Photograph of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Peter Lawford: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a black and white photograph (.1) of the Rat Pack and a piece of Sands Casino stationary with the Rack Pack's signatures (.2). The photograph depicts Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Peter Lawford outside the Sands Casino. In the bottom left corner is Peter Lawford, wearing a light grey sweater under a white jacket. Behind him is Frank Sinatra in a light colored shirt under a dark suit jacket with a dark tie. Next to Frank Sinatra Is Sammy Davis Jr. wearing a light colored button down shirt under a light colored cardigan. He rests his right hand on Peter Lawford’s left arm and holds a pair of dark rimmed spectacles in his left hand. Behind his left shoulder is Dean Martin wearing a light colored shirt under a dark suit jacket. All the men are shown from the waist up and gaze directly at the viewer. In the background over their heads is the sign for the Sands Casino. In large letters text reads “ SANDS / A PLACE / IN THE SUN.” The marquee below it lists the names “Frank Sinatra / Dean Martin / Sammy Davis, Jr./ Peter Lawford / Joey Bishop.” The signed piece of Sands Casino stationary (.2) has the casino letterhead in the top left hand corner. The image consists of a cowgirl figure standing behind a large hourglass. Next to the hourglass is brown text that reads “ The / SANDS / HIGHWAY 91 – LAS VEGAS NEVADA – Dudley 2.7100.” At the bottom left is small brown text that reads “a / place in / the / sun.” Next to the text is a small illustration of the casino. In the center of the page are four signatures, all done on the diagonal, in blue ink. There is a fifth signature by Sammy Davis Jr. along the bottom margin.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1965
• Photograph by: Bob Willoughby, American, 1927 - 2009
• Signed by: Sammy Davis Jr., American, 1925 - 1990
• Signed by: Frank Sinatra, American, 1915 - 1998
• Signed by: Dean Martin, American, 1917 - 1995
• Signed by: Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford, English, 1923 - 1984
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: autographs
• Medium: .1: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Medium: .2: ink on paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W (.1 photo): 10 3/8 × 7 5/16 in. (26.3 × 18.5 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (.2 stationary): 10 1/2 × 7 1/4 in. (26.6 × 18.4 cm)
• Place depicted: Paradise, Clark County, Nevada, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Popular music
• Topic: Rock and roll (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2021.102.1.1-.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Photo: © Bob Willoughby Estate Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.