Rats, Brats or Frats? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rat

The original Rat Pack was formed in the late 1940s and early 1950s and included a group of A List show business friends who used to all meet and socialise at the home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, called Holmby Hills.

In the very beginning this included Errol Flynn, Nat King Cole, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra and a group that were called 'visiting members' who included Ava Gardner, Robert Mitchum, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, Lena Horne, Jerry Lewis and Cesar Romero.

Different explanations have been given for the name but according to the most popular version Bacall saw her husband and friends coming back from a night out in Las Vegas and commented "You look like a goddamn rat pack."

"Never So Few" was a 1959 movie that starred Sinatra, Peter Lawford and originally had Sammy Davis Jr but he was replaced by Steve McQueen. Set in Burma during World War II, it follows the story of a group of 'Office of Strategic Services' operatives and their guerrilla allies fighting against the Japanese. The film captures the tension, camaraderie and sacrifices of war blending action with human drama.

Answer: Rat

Stephen Bogart, the only son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, lists the original members of what was then called the Holmby Hills Rat Pack differently and recalls them as a 'regular club' with the following titles:

Frank Sinatra (Pack Master), Judy Garland (First Vice-President), Sid Luft (Cage Master), Bogart (Rat in Charge of Public Relations), Swifty Lazar (Recording Secretary and Treasurer), Nathaniel Benchley (Historian) and members David Niven, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, George Cukor, Cary Grant, Rex Harrison and Jimmy Van Heusen.

"Ocean's 11" was a 1960 movie starring Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford, Angie Dickinson, Joey Bishop with a cameo by MacLaine. The plot revolves around Danny Ocean and his 11 accomplices as they plan and execute a daring scheme to rob five Las Vegas casinos in one night. With its stylish setting, witty dialogue and the undeniable cool factor of the Rat Pack the film remains a classic in the heist genre.

Answer: Rat

When Bogart died in 1957 the setting moved from Holmby Hill to the home of Frank Sinatra. Bacall also moved in with Sinatra and the pair were briefly engaged. The two had been having an affair during Bogey's illness.

Sinatra became the official leader of the Rat Pack at this time and by the end of the 1950s it had evolved from a social club to an informal work group to help promote each other's careers. At this time the group had expanded into live Las Vegas shows and different members would show up unannounced at each other's shows to keep the surprise and delight the audiences.

"Seargents 3" was a 1962 movie that brought together the new Rat Pack stars Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. It was a western comedy and a loose adaptation of the classic film "Gunga Din". The story is set in the American West where the Rat Pack members play cavalry officers assigned to protect a desert outpost from hostile Native American tribes.

Answer: Rat

This 'new' Rat Pack was the last official incarnation of the group and is what is now generally accepted as the members. The group included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.

A group of actresses were accepted as 'Rat Pack Mascots' and included Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Juliet Prowse, Buddy Greco, and Shirley MacLaine.

"Texas Across the River" was a 1966 movie starring Martin and Bishop from the Pack and also Alain Delon. The story is set in the 1840s and follows the misadventures of a Louisiana man who inadvertently becomes involved in a conflict between the Texas Rangers and a local Indian tribe. The film blended elements of comedy, action and western adventure.

Answer: Rat

The last change was the dropping of Peter Lawford from the group after he and Sinatra had a falling out. Lawford was President John F Kennedy's brother-in-law - he was married to JFK's sister Patricia. Kennedy often spent time with the Rat Packers when he was in Vegas.

In 1962 Lawford asked Sinatra if he would have Kennedy as a guest at his Palm Springs home and Sinatra apparently went all out to accommodate him. Unfortunately Robert Kennedy was worried about Sinatra's association with some Mafia figures and advised his brother to cancel the visit.

JFK complied and stayed at Bing Crosby's house instead and Sinatra blamed Lawson and never spoke to him again. Lawford was written out of a current project with Sinatra and upcoming films never had the pair together again.

"Salt and Pepper" was a 1968 movie starring Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. The duo plays the owners of a nightclub and the film takes a takes a comedic turn when they find themselves involved in a murder mystery. The plot revolves around the investigation of a series of murders and their characters become amateur sleuths trying to solve the case.

