| ActorDirectory.Com/franksinatra Actor / Singer Frank Sinatra |
Growing up on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, made Frank Sinatra determined to work hard to get ahead. Starting out as a saloon singer in musty little dives (he carried his own P.A. system), he eventually got work as a band singer, first with The Hoboken Four then with Harry James, then Tommy Dorsey. With the help of George Evans (Sinatra's genius press agent), his image was shaped into that of a street thug and punk who was saved by his first wife, Nancy. In 1942 he started his solo career, instantly finding fame as the king of the bobbysoxers - the young women and girls who were his fans - becoming the most popular singer of the era among teenage music fans. About that time his film career was also starting in earnest, striking box-office gold early on with a lead role in Anchors Aweigh (1945), a Best Picture nominee at the 1946 Academy Awards. Sinatra was awarded a special Oscar for his part in a short film against intolerance, The House I Live In (1946). His career on a high, Sinatra went from strength-to-strength on record, on stage and on screen, peaking in 1949, once again with Gene Kelly, in the MGM musical On the Town (1949) and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949). A controversial public affair with screen siren Ava Gardner broke up his marriage to Nancy Barbato. Record sales dwindled in the early 1950s and although Sinatra continued to act, now, appearing in more dramatic fare such as Meet Danny Wilson (1951), a vocal cord haemorrhage all but ended his career. He fought back, winning the coveted role of Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953). He won an Oscar for best supporting actor and followed this with a scintillating performance as a deranged assassin in Suddenly (1954) and arguably a career best performance and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in the powerful drama The Man With the Golden Arm (1955). Known as "One-Take Charlie" for his approach to acting that strove for spontaneity and energy, rather than perfection, he was an instinctive actor who was best at playing parts that mirrored his own personality. He continued to give strong and memorable performances in such films as Guys and Dolls (1955), The Joker is Wild (1957) and Some Came Running (1958). In the 1960s Sinatra became mildly prolific as a producer bringing such films as A Hole in the Head (1959), Sergeants 3 (1963) and Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) to the big screen. Lighter roles along side Rat Pack buddies Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr were lucrative, especially the famed Ocean's 11 (1960), however, Sinatra alternated such projects with more stern offerings, namely The Manchurian Candidate, arguably Sinatra's finest picture, and his directorial debut, None But the Brave, which was the first Japanese/American co-production. That same year Von Ryan's Express (1965) was a box office sensation. In 1967 Sinatra returned to familiar territory in Sidney J. Furie's The Naked Runner (1967), one again playing as assassin in his only film to be shot in the U.K. and in Germany. That same year he starred as private investigator Tony Rome (1967), a role he reprised in the sequel, Lady in Cement (1968). He also starred with Lee Remick in The Detective (1968) a film daring for its time and a major box office success. After appearing in the comic western Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) Sinatra refrained from acting for a further seven years until producing the made-for-TV movie Contract on Cherry Street (1977). Based on the novel by William J. Rosenberg, this fable of vigilante cops turning vigilante against the mob boasted a stellar cast and was a ratings success. Sinatra returned to the big screen in The First Deadly Sin (1980) once again playing a New York detective with a moving, understated performance that was a fitting coda to his career as a leading man. He made one more appearance on the big screen with a cameo in Cannonball Run II (1984) and a final acting performance in Magnum P.I. in 1987 as a retired detective seeking vengeance on the killers of his granddaughter in an episode entitled Laura. Growing up on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, made Frank Sinatra determined to work hard to get ahead. Starting out as a saloon singer in musty little dives (he carried his own P.A. system), he got his first major break in 1935 as part of The Hoboken Four on popular radio show Major Bowes Amateur Hour. In 1939 he signed with Harry James as lead singer of his big band before gaining the attention of Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra with whom he sang the first ever No. 1 song on Billboard, I'll Never Smile Again. That same year he married sweetheart Nancy Barbato with whom he had three children, Nancy, Tina and Frank, Jr. Sinatra's growing popularity led him to leave Dorsey