The festive season began early for the Society with mulled wine and mince pies at our meeting on December 1st. The entertainment was also similarly relaxed and warming as our guest speaker, Martin Shults, recalled the lives and songs of “The Rat Pack”, that legendary group of Hollywood stars. Surprisingly this had been formed by Humphrey Bogart and it was his wife, Lauren Bacall, who named it. Nevertheless the singers in the group were the most widely associated with the name and Mr Shults punctuated his talk with several recordings and also his own renditions of various hit songs. Mario Lanza (cue “Be My Love”) leapt into fame but was difficult to work with, had weight and drugs problems and died in 1959 at the early age of 38. Dean Martin (cue “Memories are Made of This”) on the other hand was definitely not an alcoholic and, as a youngster, did not contemplate singing as his career but still made a great name for himself as a songster. The best all-round performer of the group was undoubtedly Sammy Davis, jnr., who began his career aged 3 and referred to himself as a “one-eyed, negro Jew”, having lost an eye in a car accident. He was equally accomplished at dancing. But the acknowledged leader of “The Rat Pack” was Frank Sinatra (cue “My Way”) by dint of his personality, honed on the streets of Hoboken and New York. His talents were rewarded by three stars in Hollywood’s Hall of Fame, for Films, TV and Records.
By the 1990s The Rat Pack were no more and arguably the era of great songsters was at an end - but you will have your opinions on that! What is not in doubt is that Martin Shults gave us a delightful evening by entwining superb songs with the lives of those who sang them.
George Jeffries