He Was The Last Rat From The Pack
Joey Bishop was the comedian, actor, and TV show host who warmed up audiences before his fellow Rat Pack members crooned their way into their hearts. But a feud between Bishop and Frank Sinatra sent him packing from the pack. His exile from the infamous Rat Pack came with consequences.
NBC Television., Wikimedia Commons
1. He Wasn’t Actually Joey Bishop
Joey Bishop left audiences in stitches. But his first joke was his name. He was born in February of 1918 as Joseph Abraham Gottlieb in the Bronx to Polish-Jewish immigrants Anna and Jacob. As the youngest of five, he would have to find a way to stand out. Or, frankly, to survive.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
2. He Was A Tiny Baby
From the time he was born, Bishop set a terrifying record. When he came out of his mother’s womb, he weighed just two pounds, 14 ounces. His shockingly low birth weight made him the smallest baby ever born at Fordham Hospital at the time. Doctors weren’t sure he’d pull through, but Bishop was a fighter from day one.
He continued defying expectations as a teen.
3. He Skipped School For Comedy
Bishop might have been small, but he had big dreams—and he didn’t waste any time chasing them. In the 1930s, he gave up on his final semester of high school, choosing to start a comedy trio with two other local boys instead. They hustled, working in nightclubs and burlesque joints all along the East Coast.
That’s how a star—or at least his name—was born.
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4. He Borrowed His Stage Name
The name “Joey Bishop” would light up marquees. Too bad there was no actual “Joey Bishop”. The trio christened themselves the “Bishop Brothers,” despite none of them being Bishops…or brothers. They simply borrowed the surname of their driver and chose a first name they thought fit. Together, they were: Joey Bishop, Rummy Bishop, Mel Bishop.
His marriage certificate, however, had his real name.
John Springer Collection, Getty Images
5. He Married His Lifelong Partner
As a future member of the Rat Pack, Bishop could have had any lady he wanted. However, he only ever wanted the one: Sylvia Ruzga. The couple tied the knot sometime between 1941 and 1942, sticking together through thick and thin until the very end, nearly six decades later. Too bad he and his “brothers” didn’t last nearly as long.
John Springer Collection, Getty Images
6. He Lost His Act To The Draft
The Bishop Brothers had a good thing going—until the artillery of WWII tore them apart. Rummy Bishop was the first to get his draft letter. Good old Joey continued on his own as a solo act until his draft letter found him, too. His budding career came to a sudden halt as he traded nightclubs and microphones for battlefields and bayonets.
Turns out, he was pretty good at that, too.
US Army Signal Corps, Wikimedia Commons
7. He Served As A Sergeant
Joey Bishop entered the US Army during WWII and worked his way up to sergeant in Special Services at Fort Sam Houston. Entertaining troops and boosting morale, he gained discipline—and an appreciation for audiences he’d soon command off-base. Once discharged, he returned to the stage with a hunger to make up for lost time.
8. He Picked Up Right Where He Left Off
As a civilian once again, Bishop jumped straight back into performing, once again picking up as a solo act. He hit the Casablanca Roadhouse in New Jersey, then snagged an opening slot at the Greenwich Village Inn in New York. His confident timing and understated style were beginning to bloom.
Then he teamed up with another future star.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
9. He Teamed Up With Jack Soo
Joey Bishop spent most of his early career making a name for himself as a solo act. However, when he teamed up with the future TV star Jack Soo, his knack for buddy work boosted his profile. And his wallet. Soon after, he became a regular at the famed Latin Quarter, pulling in $1,000 per week. It was serious cash that attracted the attention of television, film…and a true superstar.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
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10. He Caught Sinatra’s Eye
Sometime in 1952, Frank Sinatra stopped by the Latin Quarter where, as a regular, Bishop was doing his thing up on stage. While Sinatra could serenade an audience, he marveled at Bishop’s ability to make them laugh. Bishop’s dry, understated sense of humor was enough to make Sinatra offer him a job.
