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In the early 40s, both Dean and Sammy idolized Frank Sinatra. 20 years later, they became Sinatra’s cohorts in the Rat Pack, and, through Vegas gigs and increasingly disposable movies, the trio set a standard for grown men behaving badly that’s still influential today. In this episode, we’ll reveal what the Rat Pack’s Vegas shows were really like -- racist, homophobic, misogynist warts and all. We’ll also discuss the web of corruption linking these performers to the Mafia and the Kennedys, culminating in the death of an actress, and the death of the pretense that the Rat Pack racket was all innocent fun.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford in Ocean's 11 , 1960
SHOW NOTES:
Sources for the entire season:
Dino by Nick Tosches
Jerry Lewis In Person by Jerry Lewis and Herb Gluck
In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr. by Will Haygood
Yes I Can: The Autobiography of Sammy Davis Jr. by Sammy Davis Jr., Burt Boyar and Jane Boyar
Sammy: An Autobiography by Sammy Davis Jr. and Jane and Burt Boyar
Rat Pack Confidential by Shawn Levy
His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelley
Deconstructing Sammy: Music, Money, Madness, and the Mob by Matt Birkbeck
Sinatra: The Voice by James Kaplan
Sinatra: The Chairman by James Kaplan
Memories are Made of This by Deana Martin
Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years by David Talbot
Making Movies Black by Thomas Cripps
Mafia Spies: The Inside Story of the CIA, Gangsters, JFK, and Castro by Thomas Maier
My Lucky Stars by Shirley Maclaine
Sources specific to this episode:
Jule: The Story of Composer Jule Styne by Thomas Taylor
Dean Martin at the 1960 Sands Summit Closing Night
Frank Sinatra Joey Bishop & Peter Lawford at the 1960 Sands Summit
Dean Martin Sammy Davis Sinatra Bishop Sands 1960 Part 3
Ocean's 11 (1960) - Bravery Rhymes with Stupid Scene
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Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra onstage, c. 1960s
Music:
The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.
Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:
Everybody Loves Somebody - Dean Martin
Eee-O-Eleven - Sammy Davis Jr
Chai Belltini - Vermouth
Ranch Hand - Truck Stop
Gin Boheme - Vermouth
Entrance Shaft 11 - The Depot
Lowball - Vermouth
Flaked Paint - The Depot
Gibraltar - Unheard Music Concepts
Two Dollar Token - Warmbody
Laser Focus (Piano Improv) - TinyTiny Trio
Cab Ride - Pacha Faro
Guild Rat - El Baul
Alum Drum Solo - Azalai
JFK and Frank Sinatra, c. 1961
Credits:
This episode was written, narrated, and produced by Karina Longworth.
Our editor this season is Evan Viola.
Research and production assistant: Lindsey D. Schoenholtz.
Social media assistant: Brendan Whalen.
Logo design: Teddy Blanks.
