Joey Bishop: A Life in Entertainment
From “Sinatra’s comedian” to the “last survivor” of the Rat Pack, Joey Bishop is remembered by those who knew him as the glue that held together this famous group consisting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford.
Early Life
Born Joseph Abraham Gottlieb—better known as Joey Bishop—in the Bronx in 1918, he was the son of Jewish parents of Polish descent. His father repaired bicycles, and his mother was a homemaker. He was the youngest of six children. He was born significantly underweight and nearly did not survive, but his will to live was too strong. God had a different destiny in store for him.
The family moved to South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he spent his childhood and received his education.
Joey Bishop
The Beginnings of His Career
As a young man, he had a knack for singing, writing, and comedy. During his senior year of high school, he formed a comedy trio with two other friends, and they began performing at various nightclubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and along the entire East Coast.
They called themselves the Bishop Brothers, taking the name from their driver. Obviously, none of them were actually named Bishop, and they weren’t brothers either…
During World War II, he was drafted into the army and rose to the rank of sergeant in the Special Services at Fort Sam Houston.
In 1945, he left the army and began his solo career.
Success
He began performing at the Casablanca Roadhouse in New Jersey, then as the opening act at the Greenwich Village Inn in New York. He was confident on stage and had an understated style; the audience loved him. Things were starting to fall into place more and more for his career.
Bishop’s solo career was in full swing, but fame came after he teamed up with future TV star Jack Soo; this collaboration boosted his popularity—and his income. Before long, he became a regular guest at the famous Latin Quarter, earning $1,000 a week. It was a considerable sum, which caught the attention of television, the film industry… and a true superstar—Frank Sinatra.
The Height of Success—Las Vegas, the Rat Pack
In 1952, Sinatra spotted him at the Latin Quarter. Although Sinatra was able to captivate audiences with his famous songs, he was amazed by Bishop’s ability to make people laugh. Bishop’s dry, understated humor was enough to convince Sinatra to offer him a job. And that’s how Bishop became the opening act for Frank’s shows. That’s how their friendship began.
Joey opened for Frank Sinatra at the Riviera, the Copacabana, and other venues, earning the nickname “Sinatra’s comedian.” But Bishop wanted more; he didn’t want to remain in Sinatra’s shadow. Capitalizing on his fame through his association with Sinatra, Joey began touring the country to solidify his status as a solo star. Bishop toured nationwide, filling nightclubs from New York to Los Angeles, while appearing on television on the most-watched variety shows. One thing was clear: he was no longer just Sinatra’s partner.
Bishop was one of the stars of the original film *Ocean’s 11*, which tells the story of a group of military veterans who reunite to plan a heist at five Las Vegas casinos on New Year’s Eve. He starred alongside Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford.
During filming, the five performers put on a show together on stage at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas (it was Sinatra’s idea). Bishop sang and danced, but he also told jokes and wrote most of the show’s material.
The Rat Pack’s success was now a certainty. The newly built Sands Hotel—where the Rat Pack filmed *Ocean’s 11* and performed—had only 2,800 rooms. But thanks to Bishop and his team, 35,000 reservation requests were received that month. Fans stormed the hotel, hoping to catch a Rat Pack show or catch a glimpse of the group’s members while they were filming. The press dubbed Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford, and Bishop the “Rat Pack.” But it wasn’t an original name. The press had picked up the nickname that Lauren Bacall had once used for Humphrey Bogart’s circle of friends in Hollywood. It seems Sinatra couldn’t stand the name, but he was at the mercy of his audience—and the audience loved it. At the time, Bishop wasn’t just a member of the group—he was the secret ingredient behind their success.
The Row with Sinatra
For some time, Joey had been feeling unappreciated. He had worked hard—ever since the 1930s—and felt he deserved more. Instead of appreciating what he had achieved, Joey began to think he was better than everyone else. Success had gone to his head. Frank Sinatra called him one day in 1964 to ask for a favor; he asked Joey if he could fill in for him at the Cal-Neva Lodge, since he had another engagement. Frank owned a share of the Cal-Neva Lodge. But Joey started asking him for all sorts of things—including $50,000 and a private plane. This didn’t go over well with Frank, who felt offended by his partner’s demands. He was immediately replaced in the Rat Pack and in the upcoming film that was supposed to star the entire group—“Robin and the 7 Hoods.”
Television Career
Bishop had begun appearing on television as early as 1948. However, it wasn’t until 1950, when he appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” that his talent for television truly became apparent. By 1961, he already had his own weekly comedy series—“The Joey Bishop Show”—bringing laughter to audiences right in their living rooms. The series ran for 123 episodes over four seasons, airing initially on NBC and later on CBS. Bishop played Joey Barnes, initially an advertising executive and later a talk show host. Abby Dalton joined the cast in 1962, playing the role of his wife.
Later, Bishop hosted a 90-minute late-night talk show, also titled “The Joey Bishop Show,” which premiered on ABC on April 17, 1967, as a competitor to Carson’s “Tonight Show,” and aired until December 26, 1969.
At the height of the Rat Pack’s fame, Joey Bishop received an offer that no comedian could have refused. Sinatra asked him to serve as master of ceremonies at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration gala in January 1961. Bishop didn’t limit himself to the role of master of ceremonies—he essentially took control of the White House.
Personal Life
In his personal life, he was a devoted family man, having been married to his wife, Sylvia Ruzga, for 58 years. He has one son, Larry Bishop, an actor and film director. He even starred in one of his son’s films, „Mad Dog Time”.
Epilogue
He died in October 2007 at the age of 89. The last surviving member of the Rat Pack had passed away, leaving behind an impressive career on stage, in film, and on television.
The Rat Pack owes a significant part of its success to him. And perhaps up there in heaven, Frank Sinatra and Joey Bishop have already made peace and are now humming their famous songs and performing the skits that audiences of yesteryear adored.
Sources: Wikipedia, factinate.com, foxnews.com, grokipedia.com