Just like that, Bishop became Sinatra’s opening act. And so their troubled friendship began.
Capitol Records (File No. 3860-25). Photographer unknown., Wikimedia Commons
11. He Became “Sinatra’s Comic”
Joey did such a great job warming up audiences for Sinatra that he earned himself a dubious moniker. All throughout the papers, on TV, and amongst industry insiders, Bishop became known as “Sinatra’s comic”. Once Sinatra’s fame truly went interstellar in the 1950s, Bishop rose right alongside him.
And Sinatra trusted him even more.
12. He Earned A Big Title
Sinatra was well aware that he owed at least some of his success to Bishop. And, at first, he was happy to share the spotlight. Sinatra thought so highly of Bishop that he affectionately referred to him as “the hub of the big wheel” and “the speaker of the house”. Bishop, however, didn't want to stay in Sinatra’s shadow forever.
13. He Became A Headliner Himself
With audiences referring to Joey Bishop as “Sinatra’s comic," Bishop was eager to make a name for himself. And what better way than to start headlining. Bishop toured the country, packing nightclubs from New York to Los Angeles while making television appearances on the highest-rated variety shows.
One thing was clear: He was no longer Sinatra's sidekick.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
14. He Became A Television Regular
Bishop had begun making television appearances as early as 1948. However, it wasn’t until 1950 when he was on The Ed Sullivan Show that his talent for TV became truly apparent. By 1961, he had his own weekly comedy series, delivering laughs to audiences right in their living rooms. His starpower was about to earn him one of the coveted spots in Hollywood.
Creator:Maurice Carnes LaClaire, Wikimedia Commons
15. He Became A Rat Pack Original
Much like Joey Bishop, Frank Sinatra had big dreams. But to make them a reality, he needed some friends and began assembling a “boy band” of the top entertainers in the country. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, and, of course, Joey Bishop. Together, they became the “Rat Pack”.
The entertainment world wasn’t ready for them—and they weren’t ready for each other’s egos.
John Springer Collection, Getty Images
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16. He Reached “The Summit”
To promote the “Rat Pack”, Sinatra had an audacious idea. By day, the Pack would film Ocean’s 11, and, within the same casino, they would perform two shows by night. They dubbed the month-long spectacle “The Summit”—equal parts Hollywood movie magic, nightclub raucousness, and casino class.
Together with his Rat Pack pals, Bishop was about conquer Las Vegas.
17. He Brought A Mob To A Hotel
“The Summit” was a raging success. Perhaps too much of a success. The newly-built Sands Hotel—where the Rat Pack filmed Ocean’s 11 and performed—only had 2,800 rooms. But, thanks to Bishop and crew, there were 35,000 reservation requests that month. Fans mobbed the hotel, hoping to catch a Rat Pack performance or gawk at them filming their movie.
Soon, the press gave the frenzy a name.
Desert Supply Company, Las Vegas, Wikimedia Commons
18. His “Rat Pack” Was A Rip-Off
The media christened Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford, and Bishop the “Rat Pack”. But it wasn’t an original name. The press had recycled the nickname Lauren Bacall once used for Humphrey Bogart’s Hollywood circle. Reportedly, Sinatra couldn't stand the label, but he was at the mercy of his audiences—and they loved it.
By then, Bishop wasn’t just a Pack member—he was the secret sauce behind their success.
19. He Was The Rat Pack’s Secret Sauce
Onstage, Joey Bishop played the quiet “straight man," letting Sinatra, Martin, and Davis whirl around him in chaos. But behind the curtain, off the stage, and away from the lights, Bishop was the one writing most of their material, crafting their funniest jokes, and finding the catchiest rhythms that made the Rat Pack what they were.
They should have used more of his material.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
20. His Film Flopped—And No One Cared
By the time Ocean’s 11 hit theaters in 1960, the Rat Pack was the biggest act in town—in any town. However, they were clearly resting on their laurels. The critical consensus of the film was less than flattering: “Easygoing but lazy, Ocean’s 11 blithely coasts on the well-established rapport of the Rat Pack royalty”.