Answer: Brat

The Brat Pack was a name given to a group of actors, in the 1980s, who made numerous films in the teenage 'coming of age genre' that the 80s was famous for. The original group were a bit more diverse but the criteria was defined early on that only actors who had appeared in one, or both, of "The Breakfast Club" and "St Elmo's Fire" would be considered members.

As such this led to the 8 members: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy.

"St Elmo's Fire" also included Mare Winningham but as she never acted with any of the others again it disqualified her from the group.

"The Breakfast Club" is a classic 1995 coming of age film. It starred Estevez, Michael Hall, Nelson, Ringwald and Sheedy as five students, from different socio- economic backgrounds, who end up in detention together on one Saturday and learn that they are not so different after all.

Answer: Brat

The name Brat Pack originated from an article that was written by David Blume for "New York Magazine" as a cover story in June 1985. Blume had intended the story to be about Emilio Estevez but, after Estevez invited him to hang out with him and some friends at The Hard Rock Café, he changed his mind. The St Elmo's group were there and Blum decided to change the focus of his article to the entire young group of actors.
The story was titled "Hollywood's Brat Pack" and was a negative piece about the crowd particularly Estevez, Lowe and Nelson. Instead of focusing on their careers and talent it portrayed them as irresponsible and unprofessional.

"Class" was a 1983 movie that actually predated the Brat Pack but it is included as it starred Andrew McCarthy and Rob Lowe. The story revolved around two roommates at a prestigious prep school. One becomes romantically involved with the other's mother. It explored themes of love, friendship, betrayal and the complications that arise when relationships blur generational boundaries

Answer: Brat

There were other actors of the generation that were associated with the Brat Pack either through friendships or recurring movies and people will sometimes include them. These included Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, James Spader, Robert Downey Jr, Kevin Bacon, Matthew Broderick, John Cusack, Sean Penn, Keifer Sutherland and Lea Thompson to name a few.

"Pretty in Pink" was a 1986 movie that starred Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy. Anthony Michael Hall was offered the part of Duckie but turned it down, as he was afraid of being typecast as the perennial nerd character. The movie was about a classic working class girl with nerdy best friend, who falls in love with the handsome rich boy, and the inevitable happy ever after when they get together in the end. Except for poor Duckie of course who also loves her and ends up with nothing.

Answer: Brat

Apart from different people being named, there are also movies that have been dubbed Brat Pack movies that don't include any of the original core actors. Some of these include:

"Red Dawn" in 1984 that starred C. Thomas Howell, Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey and Lea Thompson.
"Ferris Beullers Day Off" in 1986 starring Matthew Broderick, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey.
"The Lost Boys" from 1987 with Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz and Corey Feldman.

One I didn't include in my chosen movies but I think deserves a mention is the 1983 movie "The Outsiders". What a cast! C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane. The dream team of the 1980s teenage movies.

"Blue City" was a 1986 crime thriller movie starring Judd Nelson and Allison Sheedy. It involves an ex-con returning to his hometown seeking answers about his father's death. It delves into the corrupt practices of the local political and law enforcement figures, uncovering a web of deceit and danger. It blends elements of crime, drama and action as it explores these themes of corruption and justice.

Answer: Brat

So, where are they now?
Molly Ringwald continued an acting career throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium.
Emilio Estevez starred in several further movies, particularly "The Mighty Ducks" trilogy, and then went into directing.
Judd Nelson also continues to act and has starred in "Suddenly Susan" and "Bad Kids Go to Hell".

Ally Sheedy has tended to act in Independent productions and is also a teacher at the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.
Andrew McCarthy has had steady acting roles in smaller movies and television and then began directing TV shows such as "Gossip Girl", "The Blacklist" and "Orange Is the New Black".
Anthony Michael Hall continued acting and eventually got out of his nerdy roles especially in the TV series "The Dead Zone".
Rob Lowe had a major career downturn after scandals in the late 1980s but has since had a career resurgence in TV roles, beginning in 1999 with "The West Wing" which he then followed up with "Brothers & Sisters", "Parks and Recreation", "Code Black" and " 9-1-1:Lone Star".
Demi Moore was the big star to come out of the Pack. Starting with the blockbuster "Ghost" in 1990, she kept following it with leading roles in many box office hits. By the mid-1990s she was the highest paid actress.

