The Rat Pack; 1950s and '60s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Dates of birth for members of "The Rat Pack" were,

Frank Sinatra . . . . . . . December 12, 1915
Dean Martin . . . . . . . . June 7, 1917
Joey Bishop . . . . . . . . February 2, 1918
Peter Lawford. . . . . . . September 7, 1923
Sammy Davis Jr. . . . . August 8, 1925

Frank Sinatra was the defacto leader of the group.

Answer: The Summit

"The Rat Pack" was a term adopted and used by the press in reference to the group, but reportedly, the members of the group never referred to themselves by the moniker. The group referred to themselves as the "Summit" or as the "Clan".

An early 1950s version of "The Rat Pack" existed, and was comprised of a group of Hollywood friends. Members of the earlier "Rat Pack" included Humphrey Bogart, a young singer, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, Lorna Luft, Swifty Lazar, Kathryn Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, and Cary Grant. Visiting members of the group included Mickey Rooney, Errol Flynn, and Cesar Romero.

Answer: seven

The seven movies were;

* "Some Came Running" (1958), with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
* "Ocean's Eleven" (1960), with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.
* "Sergeants 3" (1962), with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.
* "4 For Texas" (1963), with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
* "Robin and the Seven Hoods" (1964), with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
* "Marriage On The Rocks" (1965), with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
* "Texas Across The River" (1968), with Dean Martin and Joey Bishop.

Answer: Jayne Mansfield

Blonde sex symbol Jayne Mansfield was a much in demand actress in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her career included appearing in five Broadway stage productions, recording five record albums, roles in over 29 motion pictures, releasing nine record singles, and oh yes, over 30 appearances in "Playboy Magazine" pictorials. With such a busy professional and family schedule, she probably did not have the time to be a part of the infamous "Rat Pack", and she wasn't.

Females members of The Rat Pack included performers Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, Juliet Prowse, and Judy Garland.

Answer: 5

Live concert albums released by members of The Rat Pack were;

* "The Rat Pack Live at the Sands" (1960)
* "Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. - The Summit in Concert 1962" (1962)
* "A Night on the Town With the Rat Pack" (1962)
* "The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection Live and Swingin'" (1962)
* "The Rat Pack on Stage: Las Vegas/St. Louis" (1963)

Answer: 2

All five original members of "The Rat Pack" appeared in "Ocean's Eleven" in 1960 and "Sergeants 3" in 1963.

Answer: DEAN MARTIN ... maybe FRANK ... maybe SAMMY

It was not unusual when one of the performers of the group to appeared in a solo engagement on the Las Vegas stage, to have the other members of the group show up unexpectedly, and surprise the audience with an impromptu performance. Because this was a frequent occurrence, many fans purchased tickets for the solo show in the hopes that the remaining members might show up and perform. To heighten this expectation, the large outdoor marquees used by the establishments teased the customers of the possibility of a surprise guests performances.

Answer: False

The Rat Pack played a pivotal role in the desegregation of Las Vegas hotels and casinos in the early 1960s. The group, lead by Frank Sinatra, would refuse to patronize establishments, or play at venues the did not provide full service to African Americans, both entertainers and patrons, including Sammy Davis, Jr.

The huge popularity of The Rat Pack and their continued ability to draw "stand room only" crowds to their engagements, subjected them to frantic media attention, and Las Vegas establishments were forced to abandon their segregation-based policies.

Answer: False

Peter Lawford was a brother-in-law of Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. The group activity campaigned for Kennedy, and the Democratic Party. It was believed by Frank Sinatra that after Kennedy was elected into office, he would become a part of Kennedy's tight circle of friends.

After the election, Sinatra found that he had been excluded from the Kennedy "Kitchen Cabinet". Sinatra's rumored associations with prominent crime "mob" figures made his a liability and possible threat to the new administration of John F. Kennedy.

Answer: having them replaced in movie roles

Following the election win in 1960 by John F. Kennedy for the Presidency of the United States, Sinatra, who campaigned for Kennedy, was excluded from Kennedy's inner-circle of friends. Sinatra excluded Peter Lawford from the group in 1962, and had Lawford's role in the movie "Robin and the Seven Hoods" (1964) revamped and given to Bing Crosby. Following a falling out with Sammy Davis Jr., Sinatra had Davis replaced in the film, "Never So Few" (1959), a film that starred Sinatra, with Steve McQueen.