Mouse In The Rat Pack: The Joey Bishop Story - Hardcover

Starr, Michael Seth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0878332774 ISBN 13: 9780878332779

Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002

Synopsis

Mouse in the Rat Pack is the first biography of the last surviving member of Hollywood's illustrious Rat Pack. Guided by close friend Frank Sinatra, the sad-faced Bishop (once dubbed "The Frown Prince of Comedy") rose at lightning speed from a struggling South Philadelphia nightclub comic to the pinnacle of show-biz preeminence.
Throughout the 1960s, Bishop was the most popular comedian in America. He performed for presidents, emceeing John F. Kennedy's gala 1961 inaugural. With Regis Philbin as his sidekick, Bishop headlined his own network sitcom, The Joey Bishop Show, which ran for five successful seasons. He starred with his Rat Pack pals in a succession of blockbuster buddy movies. He headlined Vegas, with the Rat Pack and on his own, earning millions and keeping America laughing with his self-effacing humor. His sardonic wit propelled his "smart" comedy act into the epitome of show-biz cool.
Through extensive use of personal interviews with friends, foes, and show-biz colleagues and based on primary source materials, Mouse in the Rat Pack reveals Joey Bishop, the man and the entertainer.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Mouse in the Rat Pack is the first biography of Joey Bishop, the last surviving member of Hollywood's illustrious Rat Pack. Guided by close friend Frank Sinatra, the sad-faced Bishop (once dubbed "The Frown Prince of Comedy") rose at lightning speed from a struggling south Philadelphia nightclub comic to the pinnacle of show-biz preeminence.

Throughout the 1960s, Bishop was the most popular comedian in America. He headlined his own network sitcom, The Joey Bishop Show, for four successful seasons; emceed John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural gala; and made frequent appearances as guest host of The Tonight Show. Bishop starred with compatriots Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Peter Lawford in a succession of blockbuster buddy movies, and headlined Vegas-with the Rat Pack and on his own-earning millions and keeping America laughing with his self-effacing humor. His sardonic wit propelled his "smart" comedy act into the epitomoe of show-biz cool.

This candid biography examines Bishop's life in detail through information gathered from the author's archival research and exclusive interviews with members of the show business community as well as various actors, performers, managers, and agents who relate unique, behind-the-scenes stories about Bishop.

Mouse in the Rat Pack covers the full breadth of Bishop's career, including the difficult lean years after the movie offers dried up and he was relegated to being a celebrity game-show contestant and a character actor in a forgetable televsion series. The author's extensive use of personal interviews and primary source materials paints a vivid and telling portrait of Bishop-the man whom Sinatra called "The Hub of the Big Wheel" since he anchored the group onstage and off.

About the Author:

Michael Seth Starr is Deputy Television Editor for the New York Post. His previous books are Peter Sellers: A Film History and Art Carney: A Biography. Starr lives in River Vale, New Jersey.

About this edition

• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0878332774
• ISBN 13: 9780878332779
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240