The Holmby Hills Rat Pack
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The so called Holmby Hills Rat Pack was formed in the spring (June) of 1955 at the end of a chartered expedition to Las Vegas to see Noel Coward’s opening at the Desert Inn. Frank organized the trip, and other tavellers besides the Bogies included: Mike and Gloria Romanoff, David Niven, agent Irving Lazar and Martha Hyer, Jimmy Van Heusen and Angie Dickinson, Charlie Feldman, Charles Ledever, Judy Garland and Sid Luft. After 4 days of partying, Bacall surveyed the wreckages of the party and declared, “You look like a god damn Rat Pack. It became official and officers were elected at Romanoff restaurant; Frank was Pack leader, Bacall was the Den mother, Bogie was the Director of PR, Sid Luft was the Acting Cage Master and Benchley as the Honourary Recording Secretary.
Many believe that Frank, being named Pack leader was the leader of the group, however that wasn’t entirely true.Bogie was infact the actual leader, despite the lack of the title “leader”, because it was his house and his booze – he was providing the taste and the tonic that made it more than a drinking club. The aim of the pack was to drink a lot of bourbon and stay up late, turning this group into a legendary 1950s living room drinking society and precursor to Sinatra. This Rat Pack was all about nonconformity, and to hell with anyone who didn’t like it, with the antics of the Holmby Hills Rat Pack always being personal. “Never rat on a rat”, was the motto for Bogie’s Rat Pack. Those words were emblazoned on the official coat of arms for the Holmby Hills Rat Pack. The coat of arms featured a rat gnawing on a human hand, and the members wore gold rat pins with rubies for eyes. The Holmby Hills Rat Pack died with Bogie in 1957. In 1959, Frank decided he would hold his own summit of cool with new members; Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop.
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