in 1942 and starting in earnest a solo career, instantly finding fame as the number one singing star among teenage music fans of the era, especially the young women and girls known as The Bobbysoxers. Legendary appearances at the New York Paramount were sensational, namely the so-called Columbus Day Riot in 1944, when 35,000 blocked the streets outside the venue waiting to see their idol. About this time Sinatra's acting career was beginning in earnest and he struck box-office gold with a lead role in the acclaimed Anchors Aweigh (1945) alongside Gene Kelly. The following year Sinatra was awarded a special Oscar for his part in a short film against intolerance called The House I Live In (1946). His career on a high, Sinatra went from strength-to-strength, recording his first album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, at Columbia and starring in several movies, peaking in 1949 with Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) and On the Town (1949, co-starring in both with Gene Kelly. A torrid public affair with screen siren Ava Gardner broke up Sinatra's marriage and although a second marriage - to Gardner - followed in 1951, record sales began to dwindle and live appearances were failing to sell out, Sinatra's vocal chords hemorrhaging at one point live on stage as years of playing several shows in a single night took their toll. Sinatra continued to act, however, garnering good notice if hardly strong box office in the musical drama Meet Danny Wilson (1951) before fighting for, and winning, the coveted role of Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953). He won an Oscar for Best Supporting actor and followed this with a scintillating performance as the deranged assassin John Baron in Suddenly (1954) and arguably a career best performance, and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, in the powerful drama The Man With the Golden Arm (1955). On record Sinatra was also back on a high having signed with Capitol records and riding high on the charts with the album In the Wee Small Hours (1953) and the single Young at Heart (1954), the latter becoming so popular that a recently made film with Doris Day had its name changed to Young at Heart. Known as "One-Take Charlie" for his approach to acting that strove for spontaneity and energy, rather than perfection, he was an instinctive actor who was best at playing parts that mirrored his own personality. Throughout the 1950s Sinatra not only recorded a slew of critically and commercially successful albums, his acting career remained on a high as he gave strong and memorable performances in such films as Guys and Dolls (1955), The Joker is Wild (1957), Kings Go Forth (1957) and Some Came Running (1958). He also dabbled with producing in the 1950s, first bringing the western Johnny Concho to the big screen and, along with Frank Capra, A Hole in the Head (1959), in which he co-starred with Edward G. Robinson. Continuing this trend into the 1960s Sinatra produced such lucrative offerings as Ocean's 11 (1960), Sergeants 3 (1963) and Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) as well as starting his own record label, Reprise Records, in 1961. Many of Sinatra's movie projects of the era were lighter offerings alongside Rat Pack pals Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., but alternating such projects with more stern offerings resulted in the stellar The Manchurian Candidate (1962), arguably Sinatra's best film. Sinatra turned 50 in 1965 and, in many ways, his career once again peaked, recording the album September of My Years which won the Grammy for album of the year and making his directorial debut with the anti-war film None but the Brave (1965). Von Ryan's Express (1965) was released the same year and was a box office sensation helping secure vast earnings for the floundering 20th Century Fox. In 1967 Sinatra returned to familiar territory in Sidney J. Furie's The Naked Runner (1967), once again playing an assassin in his only film to be shot in the U.K. and one of the few films to be shot inside Centre Point and post-war Leipzig in Berlin. That same year he starred as private investigator Tony Rome (1967), a role he reprised in the sequel Lady in Cement (1968). He also starred with Lee Remick in The Detective (1968) a film daring for its time and a major box office success. After appearing in the comic western Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) Sinatra refrained from acting for a further seven years until producing the made-for-TV movie Contract on Cherry Street (1977), based on the novel by William J. Rosenberg. Sinatra returned to the big screen in The First Deadly Sin (1980) once again playing a New York detective with a moving, understated performance that was a fitting coda to his career as a leading man. He made only one more appearance on the big screen with a cameo in Cannonball Run II (1984). His final acting performance in 1987 was as a retired detective