OCEANS Eleven (1960) - Music & Trivia
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop
The tale behind the concept for OCEANS ELEVEN (1960) is recounted as:
*Peter Lawford was first told of the basic story of the film by Director Gilbert Kay [not associated with this film] who heard the story from a gas attendant. Lawford eventually bought the rights in 1958, imagining William Holden in the lead. Sinatra became interested in the idea and a variety of writers worked on the project. When Lawford first told Sinatra of the story, Sinatra joked, " Forget the movie, let's pull the job!"
*pp. 117-121 Levy, Shawn Rat Pack
Confidential 1998 Fourth Estate Ltd.
Ocean's Eleven featured a nearly all male cast. Out of the main characters, three of them - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., were singers. Oddly enough, the singer you would have expected to be featured - Frank - was not. The music 'spotlight' was cast on Dean and Sammy - which was not a disappointment in the least!
The two vocal pieces performed by Dean Martin Ain't That A Kick In the Head and Sammy Davis Jr. Eee O Eleven were written by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen. The latter of the two songs made me curious. I had never heard it performed before and wanted to research its lyrics' meaning and possible connection to the story. One speculation shared, was that 'O Eleven' may represent the eleven men that carried out the night club heist in the story.
'Eee O Eleven' is actually an urban slang term for a perfect crap game gone sour.
In more lengthy terms: A concept for which a person wishes and achieves a perfect life. You have money, power and so many ways to show it off. Suddenly it's taken from you in an instant, like as if a single dice roll destroyed your life and dreams. [Urban Dictionary]
One day I'll have me a
chauffeur...and a block long limousine
Eee O Eleven
Eee O Eleven.
Someday I'll have me a penthouse.
Stacks and stacks of folding green.
Eee O Eleven.
Eee O Eleven.
It's all a state of mind.
Whether or not you'll find.
That place down there or Heaven.
In the meantime
Eee O - Eee O
Eee O Eleven
Eee O Eleven.
Show me a man without a dream.
And I'll show you a man that's dead.
Real dead.
Once I had me a dream.
But that dream got kicked in the head.
Dream dead.
I nearly had me that chauffeur.
And that block long limousine.
Eee O Eleven.
Eee O Eleven.
I nearly had me that penthouse.
All them stacks of folding green.
Eee O Eleven.
Eee O Eleven.
Some Judge is gonna say
I'm putting you away.
For four score years, add seven.
In the meantime,
Eee O Eleven.
Eee O Eleven.
Prominent entertainers of the 1960's were displayed on the marquees of the various casinos featured in the film. Stars performing during the filming of OCEANS ELEVEN:
THE FLAMINGO- Gisele MacKenzie [actress/singer], Phil Foster [stand up - better known as the future Frank DeFazio in Laverne & Shirley] and Harry James [big band leader]
DESERT INN - Louis Prima and Keely Smith [nightclub husband and wife singing act]
THE RIVIERA - Patrice Munsel [MET coloratura soprano/crossover nightclub singer/television variety entertainer] and Buddy Hackett [comedian and actor]
THE SAHARA - Donald O'Connor [actor, singer and dancer] Sidney Miller [actor, director, songwriter - often worked with Donald O'Connor] and Freddy Martin [big band leader - saxophone]
SANDS - Danny Thomas [singer/comedian], Red Skelton [comedian - cameo in film], *Red Norvo [Vibraphonist - featured in film]
*Kenneth Red Norvo, known as Mr. Swing, was one of jazz's earliest vibraphonists. Red helped to establish the xylophone, marimba and vibraphone as jazz instruments.
Kenneth "Red" Norvo
OCEAN'S ELEVEN - FILM TRIVIA
*Much of the filming was accomplished early in the morning, before sunrise, since most of the actors also had shows in Las Vegas where they were booked to perform nightly. The actors would wake up in the afternoon, do one or two shows in the evening, then go through make up and arrive at the shooting locations for principle photography. Each shooting location was fully set up to minimize any time being wasted once the actors arrived for filming.
*Significant portions of the dialogue/film interactions between the major actors were ad-libbed. The actors playing the leading roles, knew each other very well and were given freedom to add dialogue around the script.
*One of the most difficult tasks facing the film's production team was acquiring Nevada's Clark County officials' permission to use one of their garbage trucks.
*Shirley MacClaine's [uncredited] cameo as 'tipsy woman' - Shirley was filming THE APARTMENT while production was underway for OCEAN'S ELEVEN. She was apparently offered a brand new car from Warner Brothers, in exchange for her ad-libbed cameo appearance. Shirley reports that she took the job to hang out with her Rat Pack friends and see their Vegas show.
*According to Frank Sinatra Jr. [taken from the DVD commentary of OCEAN'S ELEVEN], Sammy Davis Jr. was not allowed to stay at the major hotels in Las Vegas during the filming [in spite of his appearing with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the others at the Sands Hotel]. Frank Sinatra confronted the casino owners on his behalf, therefore breaking Vegas' unofficial color barrier.
*trivia taken from the IMDB
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