Since the 1960s, the Rat Pack has been an iconic group of talents that have won countless hearts.
To those who do, prepare to be taken back in time when this gang made people laugh with their simple yet hilarious comedy acts.
The Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers that started with A-list celebrities hanging out at Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s home.
A decade later, the Rat Pack gang came alive again with the talents of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.
In the 1960s, they banded together and performed whimsical comedy acts and music live at Las Vegas’s casino lounges.
Moreover, these people appeared in various comedy movies like Ocean’s 11, Johnny Cool, Robin and the Seven Hoods and Sergeants Three.
Although a lot of people have seen their hilarious acts in movies, there are still plenty of people out there who likely haven’t seen them onstage.
When the gang found huge success after their comedy films, particularly Ocean’s 11, Sinatra organized a “summit meeting,” summoning the Rat Pack to St. Louis’ Kiel Opera House. They specifically organized for a benefit concert for Dismas House, which was a national halfway home for convicts. The halls were crowded with people who paid to watch them, so viewing rooms had to be set up where their concert was broadcasted on closed-circuit televisions.
It was certainly a night to remember with Sinatra, Martin and Davis onstage!
As Joey Bishop could not attend the show because of his bad back, Johnny Carson was able to fill in as the group’s emcee. It was a peculiar comedy show with a bit of music. Though there were plenty of laughs to be had, they also sang various song numbers just like Sinatra’s “My Kind of Town,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and the final performance of “The Birth of the Blues.”
Throughout the video, the performance shows the Rat Pack’s diverse set of talents.
The pack’s show was approaching its finale and they prepared to sing “The Birth of the Blues” before they end the show.
It started with Sinatra, Martin and Davis making people laugh with their jokes. After that, they introduced Quincy Jones who was there to direct the whole Count Basie Orchestra as the comedians prepare to sing their song. Later, as they were about to sing, they were joined by Johnny Carson on-stage.
Even Sinatra and Martin could not help but crack up with the sudden jokes that Davis was making!
As Jones led the orchestra in a jazzy tune, the four sang the song with grace. Even in the middle of the song they were able to insert quips to continue the entertainment. At the end of the show, the gang walked offstage with their silly walk.
The whole clip is a hidden gem that makes us wish we could’ve seen this show in person!
The performance is now five decades old, but luckily people can relive this night as a copy of the film has been preserved and restored.
The performance was released as a part of the Ultimate Rat Pack Collection: Live and Swingin. If you’re a fan of any of these talented performers on their own, you simply have to check this out!
Watch the full performance by clicking on the link below:
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