seeking vengeance on the killers of his granddaughter in an episode of Magnum P.I. entitled Laura. On stage, Sinatra was as prolific as ever, playing both nationally and internationally to sold out crowds in stadiums and arenas. In 1993 Sinatra stepped back into Capitol studios to record his final albums, Duets and Duets II, both of which were highly successful, finding Sinatra an entirely new audience almost 60 years after he first tasted fame. Frank Sinatra passed away on May 14th 1998. Spouse Barbara Marx (11 July 1976 - 14 May 1998) (his death) Mia Farrow (19 July 1966 - 16 August 1968) (divorced) Ava Gardner (7 November 1951 - 5 July 1957) (divorced) Nancy Barbato (4 February 1939 - 29 October 1951) (divorced) 3 children Trade Mark Crooning voice Trivia Some three decades late, the Hungarian-born actress Eva Bartok claimed that her daughter, Deana, born in 1957 during Bartok's marriage to the actor Curd Jürgens, was actually fathered by Sinatra, during a brief affair that he and Bartok had had following his breakup in 1956 with the sultry Ava Gardner. Sinatra never acknowledged paternity. Thought by many to be the finest American popular singer of our time. Father of Nancy Sinatra, Tina Sinatra, and Frank Sinatra Jr.. Inspired the Johnny Fontaine character in The Godfather (1972). Member (leader) of the "Rat Pack" - Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. All appeared in Ocean's Eleven (1960) and Sergeants 3 (1962). Interred at Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California, USA. Specific Interment Location: B-8, #151. According to Mia Farrow's biography, 'What Falls Away', he offered to have Woody Allen's legs broken when he was found to be having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Reportedly kept a picture of Ava Gardner on his mirror long after their break up. Former father-in-law of Tommy Sands. His daughter Nancy Sinatra and Sands were married on 11 September 1960 and divorced in 1965. One-time son-in-law of John Farrow and Maureen O'Sullivan. Brother-in-law of John Charles Farrow, Prudence Farrow, Stephanie Farrow and Tisa Farrow. A provision in his will is that if anyone contests it, they are automatically disinherited. The epitaph on his headstone reads "The best is yet to come." At his funeral, friends and family members placed items in his coffin that had personal references. These are reported to include ten dimes, several Tootsie Roll candies, a pack of Black Jack chewing gum, a roll of wild cherry Life Savers candy, a ring engraved with the word "Dream", a mini bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, a pack of Camel cigarettes and a Zippo cigarette lighter. Godfather of singer Nikka Costa. Permanently injured one of his fingers while shooting a fight scene in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). In the scene, Sinatra threw a Karate chop and his hand went through a solid wooden table, breaking several bones in his little finger. The footage was left in the final cut. Was, at one time, part owner of the Sands Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe. As the name implies, the latter was bisected by the California-Nevada borderline. Named Humanitarian of the Year by the Variety Clubs of America in 1983. A forcep delivery at his birth left permanent scars on his cheek and ruptured an eardrum. The latter is the reason most often given for his being exempted from service during World War II. Became estranged with Dean Martin during the final years of their lives, ever since Dean quit 'The Together Again Tour'. An accomplished amateur painter, he not only recorded the Grammy-winning album "Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely" (Capitol: 1958), but designed the cover art, as well. Had numerous #1 albums, and seven #1 singles (or more, depending on whether you include the songs he sang fronting a big-band): "Five Minutes More", "Leanin' the Blues", "Mam'selle", "Oh! What It Seemed To Be" "Strangers in the Night", "All Or Nothing At All" with the Harry James Band, and "Somethin' Stupid", shared with his daughter Nancy Sinatra. He also has four #1 hits singing as the front singer of the Tommy Dorsey Band, although he was not directly credited as the artist. These include "I'll Never Smile Again", "Dolores", "There Are Such Things", "In The Blue Of Evening". Received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 1971 Academy Awards for his many contributions to charity over the years. Bob Hope, who hosted the Oscars that year, remarked, "It's interesting how Sinatra announced his retirement, and they gave him a humanitarian award". Sinatra himself hosted or co-hosted the Academy Awards four different times, in 1963, 1969, 1975 and 1985. While filming a kidnapping scene for the film Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), he learned that his son, singer Frank Sinatra Jr., had been kidnapped from his hotel room in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. For