On the third night, the “Chairman of the Board” burst into James Brown’s dressing room without knocking. Two imposing body guard accompanied him as Sinatra opened with the confrontational, “I hear you think you’re the biggest star in this building!” Brown told Sinatra he should knock before entering, as Sinatra replied that it was “his hotel.” Brown, getting ready to go onstage, knew who he was talking to but answered, calmly: “Get out of my dressing room. Now.”

Sinatra stood his ground and said that Brown’s shows were running long and pulling attention away from the headliner—Frank Sinatra. Brown said he was just performing up to his usual standard, and would continue to do so. Sinatra again warned Brown to stay within 60 minutes and again Brown refused, and again ordered Sinatra to get out of his dressing room. According to witnesses, Sinatra dared Brown to say that again, and Brown did without hesitation. After a tense pause, Frank and his goons stormed out of the room but not before Frank made a speech.

“You’ve got guts,” he said to Brown. “I’ll give you that. Stupid guts, but guts….You don’t understand power. You think because you’re talented, because you work hard, that’s enough. But talent doesn’t matter if the people with real power decide you’re a problem. And I’ve got more power than you can imagine. “

James Brown went on that night without shortening the set, and heard nothing more until the week was almost over.

Then Brown’s manager informed him that Sinatra wanted to meet Brown privately for lunch. Sinatra reportedly told Brown he was naive about how power worked in Las Vegas, but he also conceded that he respected Brown for standing up to him. Sinatra apologized for entering the dressing room the way he had, and added, “You’re a hell of a performer, Brown. Maybe the best I’ve seen.” Frank then admitted that he had behaved like an insecure jerk. “That’s not how legends like us should treat each other,” Frank added. “Now, you finish your week. You perform however you want, as long as you want, as loud as you want. And when people ask me what I think of James Brown, I’ll tell them he’s the real deal.”

Brown finished the engagement performing as long as he felt like performing. Sinatra praised him publicly and profusely.

Ultimately both men behaved ethically. And they both had guts.