"About Last Night" was a 1986 movie that starred Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. It followed the romantic relationship between the two characters as they tried to balance their personal dreams and aspirations and their romantic life. While not one of the most successful of the Brat Pack movies it received praise for its realistic portrayal of relationships in the 'real' world.

Answer: Frat

So, into the 1990s and we have a new group dominating the screen and the emergence of the Frat Pack. Very originally this was attributed to a group of actors who worked in dramas together and included Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Edward Norton, but was changed in 2005 to a group of American comedy actors who starred in the high grossing comedies of the time.

This is another group that kept expanding over time but I am going to focus on the original 6 - Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Jack Black and Vince Vaughn.

"Old School" was a 2003 movie with three of the actors, Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell, in leading roles. It revolved around 3 friends who moved into a house near a college campus and attempted to recapture their college days by creating a fraternity.

Answer: Frat

The Frat Pack term stems from college fraternities and the 'sophomoric' style of humour in these movies and was solidified after "Old School" was released. I must admit sophomoric does sound a much better word than juvenile, as it is referred to by many theatre patrons who do not like this form of comedy. Like it or not, this group has honed the formula into multimillion dollar movies.

After the genre grew Steve Carell, John C. Reilly, Seth Rogan and David Koechner were also included in the Pack.

"Envy" was released in 2004 with Ben Stiller and Jack Black as the two Fratpackers involved. They star as friends whose lives take different terms when one becomes rich and famous and the other doesn't. It explores themes of friendship, success and the consequences of envy.

Answer: Frat

The Frat Packers also have a number of directors that have worked on a number of their movies:
Wes Anderson directed both "Bottle Rocket" and "The Royal Tenenbaums".
Todd Phillips directed "Old School" and "Starsky & Hutch".
Adam McKay directed "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby", and "Step Brothers".
The Farrelly Brothers have directed "There's Something About Mary", "The Heartbreak Kid", "Shallow Hal" and "Hall Pass".
Judd Apatow has been a writer, director and producer for the pack. In these roles he has been involved with "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and its sequel, "Step Brothers", "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up".

"Starsky and Hutch" was released in 2004 and was based on the 1970's TV series. It starred Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn. While paying homage to the original series it also satirised the buddy cop genre.

Answer: Frat

Surprisingly, all the Frat Pack have never all appeared in the same movie, not even just including the original six. "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" is the closest they have come. Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and Steve Carell had leading roles in the movie. Vince Vaughn had a supporting role, Luke Wilson had a minor role and Ben Stiller and Jack Black had cameo parts. The only one missing was Owen Wilson.
They have all hosted "Saturday Night Live" and Stiller, Ferrell and Koechner have been cast members. They have all also been presenters at the Academy Awards.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" was a 2001 movie that had Stiller and both Wilson brothers. It also had a huge ensemble cast including Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Houston and Gene Hackman. The movie revolves around the eccentric and dysfunctional Tenenbaum family, whose patriarch, Royal Tenenbaum, feigns a terminal illness to reconnect with his estranged wife and their three gifted, but troubled, children.

Answer: Frat

Not all Frat Pack movies have to be comedies but they have to have at least one comedy character within them. The movie "Permanent Midnight" is an example. It is a drama but, because the lead character is a comedy writer and it stars Stiller and Owen Wilson, it qualifies for the genre.

"The Big Year" is a 2011 movie that had Jack Black and Owen Wilson and also starred Steve Martin. The movie revolves around three bird enthusiasts who participate in a "big year", a competition to see who can spot the greatest number of bird species in North America within a calendar year. It explores the theme of pursuing one's passion even when faced with challenges and competition. The film combines elements of comedy and drama and it showcases the characters' personal journeys and the impact of their obsession on their lives.