It didn’t seem to matter, though. By that time, Bishop was practically royalty.
Screenshot from Ocean’s 11, Warner Bros. Pictures (1960)
21. He Hosted A Presidential Party
At the height of his Rat Pack fame, Joey Bishop got a request no comic could refuse. Sinatra asked him to serve as master of ceremonies for President John F Kennedy’s inaugural gala in January 1961. Bishop didn’t just serve as master of the ceremonies—he practically took over the White House.
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22. He Roasted The New President
During the star-studded inaugural gala, Bishop tested the limits of his starpower and stretched his comedic chops to their limits. Looking straight at the freshly sworn-in president, in his usual deadpan way, Bishop quipped, “I told you I'd get you a good seat”. But the president wasn’t the only one chuckling it up with Bishop.
City News Bureau, Washington DC-photographer: Betty Beale, Wikimedia Commons
23. He Earned Praise From A Pope
Behind the Rat Pack glamor and the funny man veneer, Joey Bishop had a big heart and a philanthropic disposition. Pope John XXIII awarded Bishop with a special citation for his help in raising millions of dollars for Boys’ Towns of Italy, an American-funded charity supporting vulnerable children.
He could give generously, because he was making money like never before.
Fotografia Felici, Wikimedia Commons
24. He Got His Own Sitcom
By 1961, Bishop’s knack for TV had gotten the attention of producers Danny Thomas and Louis F Edelman. While they loved him as a rat in the pack, they knew he could shine on his own. So, they gave Bishop a shot with a pilot episode for The Joey Bishop Show.
The studio knew that Bishop’s pilot could fly.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
25. He Headlined 123 Episodes
Based on the success of the pilot episode, The Joey Bishop Show officially premiered in September of 1961. For a staggering 123 episodes of rib-busting laughs, Bishop played Joey Barnes, a publicity agent turned talk-show host. Even though Bishop was the star of the show, he didn’t mind sharing the spotlight.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
26. He Mentored His On-Screen Wife
Sometime in 1962, Abby Dalton joined The Joey Bishop Show, taking on the role of Bishop’s TV wife. Even when the cameras weren’t rolling, Bishop supported his co-star, becoming her acting mentor and honing her comedic timing. Still, Bishop only ever had one true entertainment family: the Rat Pack.
NBC Photo by Herb Ball, Wikimedia Commons
27. He Returned For Another Rat Pack Film
Even with his solo TV career taking off, Joey Bishop still remembered the troupe that had helped catapult him to superstardom: the Rat Pack. Reuniting with Sinatra, Martin, Davis, and Lawford in 1962, he filmed Sergeants 3. The film became a “money maker” that reminded audiences just how much they missed having the Rat Pack together.
Not everyone, however, loved having Bishop around.
Screenshot from Sergeants 3, United Artists (1962)
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28. He Was Banned From A Legendary Funeral
When Marilyn Monroe’s funeral took place, Joe DiMaggio—Monroe’s ex-husband—made his feelings loud and clear. DiMaggio blamed Sinatra and the other Rat Pack members, like Bishop, for her tragic life and demise. As such, he banned them from attending the funeral, wishing to keep the affair more solemn and somber.
Bishop, however, wanted to clear the Rat Pack’s name.
Photoplay, January 1955, Wikimedia Commons
29. He Defended The Pack’s Reputation
Even if audiences loved the Rat Pack, they knew about some of the boys’ bad behavior. Bishop, however, was none of it. He once stated, “Are we remembered as being [drinkers] and chasing broads? I never saw Frank, Dean, Sammy, or Peter drunk during performances. That was only a gag! And do you believe these guys had to chase broads? They had to chase ’em away!”
The reward for his loyalty? Excommunication.
