Question of the Day - 09 August 2018

Unless the Golden Gate has proof that we haven't seen or heard of, there might be a little license taken by Bar Prohibition! We couldn't come up with any photo or written evidence, so we contacted a couple of experts.

Geoff Schumacher, historian and senior director of content for the Mob Museum, tells us, “I’ve never heard of the Golden Gate being a Rat Pack hangout. The only potential option would be if they hung out there maybe once or twice when they had the movie premieres downtown: Ocean’s Eleven or Robin and the Seven Hoods. I think both of those debuted downtown; this was where the movie theaters were located and maybe they hung out at the Golden Gate afterward.” 

Mike Weatherford, who's The Man when it comes to all matters Rat Pack-related, says, “I’ve never seen anything one way or another. I’d be skeptical. Other than the fact that it was around then, those boys seemed partial to the Sands (Frank had something akin to today’s endorsement deals to promote it.) Wasn’t there sort of a snootiness that downtown was ‘sawdust joints’? Then again, it was where the movies and stores were.” He adds that the only photo he’s seen of the Rat Pack gracing downtown was for the Ocean’s Eleven premiere.

By the way, even decades later, the Rat Pack continues to reign supreme, if our latest Las Vegas personality popularity poll is any indication: Frank, Dean, and Sammy placed first, third, and fifth respectively.