Rat Pack Days!
posted:
Jumping right onto the celebrity show and tell bandwagon, I thought I’d post MY story.
Near the end of the famous “Rat Pack” era, Dino had to take time off to recuperate from a bad hernia operation. Apparently, he had “strained” himself in Palm Springs moving a refrigerator for his ailing mother! A client of mine was a job printer who worked for a lot of sketchy nightclub owners with reputed “mob” ties. Mostly I did cheesy napkin and matchbook graphics for him. One day he mentioned that the Chairman was looking for a temp to fill in for Dino and before I could say Ring-a-Ding, I was on a bus to Vegas! Since I couldn’t sing or dance and I wasn’t funny yet, I mostly hung around the casino lobbies and corralled the “ponies” for later on. Of my time spent with the guys, I can only say that the public image of the Rat Pack was not really representative of the actual goings on. There was a lot more talk about athlete’s foot and support hose than broads and booze for starters, let me tell you! The biggest thrill of all was watching Sammy and May through the motel keyhole in our pajamas. We laughed so hard that the tinkling ice in our Manhattans gave us away! If we only had cell phone cameras back then! This picture was taken at the Sands. My face is yellow from jaundice that I caught from an infected Philippina hooker Sammy set me up with in retaliation for spying. At least I can say that I’M still alive!
