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| FROM ST. LOUIS |
| *********************************** Davis, Rat Pack sing and play again at Kiel By Daniel Durchholz Special to the Post-Dispatch 10/10/2003 The 1965 appearance in St. Louis of (from left) Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. marked the only time the trio of Rat Packers were captured on camera in a live concert perormance. Carson was replacing Rat Pack member Joey Bishop. On June 20, 1965, Johnny Carson, only three years into his stint as host of "The Tonight Show," stepped to a microphone on the stage of St. Louis' Kiel Opera House and introduced Frank Sinatra by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present our hoodlum singer." Somehow, his kneecaps remained intact. The line was actually a pretty good in-joke. Sinatra's appearance — along with his other Rat Pack pallies Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. — was a benefit for Dismas House, a halfway house for ex-convicts founded by Father Charles Dismas Clark, who was immortalized in the 1961 film "The Hoodlum Priest," which was set and shot in St. Louis. "The Frank Sinatra Spectacular" — for which ticket prices ranged from $10 to $250 (the latter amount granting patrons a champagne dinner and preshow cocktail party with the entertainers) — was broadcast to 10 cities via closed circuit. According to a report published in the Post-Dispatch in 1965, approximately $300,000 was raised for Dismas House. More significant to fans of the Rat Pack, though, is the film of that show still exists. It was lost for decades but found in 1997 and shown at the Museums of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills and New York. Later, it aired twice on the cable channel TV Land. Now the film has been restored and is being released on Tuesday as part of a CD/DVD package, "Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection" (Reprise Records; suggested retail price, $24.98; available Tuesday). "It was discovered accidentally," says Bill Zehme, author of the best-selling appreciation "The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'." "CBS had done a documentary on Sinatra. It was written by Andy Rooney and narrated by Walter Cronkite. They followed Frank through his whole St. Louis experience. Some footage of the concert was included in that documentary, which is also available: It's called 'Sinatra: Off the Record.' "That tape came to light around 1996. A friend of the Sinatra family was watching it and said, 'Look, there are cameras on the stage.' That made them wonder if film of the entire concert existed somewhere." It did, and Nancy Sinatra had it in storage. Even under normal circumstances, the film would constitute a major find. What makes it the mother lode of Rat Pack worship, however, is that it's the only time Frank, Sammy and Dean were ever captured on camera in a live concert performance. "It's amazing," Zehme says. "Here are these four kings of the night — three from Las Vegas and one from the television screen (Carson was a last-minute replacement for an ailing Joey Bishop) — who all descend on (St. Louis) and make history." The DVD looks great — "You're so close to these guys you can smell their cologne," Zehme says. "You can see Frank's forceps scars." It also contains incredible performances. Martin appears first and croons some of his hits, all the while doing his lovable lush routine. At one point he belches and comments, "I got enough gas to go to Pittsburgh." In sharp contrast, Davis practically explodes on the stage. He reminisces about playing a vaudeville house in St. Louis with his dad and uncle; he sings (backed by the Count Basie Orchestra, no less), dances, does impressions and tells jokes on himself. "I'm colored, Jewish and Puerto Rican. When I move into a neighborhood, I wipe it out," he says. "The cool thing about it is, he always wins," Zehme says of Davis. "People forget when they see Dean and Frank go off on him — the politically incorrect stuff — Sammy is always allowed to win. His performances shine. Both of the other boys stand back for him, he's that powerful. And ultimately he gets the last laugh." Sinatra does his set last (backed by Basie and conductor Quincy Jones), and then all four entertainers bring the show to a rollicking conclusion, with Carson even gamely singing a few lines. The CD in the package isn't nearly as astounding, but the circumstances surrounding its recording are. It's from a weeklong stand the trio performed at the Villa Venice, a nightclub on the outskirts of Chicago that was owned by gangster Sam "Momo" Giancana. The trio didn't get paid for their engagement. It was allegedly payback for the favors Giancana had done for Frank (and, in turn, the Kennedy family, who asked for the help) in fixing the 1960 presidential election. "That place got torched within a year of the gig," Zehme says. "Imagine that." |
| Posted by: Nancy Oct 16, 2003 6:19 PM |
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News Comments |
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Good damp cloudy chilly (45degF) morning from TROY, OHIO-USA: Great news, I'll have my local video store be on the look out for this priceless historical footage.....Thank you Thank you Thank you !!!! Respectfully, |
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Posted by: DOUGofOHIO Oct 17, 2003 5:56 AM |
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great review, can't wait to see the show (anyway, there are the usual sentences in it: "lost show", "sam giancana" etc..... can't they ever leave that out? it's a great programme and i hope to see the other dismas tributes too; this is a great start! great variety programme, my kind of entertainment :) |
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Posted by: steffen Oct 17, 2003 9:51 AM |
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oh i forgot, if they ever write a review for the upcoming 1967 and 1969 dismas specials, they have to mention my name, because the tapes were found because I asked nancy sinatra if they had the tapes in their archives *laugh*. she replied she's gotta look, and then said, yes we have them :)) |
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Posted by: steffen Oct 17, 2003 9:53 AM |
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My mistake.... I have seen a 1962-3? Rat Pack concert of them at the sands. Will that ever be released? I now own and have watched the Dismas special on T.V. Land way back when. |
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Posted by: Col.JosephRyan Oct 17, 2003 3:47 PM |
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Hi I must get that one. A piece of American history. How do we go about that? Someone email me please... barry@bwm1.demon.co.uk Thanks, Barry. |
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Posted by: Barry Oct 18, 2003 11:41 PM |
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I would like to buy that DVD as well...please someone give me the name and how I can get it. |
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Posted by: sheila pike Oct 19, 2003 6:01 PM |
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I'd also like to get this package! |
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Posted by: Bret Oct 20, 2003 12:08 AM |
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This one I will leave SKid marks outta the driveway to go buy at the local FYE store! GREAT! CIAO BABY! Domenic Vitanza Parma Hts, Ohio |
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Posted by: Domenico Oct 25, 2003 12:52 PM |
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