Drama

The Rat Pack (1998): Cast & Plot

Name: The Rat Pack
Genre: Drama
Released: 1998-08-22
Duration: 2 h
Cast: Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna, Dey Young, Don Cheadle, Craig Richard Nelson

The Rat Pack is a 1998 drama directed by Rob Cohen, starring Ray Liotta as Frank Sinatra, Joe Mantegna and Dey Young. It runs 2 hours.

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Read the plot summary

Released: August 22, 1998
Runtime: 2h (120 min)
Director: Rob Cohen
Genre: Drama
Original language: English
Studio: HBO
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is The Rat Pack About?

The premise of The Rat Pack without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

They never let the rules stand in the way of fun. After a flash‑forward to an elderly Frank Sinatra lamenting, “I miss my guys,” the story jumps to the height of each member’s solo career. Dean Martin thrives after his split with Jerry Lewis, Sinatra enjoys peak fame, Sammy Davis Jr. stages a comeback following a near‑fatal crash, and Joey Bishop gains exposure as their opening act. Sinatra later reconciles with Peter Lawford, who had been shunned for being seen publicly with Sinatra’s ex‑wife Ava Gardner.

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Cast & crew

The Rat Pack Cast & Characters

Ray Liotta leads the cast as Frank Sinatra, with Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin and Dey Young as Jeanne Martin. Directed by Rob Cohen; 42 actors are credited in all.

Director Rob Cohen

Ray Liotta as Frank Sinatra
Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin
Dey Young as Jeanne Martin
Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis Jr.

Also Starring in The Rat Pack

· 38 more

Craig Richard Nelson Lewis Milestone
Bobby Slayton Joey Bishop
Angus Macfadyen Peter Lawford
Deborah Kara Unger Ava Gardner
Zeljko Ivanek Bobby Kennedy
William Petersen John F. Kennedy
Barbara Niven Marilyn Monroe
John Diehl Joe DiMaggio
Megan Dodds May Britt
Michelle Grace Judy Campbell
Robert Miranda Momo Giancana
Veronica Cartwright Rocky Cooper
Joel McKinnon Miller G-Man #1
Dan O'Herlihy Joe Kennedy
Michael Townsend Wright Walter Winchell
Charles Walker Jefferson

Show all 42 cast members

Todd Susman Hank
David Andrews G-Man #3
Brad Blaisdell Reporter in Bar Fight
Joe D'Angerio Pit Boss
Peter Iacangelo Johnny
Scott MacDonald Tourist
Elyse Mirto Frank's Assistant
Amber Smith Broad at Casino
Tyrees Allen George Jacobs
Phyllis Lyons Pat Lawford
Tom Dreesen Tom Dreesen
Ron Ostrow Studio Head
Bill Evans Butler
Mary Cadorette Betty
Wayne Thomas Yorke G-Man #2
Lew Saunders Big John
Greg Lipari Jimmy
Alan Woolf Mickey Cohen
Patricia Ann Christ Frank's Secretary
Jeffrey Marx Rabbi
Jody Wood Contractor
Mark Adler Bandleader

From the director

More from Rob Cohen

More films directed by Rob Cohen, best-rated first: Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, The Fast and the Furious, DragonHeart and xXx.

Full filmography

Plot

The Rat Pack Plot Summary

What happens in The Rat Pack from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film traces the peak years of the Rat Pack, centered on Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop as they ride a wave of fame through the late 1950s and early 1960s. Martin thrives on his own, Sinatra’s star keeps rising, and Davis, after a devastating car crash that cost him an eye, begins a long road to recovery, while Bishop works to break through with opening acts. The group comes together around Peter Lawford, who has been sidelined by public knowledge of his ties to Sinatra’s former wife, Ava Gardner. Lawford’s marriage to Patricia Kennedy adds another layer of complexity, while Sinatra grows increasingly drawn to John F. Kennedy and his political ambitions, hoping proximity to the White House will boost his own image.

Full summary

The whole story of The Rat Pack, scene by scene

Read the full summary