obvious reasons, the scene was never used in the completed film. His album "Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color" (Capitol: 1955) not only was rare in the sense that he conduced an orchestra as opposed to singing, but was also the first album to be recorded at the Capitol [Records] Tower, today a prominent landmark at Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles. In 1960, when he was in the process of forming his own label, Reprise Records, he pointed out the Capitol Tower to a friend, saying, "See that? I helped build that. Now, it's time to build one of my own." A few years later, referring to his label's success, he stated, "We may not be a Cadillac yet, but we ain't no Bug [Volkswagen], neither." While filming a funeral scene in Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), he learned that his close friend and benefactor, President John F. Kennedy, had been killed in Dallas earlier that day. Named Entertainer of the Century in 2000. Served as a mentor to performer Harry Connick Jr., whom he referred to as "The Kid". Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1980. Was originally signed on to play Billy Bigelow in Carousel (1956), but he walked off the set on the first day of filming after he found out that they were going to shoot each scene twice, using two different lens sizes, and was quoted as saying "I was paid to make one movie, not two". Second cousin of composer/arranger/conductor Raymond Sinatra. Ray Sinatra's father was a cousin of his father. Mentioned in the Marillion song "Sugar Mice" (from their 1987 album "Clutching at Straws"). His death is referred to in the Badly Drawn Boy song "You Were Right". Was best friends with Dean Martin. Of all the members of the Rat Pack, he considered Dean his closest confidant and best friend. On 14 May 1998, his last day of life, his family drove him to the hospital, frantically running stop signs and red lights. However, traffic was unusually light at that time, since many Americans were at home watching the final episode of the TV show "Seinfeld" (1990). Writer of several songs including "This Love of Mine" and "I'm a Fool to Want You.". Divorced his third wife Mia Farrow after she refused to quit filming the classic thriller Rosemary's Baby (1968) in order to co-star with him in Rat Pack crime drama The Detective (1968). He had the divorce papers delivered to her on set. In On the Town (1949), he co-sang "New York, New York". Years later, he used the song "Theme From New York, New York" (first performed by friend Liza Minnelli, and commonly referred to as simply "New York, New York") as a showstopper in his live performances.In his "Concert For The Americas"(1982) he combined the 2 songs,using the first verse of the earlier song. Played the Stage Manager in a musical version of "Our Town" on a TV special in 1955, with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint playing George and Emily. In that production, he introduced what would become another of his well-known signature songs: "Love and Marriage." Turned down the lead role in The Pajama Game (1957), which would have paired him up with Janis Paige, who played the role on Broadway. As a result, Paige lost out on playing the part to Doris Day, who was considered a bigger box- office draw. Godfather to Quinn Gonzalez Was the first choice to play the title role in Dirty Harry (1971), but broke his finger before shooting started and had to bow out of the production. When Bela Lugosi died virtually penniless, Sinatra quietly paid for his funeral. Grandfather of singer A.J. Lambert. He was voted the 59th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. He was known for his mercurial personality, as all those who were close to him knew, he could be as sweet as a person could be one minute and equally as nasty and violent in the next moment. Some theorized that he was bipolar. Turned down the role of Paul Kersey in Death Wish (1974). It was eventually given to Charles Bronson, and was the role that made him an international superstar. He was drafted into the Army during World War II but got a 4F because of a damaged eardrum, something that was apparent at birth after a complicated delivery using forceps. The only member of the "Rat Pack" to win an Academy Award He and the other members of the Rat Pack were banned from Marilyn Monroe's funeral by Joe DiMaggio While on a tour in 1974 which included Australia, Sinatra became enraged by his treatment by members of the Australian press. After a brief scuffle at the airport, he appeared on stage and delivered a hateful tirade against the press, calling them "bums and parasites," and calling the female reporters "buck-and-a-half hookers." In retaliation, the aviation union refused to refuel or otherwise maintain his private jet until he apologized. He never did. He was spirited away in the night after intervention by a high-level union leader. Though he had a lot of