Joey Bishop Dead at 89

[quiet.american]

Source: New York Times

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Joey Bishop, the stone-faced comedian who found success in nightclubs, television and movies but became most famous as a member of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack, has died at 89.

He was the group's last surviving member. Peter Lawford died in 1984, Sammy Davis Jr. in 1990, Dean Martin in 1995, and Sinatra in 1998.

Bishop died Wednesday night of multiple causes at his home in Newport Beach, publicist and longtime friend Warren Cowen said.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Obit-Bishop.html

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Last of the Rat Pack, end of an era....

[merh]

1. Oh my -

who will be the third, Deborah Kerr and Joey Bishop. :(

Rest in peace, Mr. Bishop, thanks for the laughs.

[monmouth]

4. Theresa Brewer died also. She had a great voice..

[Javaman]

6. Put another nickel in the nickelodian...

ahhh those K-tel commercials.

[shaniqua6392]

2. Thanks for the memories and the laughs Mr. Bishop.

God bless and rest in peace.

[NYCGirl]

3. Wow. Last of the Rat Pack. I have to admit that when I was a kid, I had the

maddest crush on Peter Lawford.

[quiet.american]

5. Yeah -- he was a hottie. n/t

[goodgd_yall]

31. My sister fancied him too.

The young Peter Lawford, that is.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Didn't he have a late night TV Show similar to Carson's

way back when?

[pacalo]

12. Yes, he did. Regis Philbin was his Ed McMahon.

I happened to be watching one night (as a yound kid, of course) when Regis Philbin walked off stage & quit the show. According to the TV Guide site:

"(Philbin) gained national attention as the sidekick on The Joey Bishop Show (1967-69) and famously walked off the set during a broadcast in 1968 in a disagreement with management, but returned three days later."

[NanceGreggs]

8. A great comic mind ...

... and he hosted one of the BEST late-night talk shows ever.

RIP, Joey.

[sufrommich]

9. For some reason,I thought he died a long time ago. RIP.

[HeeBGBz]

27. Yeah, I thought he was already gone

I remember watching his late night show when I was a kid.

[emilyg]

10. RIP

[Lautremont]

11. Shirley MacLaine was kind of an adjunct Rat Pack member, wasn't she?

I guess it was pretty much a boys' club, but she had some affiliation with it.

Anyway, yes, end of an era. I have a fondness for the Rat Pack, but their appeal certainly isn't universal.

[xxqqqzme]

15. I think sinatra considered her a member.

[Patsy Stone]

13. The last of the great "hangers-on".

Thanks for the laughs, Joey. RIP.

[mac56]

14. He always seemed like a nice guy.

Had no fear or awe of Sinatra.

When Sinatra nearly drowned filming a movie in Hawaii, Joey told him, "I thought you could walk on water."

[xxqqqzme]

16. He lived down the bluff from me - who knew?

[Ian David]

17. My grandfather used to know Joey Bishop, and once shared this story about him.

One time, Frank Sinatra and his pals, including Joey Bishop, were in Las Vegas together.

I forget what lead up to this, but for some reason, Sinatra called Joey Bishop a "dirty Jew."

My grandfather saw Joey Bishop haul-off and deck Sinatra right in the face, and drop him to the floor.

R.I.P., Joey Bishop.

[PCIntern]

18. I don't believe that story with all due respect to you...

I know members of his extended family, have treated his friends from his childhood here in Philly, and never ever heard anything like that story. It would have made the rounds, believe me. We take him very seriously here

[Ian David]

19. I'm pretty sure on that, but I can re-check with my family for more confirmation. n/t

[PCIntern]

23. Yeah...I'd be interested...

Bishop, Klugman, Avalon, rydell, everyone but Tweety, has a big fan-base here and most news gets around. I treat Larry Fine's family, (what's left of them) and knew a couple others from other venues...interesting stories about the Stooges.

I'd never heard that about Bishop.

[Ian David]

26. Take a trip to Bookbinder's Restaurant in Philly. The owner (Jonny Taxin) might know this story. n/t

[MnFats]

20. few years ago i was in fla. & local TV did a story on him.....nice guy.

had a place on the water, lived quietly and comfortably with folks taking care of him. had lots of visits from old friends.not a bad way to spend the twilight years....he was pretty cool in his day.

[quiet.american]

21. Thanks for sharing that. Sometimes I wondered about how things were for him.

Especially as we lost the rest of the Rat-Packers one by one.

[MnFats]

22. i think he was kind of frail but he was 'all there' at least at that time...n/t

[otohara]

24. Another Rat Packer RIP

my mom thought they were hilarious.

[Ron Green]

25. Son-of-a-gun...

it's time for Joey!

89 is a good long run.

[Raine]

28. Very sad news

last of the Rat Pack *sigh*. :cry:

[JBoy]

29. I'm drinking a cocktail in his memory...

[goodgd_yall]

30. R.I.P., Joey