The last of the “Kings of Cool” is gone.Comedian, Joey Bishop (far right), the last of the famed “Rat Pack,” has left us at the age of 89 in Newport Beach, California.
Joseph Abraham Gottlieb was the youngest of five children born February 3, 1919 and grew up in the New York Bronx.
With a natural gift for telling stories making his friends and family laugh, he soon started a stand-up comedy act with his brother, Maury.
This led him to television as early as 1948 working with such talents as Jack Parr and Steve Allen.
With a few film credits under his belt portraying G.I.’s in “The Naked and the Dead” and “Onionhead,” he soon was offered a chance to work with his “Rat Pack” buddies in the original, “Ocean’s 11″ playing the part during the day of “Mushy O’ Conners” while performing with his pals, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, jr. and Peter Lawford on stage at night at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
They would also repeat their fun times in the western remake of “Gunga Din,” “Sergeants 3.”
He also was in the underrated, “Johnny Cool” starring Henry Silva in 1963.
Mr. Bishop was the star of “The Joey Bishop Show” from 1961-1965 which featured him as a talk show host dealing with the behind-the-scenes craziness.
Years later, Mr. Bishop would have his own late night talk show on ABC, also called, “The Joey Bishop” show interviewing many interesting people.
He also guest-hosted “Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show” more times than anyone else.
Mr. Bishop was a kind, funny human being that entertained many people with his incredible talent:
He made us laugh.
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