affairs during his marriage with his first wife Nancy, it was his relationship with Ava Gardner that finally led to a divorce. Was broke by 1951. Ava Gardner had to pay his plane ticket, so he could accompany her to Africa, where she shot Mogambo (1953). His heritage was entirely Italian. Owned an extensive collection of electric toy trains. He had coveted electric trains as a boy and set up a track that wove through the path of his career. The train started at a replica of the Hoboken train station. Was offered the role of "Don Altobello" in The Godfather: Part III (1990). Even though he had been a vocal critic of the first "Godfather" film, which featured a character based on him, he was intrigued by the offer, reportedly because the first two "Godfather" films had been so successful. Ultimately, he declined the offer and The part was played by Eli Wallach, whom Sinatra competed with for the role of Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953). Called "Something", written by George Harrison and performed by The Beatles, one of his favorite songs. Was such a big fan of Chicago's song, "Colour My World" that he offered to write a second stanza to it. In 1963, his son, Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped. The kidnappers told Frank Sr. to call them from pay phones. During one call, he ran out of coins, and briefly feared that the loss had cost him his son (the kidnappers gave him another chance). He paid the $250,000 ransom, Frank Jr. was returned, and the kidnappers were eventually caught. However, as a result of the payphone scare, Sinatra swore never to be caught without dimes again, and carried a roll of dimes with him constantly until his death. Was in line to star in Dirty Harry (1971) as was noted in several trade papers at the time. Irvin Kershner was slated to direct, but Sinatra had to back out of the project because of some trouble with a broken bone in his hand, although it has been suggested that he wanted to act in something lighter after the recent death of his father. Sinatra saw Steve McQueen in his western TV series "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958) and requested him to take Sammy Davis Jr.'s role in Never So Few (1959). Davis had said in an interview he thought he was bigger than Sinatra in the entertainment world at that time. Since Davis' role in the film was originally written as a sidekick, it had to be re-written somewhat for McQueen. During filming they got along so well that Sinatra wanted McQueen to appear in Ocean's Eleven (1960) as the cowboy Louis Jackson. McQueen was all for it but was convinced otherwise by critic Hedda Hopper, who told him it would not be a wise career move to be known as a Sinatra flunky. McQueen passed on the film, and although there were no hard feelings his brief friendship with Sinatra came to an end. Godfather of Lorna Luft. Was considered for the role of Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl (1968). This was vetoed by Barbra Streisand, as she didn't like him. The role was eventually played by Omar Sharif. Lee J. Cobb credited Sinatra with saving his life after his career was nearly ruined by his defiance of the House Un-American Activities Committee investigating Communist "subversion" in the film industry. Cobb had defied HUAC for two years, after being named as a supposed Communist by Larry Parks in 1951. During those two years, Cobb's once flourishing career floundered and his wife had to be institutionalized after having a mental breakdown. Finally he agreed to testify as a "friendly" witness, appearing before HUAC in 1953. At the conclusion of his testimony, he praised the committee. Soon after his appearance there he had a massive heart attack. Sinatra--who barely knew Cobb--got him a part in his film The Miracle of the Bells (1948) when no other studio would hire Cobb. In addition, knowing that Cobb was broke, Sinatra paid his hospital bills, then had Cobb stay with him before renting him a luxurious apartment. Cobb believes that Sinatra identified with him as a troubled artist down on his luck, as Sinatra's own career had been in a severe tailspin before he resurrected himself by winning an Oscar for From Here to Eternity (1953). Cobb later said that if it wasn't for Sinatra, he didn't think he would have come through that period alive. Sinatra told Cobb he thought that Cobb was "robbed" when he failed to win the Oscar for his performance as Johnny Friendly in On the Waterfront (1954) (ironically, Sinatra originally had been scheduled to star in the picture, which was filmed in his hometown of Hoboken, NJ, but producer Sam Spiegel gave the role to Marlon Brando when he realized he could raise $1 million in financing for the picture by using Brando versus $500,000 if Sinatra was the star). Is one of only five actors/actresses to have both a #1 single and an Oscar for acting. The others are Cher, Barbra Streisand, Jamie Foxx, and Bing Crosby. Made no further public