, 147–150, 252–254, 335
Man and His Music, A, 300
marriage to Mia Farrow, 157, 300–303, 323–324, 325
marriage to Ava Gardner, 22, 27, 35, 78, 223–224, 231
marriage to Barbara Marx, 336
marriage to Nancy, 20, 22, 223
movie career, 9, 21, 39–40, 48–51, 173–175, 197–199, 235–236, 265–269, 288–289, 338
movie production companies, 118, 119, 197, 201–202, 265, 267, 281
near-drowning episode, 298–299, 313
Nice and Easy, 133–134, 213–214
nicknames, 114
Ocean’s Eleven and, 6, 81, 84, 117–118, 120, 129, 131, 133
“Ol’ MacDonald,”, 188, 203
Only the Lonely, 9, 134
Palm Springs estate renovation, 236–237
Point of No Return, 212, 214
political liberalism, 20, 74, 77
Elvis Presley television special, 156–157, 159–160, 175
Ring-a-Ding-Ding!, 115–116, 202–203
as sex symbol and teen idol, 20, 21
Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos jobim, 300
Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!, 188, 214
suicide attempts, 22
Summit performances, 126–127, 128, 159
television career, 9, 40, 112, 156–157, 159–160, 175, 190, 298
vocal artistry of, 18, 19, 21, 115, 134, 140, 188, 213–214, 300 See also Rat Pack
Sinatra, Frank, Jr. (son)
Sinatra and His Rat Pack (Gehman), 208
Sinatra, Marty (father), 16–17, 75
Sinatra, Nancy (daughter), 20, 157, 189, 273
show business career, 159, 301, 315
Sinatra, Nancy (Mrs. Frank), 20, 22, 223
Sinatra, Natalie Garavante
(“Dolly”) (mother), 74–75, 337
relationship with Frank, 15–18, 25, 223
Skelton, Red, 96, 119, 192
Skolsky, Sidney, 205, 207
Smith, Keely, 131, 151, 192
Some Came Running, 48, 50–51
Stacher, Joseph (“Doc”), 98–99, 142
Stardust Hotel (Las Vegas), 98, 104, 108
Stevenson, Adlai, 77, 172, 192
Summit (Rat Pack nightclub act), 11, 103–104
as generational symbol, 349–350, 353–354
JFK at, 122, 173
Las Vegas performances, 125–129, 131–132
in Miami, 156, 157–160
reunions, 313–315, 337–340 See also Rat Pack
Tahoe, Lake. See Cal-Neva Lodge
Taratino, Jimmy, 26, 148
Taylor, Elizabeth, 71, 206, 251, 331
Teamsters Union, funding Mafia activities, 108, 178, 272
Television
Joey Bishop’s career in, 91, 159, 311–313
Dean Martin Show, The, 315–316, 321, 322
Peter Lawford’s career in, 79, 190, 317
Martin and Lewis on, 45
Elvis Presley special, 156–157, 159–160, 175
Sinatra’s career in, 9, 21, 40, 112, 190, 298
Tonight Show, The, 91, 330
Thomas, Danny, 90, 96
Thunderbird Hotel (Las Vegas), 97
Tracy, Spencer, 188
Tropicana Hotel (Las Vegas), 106, 321
Trumbo, Dalton, 174
Tucker, Sophie, 100, 131
Turner, Lana, 71
Vanderbilt, Gloria, 39
Van Heusen, Jimmy, 203
Sinatra’s friendship with, 26, 31–32, 211, 228, 229–230, 232, 239
Varsity, the, 26
Warner Bros.
Four for Texas, 265, 268–269
Ocean’s Eleven, 118, 119, 120, 129, 131
Warner, Jack, 5, 118, 129, 130, 281
Waterman, Sanford, 273, 329
Watkins, Sammy, 44
Wayne, John, 175, 176
Welles, Orson, 77
Whalen, Jack (“The Enforcer”), 255
Wilder, Billy, 118
Will Mastin Trio, 56–57, 59–62, 63, 164, 165–166
Wynn, Keenan, 71
Young Lions, The, 47, 51
Your Hit Parade, 21, 60
Acknowledgments
Five central figures, a dozen key peripheral characters, eight or so movies, a couple score record albums, a presidential campaign, a record company, two casinos, and innumerable marriages, liaisons, cabals, scandals, cigarettes, and drinks: This could have been a three-thousand-page book, easy. The Rat Pack may have been a fanciful little clique that came and went with little obvious meaning, but it was a uniquely disparate phenomenon w
ith roots and impact far beyond the careers and lives of its principals. Finding it all out and getting it all down would require a Gibbon, a Proust, a CD-ROM.
In defining a project that stood a chance of actually getting into print in something like a timely fashion, I made a few philosophical choices that defined my research and my orientation. The key decision, from which all others flowed, was to treat my work not as biography but as analysis: Rather than record punctiliously every date and sum of money, rather than track down every supernumerary and witness, rather than aspire to a chronicle of quotidiana, I would view the Rat Pack as a kind of organic phenomenon, a being that lived for a few years around the turn of the sixties with roots stretching back into its principals’ childhoods and effects haunting them until their deaths. The emphasis would be on explaining what made them come together, what they did, why people cared, and what happened after it all unraveled.
Assessing the research materials at my disposal with that in mind, and never forgetting that I wouldn’t have either the number of pages or a sufficiently protracted working period to tell the story exhaustively, I came to see that, by and large, I had everything I needed. The Rat Pack—like Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Kennedys, and the mob—has been visited by scores of writers and researchers, starting with the journalists and critics who wrote contemporaneously of their doings and stretching over the decades to include the authors of literally dozens of books. There were biographies and autobiographies of the principals, there were books of film and music criticism, there were accounts of the 1960 presidential campaign, of Las Vegas history, of organized crime, of the rise and fall of traditional showbiz—and thousands of articles, ranging from lengthy essays and interviews to one-inch pieces from the Hollywood trades. The trick was not going to be finding things, but winnowing down the mass, synthesizing what was left.
So, chief among the people I’d like to thank for their help in this book are a number of people whom I’ve never met but upon whose work I built.
Several authors have limned the life of Frank Sinatra: Nancy Sinatra, so careful with dates and figures; Will Friedwald, possessed of both a fine ear and a tireless fascination with Frank’s musical world; Arnold Shaw, who wrote earliest and most gracefully of the full scope of Frank’s life; and, yes, Kitty Kelley, who got a hell of a lot down on paper for once and for all, for better or for worse.
Peter Lawford has been the subject of three books, but James Spada’s lords above the others with unquestionable authority. Sammy Davis Jr. wrote with impressive candor about his own life on three separate occasions. And Dean Martin, so elusive in life, has been captured forever, and gloriously, in print by Nick Tosches—il miglior fabbro, if I might be so bold.