![Gettyimages - 50389413, Joey Bishop [Misc.];Sammy Jr. Davis [Misc.];Dean Martin [Misc.];Don Cheadle;Bobby Slayton;Angus Macfayden;Ray Liotta;Joe Mantegna;Frank Sinatra [Misc.];Peter Lawford [Misc.]](https://www.factinate.com/storage/app/media/splashtravels/2026/2/27/16.jpg)
30. He Fell Out With Sinatra
By 1964, the Rat Pack had taken some poison. The once-unbreakable partnership between Bishop and Sinatra which had started the whole thing was beginning to collapse. The reason for the falling out wasn’t over a woman or a bar tab or even a bad joke. It was something far pettier.
Philippe Halsman, Wikimedia Commons
31. He Refused To Do Sinatra A Favor
The friendship-ending fight between Bishop and Sinatra began with what should’ve been a simple favor. Sinatra asked Bishop to stand in for him at the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe, a property Sinatra partially owned. Instead of agreeing to do a favor for a friend, however, Bishop treated the request like a business deal.
And the price he named made Sinatra livid.
Sierra News Company, Reno, Nevada, Wikimedia Commons
32. His Price Was Too High
Rather than step in for Sinatra out of loyalty or gratitude, Bishop made a staggering demand: $50,000. In addition to the obscene payday for a single appearance, Bishop requested that Sinatra send a private jet to get him to the venue. For Sinatra, it felt like a knife in the back and a slap to the face.
But Bishop wasn’t done pushing his luck.
33. He Made Sinatra Feel Betrayed
According to one of the authors of Deconstructing The Rat Pack, Richard A Lertzman, the inner-workings of the infamous group became clear. Discussing the book, Lertzman shared, "Frank felt he was responsible for Joey’s success so the fact that he was now making all these demands did not sit well with him”. And then Bishop crossed an unforgivable line.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
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34. He Sinned Against Sinatra
The book Deconstructing The Rat Pack made it abundantly clear who was in charge of the group. And it wasn’t Bishop. According to Lertzman, “You don’t offend the Chairman (Sinatra). Not only did he hung up on Joey, but he completely cut him from the Rat Pack”. Just like that, Bishop was no longer a rat in the pack.
And Hollywood quickly followed Sinatra’s lead.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
35. He Lost His Next Big Movie
Bishop’s fallout with Sinatra had wide impacts. He was supposed to appear alongside his Rat Pack crew in Robin and the 7 Hoods. But once Sinatra cast him out of the Pack, he was out for real—and for good. Before the cameras began rolling, Sinatra had Bishop replaced in the film, sealing his excommunication.
His television career wasn’t going much better.
Screenshot from Robin and the 7 Hoods, Warner Bros. Pictures (1964)
36. He Lost His Show
Bishop’s Rat Pack rejection didn’t help his TV career either. Not long after the fallout, NBC cancelled The Joey Bishop Show, ending its three-season run with the network. Thankfully, CBS stepped in to give the series one final year, but by 1965, the sitcom was finished—and Bishop found himself back at a crossroads.
His next move, however, shocked everyone.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
37. He Challenged Johnny Carson Himself
Instead of retreating, Bishop made a bold move—and came back bigger. On April 17, 1967, ABC launched a 90-minute late-night talk show—also titled The Joey Bishop Show—to compete directly with Johnny Carson. The show had a successful run, giving Bishop the highest-profile hosting job of his career.
And he had found a new pack to run with.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
38. He Gave Regis His First Big Break
Bishop didn’t miss the Rat Pack—he had new friends. On The Joey Bishop Show, he teamed up with a young newcomer named Regis Philbin in his first major national role. Philbin learned the ropes beside Bishop, who taught him timing, confidence, and how to keep calm when chaos broke loose on live TV.
And The Joey Bishop Show promised lots of chaos.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
39. He Walked Off His Own Show
When ABC announced that it was canceling The Joey Bishop Show, Bishop made the first move. Instead of waiting for the final episode, he went on air, informed the audience of the bad news, and calmly said he was going home to eat dinner with his wife. Then he simply got up and walked out—leaving Philbin to fill in.