appearances after suffering a heart attack in January 1997. Campaigned for Ronald Reagan in the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections. Was active in Democratic Party politics from the 1944 presidential election until the late 1960s. In 1970 he supported Ronald Reagan's re-election campaign for Governor of California, and in 1972 he attended the Republican National Convention for the first time. Underwent major surgery for intestinal cancer in 1986. He was instrumental in reuniting Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin after their decades of estrangement. During an appearance on Lewis' annual telethon for Muscular Dystrophy, Sinatra said that he had a friend who wanted to say hello; then, he escorted Martin onto the stage to a flabbergasted Lewis. The two remained reunited until Martin's death. On 20 May 1998, his funeral service was held at the Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, California. Stars in attendance included Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, Robert Wagner, Jack Lemmon, Sidney Poitier, Jack Nicholson, Nancy Davis, Jerry Lewis, Wayne Newton, Johnny Carson, Milton Berle, Bruce Springsteen, Debbie Reynolds, Liza Minnelli, Bob Dylan, Tom Selleck, Tony Bennett, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Stack, Mia Farrow, Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Sophia Loren, Diahann Carroll, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gormé, Joey Bishop, Tony Danza, Quincy Jones, Dom DeLuise, Tim Conway, Cuba Gooding Jr., Anthony Quinn, Tony Curtis, Jack Paar, Angie Dickinson, Paul Anka, Ben Vereen, Ed McMahon, Red Buttons, Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue, Suzanne Pleshette, Dionne Warwick, Suzanne Somers, James Darren and of course, his children, 'Frank Sinatra Jr' and Nancy Sinatra. Over a thousand Sinatra fans lined the streets outside the church during the funeral, and gave him one final round of applause as his flower-draped coffin was carried out of the church. Overhead, a skywriting plane flying created a giant heart in the sky. Ironically, Sinatra had attended Gary Cooper's funeral at the same church, almost to the day of his own, some 37 years before. Suffered from dementia in his final years. He asked to sing at Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey's 1978 funeral in St. Paul, MN. The officiating minister refused. The job went to Metropolitan Opera baritone Robert Merrill. Has sold over 250 million records worldwide. In 1964 his close friend Serbian/American actor Brad Dexter saved him from drowning, during the filming of None But the Brave (1965) on location in Hawaii, after an undertow pulled him from shore while he was swimming. Was in talks to appear in The Verdict (1982). Was the godfather of Linda Thorson's son Trevor. Although the song Sinatra is most identified with is his hit "My Way", he originally didn't want to record it because he thought the song was "self-serving and indulgent.". Got the role of Pvt. Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953) after Eli Wallach passed on it to do a Tennessee Williams play on stage, according to Wallach on a June 20th broadcast of "Morning Sedition" on "Air America Radio.". Weighed over 13 pounds at birth, and had to be delivered by forceps; as a result, one of his ears was nearly severed. Showing no signs of life, he was held by his grandmother under cold, running water; and suddenly he began to breathe, and cry. His mother - a Practical nurse - and his father - a Hoboken tavern owner - had been hoping for a girl, and had already chosen the name Frances. So they gave him the masculine form of the name: Francis. Was a great admirer of John F. Kennedy, campaigning for him in the 1960 presidential election and organizing his inauguration ball on 20 January 1961. In August 1962, Kennedy decided not to stay with Sinatra in Palm Springs, due to recent allegations of Mafia ties, and instead stayed with Bing Crosby - Sinatra's original rival and an active Republican. Briefly lost the ability to sing after his vocal chords hemorrhaged in 1953. When his voice returned, it had an extra dimension which many fans believed made his singing better than before. Elected to the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2007 for his services to the entertainment industry (inaugural election). Official induction ceremonies held in May 2008. Mentioned in the song "Hey Manhattan!" by Prefab Sprout. Mentioned in the song "Its My Life" by Bon Jovi. Pictured on a 42¢ USA commemorative postage stamp issued 13 May 2008, one day before the 10th anniversary of his death. In 1981 he was heavily criticized for performing a ten-day gig in South Africa. Jesse Jackson and the United Nations special committee on Apartheid publicly condemned Sinatra for "collaboratng with the apartheid regime.". He had a longstanding dislike of Marlon Brando from the time they starred in Guys and Dolls (1955/I). Sinatra