On This Day In Dino-history: June 20, 1965

Hey pallies, likes we interrupt our Centennial Celebration of The Day That Coolness Came To Earth to share with all youse Dino-holics that 'nother great Dino-event happened on this day, June 20, in the year of our Dino, 1965. That is the date of the great gatherin' of the Rat Pack clan at the "Keil Opera House" in St. Louis for a concert of a lifetime. The musicale was a benefit for the Teamsters Union in St. Louis and was beamed live to pallies gathered in movie theatres all 'round the country.

For incredibly insightful info on this most special event in the life of our most beloved Dino we turn once 'gain to our pallies at the "The Rat Pack Blog," who have awesomely assembled  a perfect pix and profoundly powerful prose to honorably highlight this coolest of cool concert with our Dino's pallies of pallies.

Below we are perfectly pleased to share the vid of the full concert through the marvelous magic of youtube. Simply stunnin' to be able to share such important dates in the life and times of our Dino with all you pallies. Likes we are awesomely appreciate of our pallies at "The Rat Pack Blog" and to Mr. Alexander Erich Kurt Franz Fellner who posted the vid on youtube.  To checks the info directly at "The Rat Pack Blog" simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

 the rat pack in st. louis

 

On June 20th, 1965, the Rat Pack took the stage at the Kiel Opera House in St. Louis for a fundraiser to benefit Dismas House, the first halfway house for ex-convicts.  Frank,  Dean and Sammy were joined by Johnny Carson as emcee, filling in for Joey Bishop, who was out with a bad back.

The performance that night was captured on film but was lost for over 45 years until a TV producer and vintage TV expert, Paul Brownstein tracked down a print of the show that had been sitting in a closet in St. Louis.  Soon afterwards, it was released on DVD as part of the Ultimate Rat Pat Collection:  Live & Swingin”.

Johnny Carson surprised the audience and his co-stars alike with some pretty good vocals during the musical finale of Birth of the Blues.  Other highlights of the show include some hysterical physical moves by Dean, and some playful heckling of Frank from backstage as he tries to get through a solo.  Frank customized his hit My Kind of Town by changing the lyrics to salute St. Louis instead of Chicago.

And there’s a pretty good little practical joke played on Frank by Dean.  When Frank performed I’ve Got You Under My Skin, it was the second time the audience heard it that night because Dean inserted it into his set preceding Frank’s.

The lineup of solo sets by Dean, Sammy and then Frank, followed by group numbers involving all three is followed today by many Rat Pack Impersonators.

The Rat Pack’s St. Louis show is available for viewing on YouTube, including the great closing number, Birth of the Blues, at the Rat Pack Impersonators site.