Out on his own again, however, he turned an old competitor into a new compatriot.
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40. He Became Carson’s Top Sub
Even after his own talk show ended, Bishop remained a late-night fixture. Throughout the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, he guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at least 175 times, more than anyone before him. Johnny Carson, his old late-night competitor, wasn’t the only one that Bishop was making nice with.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
41. He Rode Into A Western
In 1966, Bishop made nice with at least one former Rat Pack friend: Dean Martin. The two appeared together in the Western comedy Texas Across the River. And their friendship clearly endured. Bishop later became a regular on the wildly popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts.
With or without Sinatra, Bishop was still a hot commodity.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
42. His Last Film Was A Family Affair
Bishop’s final movie role came in 1996 with Mad Dog Time. But it wasn’t just any film—it was a touching achievement for Bishop. His son, Larry, had written and directed the film. In a nod to their family bond, his character was named Gottlieb—his real surname. Even if the Rat Pack was no more, the next generation was taking over.
Screenshot from Mad Dog Time, MGM (1996)
43. He Joined The Brat Pack
Bishop was having a “brat” summer long before it was cool. In 1990, he appeared in Betsy’s Wedding alongside Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy; two members of the appropriately named “Brat Pack”. Bishop was the only Rat Pack member to appear alongside this new generation of Hollywood frequent collaborators.
His personal life held an even rarer distinction.
44. He Was The Only Faithful Rat
Despite his falling out with Sinatra, Bishop was nothing if not loyal. While Sinatra, Martin, and Lawford each endured three broken marriages—and Davis Jr weathered two—Bishop stayed with one woman his entire life. His one and only marriage to Sylvia Ruzga thrived for 58 years.
But even unbreakable bonds face heartbreak.
45. He Lost His Wife After 58 Years
On September 20, 1999, Bishop lost one collaborator he could not replace. After almost six decades together, his beloved wife passed from lung cancer. Her absence left a void no stage, camera, or audience could fill. Yet Bishop wasn’t meant to spend his final years alone. A new companion soon entered his life.
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46. He Found A New Companion
Even if Bishop couldn’t replace his wife, he could find companionship. Following Ruzga’s passing, Nora Garibotti became Bishop’s steady new girl. She remained close to him during his later years, offering comfort as his world grew smaller and quieter. But fame hadn’t forgotten him entirely.
47. He Became The Last Rat
When Frank Sinatra passed on in 1998, Bishop earned a distinction that he probably didn’t want. Every other member of the old Rat Pack had gone to their grave, leaving him as the last surviving member of the famous troupe. On the other hand—he might have been happy to see them go.
48. He Didn’t Get The Recognition He Deserved
According to Deconstructing The Rat Pack, Bishop never truly forgave Sinatra for kicking him out of the Rat Pack. As author Lertzman described in an interview, “Bishop was a very bitter person…Joey felt he was the hub of the Rat Pack and didn’t get the kind of recognition he would have liked”. Throughout his life, Bishop hadn’t exactly been shy about airing his grievances.
49. He Was Bitter About It
In a heated moment, Bishop once fumed, “One guy wrote that I worked with the Rat Pack occasionally. Occasionally! Another talks about how I kissed Frank’s [a—]. That hurt me a little bit. I know I sound bitter, but I have a right to”.
In the end, however, Bishop might have been ready to bury the hatchet.
50. He Still Loved Sinatra Deeply
Despite feeling overshadowed and underappreciated, Bishop never stopped defending Sinatra and the Rat Pack that he rolled into fame with. Even in his final years, he spoke with genuine affection for the man who’d once been his closest collaborator and, at times, harshest critic. Sadly, it’s not clear if he and Sinatra reconciled before it was too late.
Publisher-Macfadden Publications, New York, Wikimedia Commons
51. He Had The Last Laugh
After years of declining health, Bishop had his last laugh at the age of 89 on October 17, 2007. Per his wishes, his family scattered his ashes in the nearby Pacific—one final quiet exit for the last Rat Pack survivor.
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