always felt he should have played Brando's part, with Gene Kelly in the other role. Sinatra nicknamed Brando "Mr Mumbles" while Brando called him "Mr Baldy". Was the favorite singer of and a big influence to The Doors front man Jim Morrison. Once appeared as a head-and-shoulders shot on MasterCard credit card. When Sinatra first met Mia Farrow in 1964, he was 48 and she was 19, a fact that prompted Dean Martin to quip that he owned a bottle of Scotch older than Farrow. The film Von Ryan's Express was his most successful of the 1960s, grossing over $17 million US dollars in 1965. All the films he produced made a profit. His only job as film director was the anti-war film None But the Brave, which was the first Japanese and American co-production. The studios involved were Warner Bros. and Toho Studios. Has a 62 year span of top-ten albums on Billboard -- from The Voice of Frank Sinatra which reached No. 1 in 1946 to Nothing But the Best, which reached No. 2 in 2008. His father's name was Martin Anthony Sinatra. His mother's name was Natalie 'Dolly' Barbato, a midwife. He is credited as co writer of 7 songs including "This Love Of Mine" (1941) and " Mr. Success" (1958). All of his single recordings in 1943 which included "Oh What A Beautiful Morning"/ "People Will Say We're In Love" were recorded a cappella with The Bobby Tucker Singers because of a musician's strike. He was awarded 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 1600 Vine Street, for Recording at 1737 Vine Street, and for Television at 6538 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Frank Capra claimed that Sinatra had the potential to be the best actor there ever was. He once told Frank to quit his musical career and concentrate solely on acting and that if he did he would go down as the greatest actor who ever lived. He and Paul Newman are the only people to win an Honorary Oscar, a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and a competitive Oscar. Personal Quotes I'm trying to figure out, Chairman of what Board? People come up to me and seriously say: "Well, what are you Chairman of?" And I can't answer them. I'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels. But to me religion is a deeply personal thing in which man and God go it alone together, without the witch doctor in the middle. A friend is never an imposition. [his last words] I'm losing it. [Talking about Burt Reynolds] He is the one the ladies like to dance with and their husbands like to drink with. He is the larger-than-life actor of our times. He is gifted, talented, naughty and nice. A fella came up to me the other day with a nice story. He was in a bar somewhere and it was the quiet time of the night. Everybody's staring down at the sauce and one of my saloon songs comes on the jukebox, "One for My Baby", or something like that. After a while, a drunk at the end of the bar looks up and says, jerking his thumb toward the jukebox, "I wonder who he listens to?" [when Dean Martin walked out on The Together Again Tour] You can't put a gun to his head. He just didn't want to do it. Nothing anybody's said or written about me ever bothers me, except when it does. [after the deaths of Sammy Davis Jr., Ava Gardner, Jilly Rizzo and Dean Martin] I'm next. I ain't scared, either. Everybody I ever knew is already over there. [on Elvis Presley in 1957] Sung, played and written for the most part by cretinous goons; and by means of its almost imbecilic reiterations and sly, lewd - in plain fact, dirty - lyrics it manages to be the martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the Earth. This rancid-smelling aphrodisiac I deplore. His kind of music is deplorable, a rancid smelling aphrodisiac . . . it fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people. [on Ava Gardner] I love her, and God damn me for it. You better get busy living, because dying's a pain in the ass. [on Elvis Presley's death in 1977] There have been many accolades uttered about his talent and performances through the years, all of which I agree to wholeheartedly, I shall miss him dearly as a friend. There are moments when it's too quiet. Particularly late at night or early in the mornings. That's when you know there's something lacking in your life. You just know. Recording with Billy May is like having a bucket of cold water thrown into your face. Nelson Riddle will come to a session with all the arrangements carefully and neatly worked out beforehand. With Billy you sometimes don't get copies of the next number until you've finished the one before. Billy and Nelson both work best under pressure. Billy May is always driving while Nelson has more depth, and with Gordon Jenkins, it's just plain beautiful and simple. [on Marlon Brando] He is the most overrated actor in the world. No man's lifetime of work has better expressed the land of the free and the home of the brave. No man's lifetime of work has given proof to the world that our flag is still there. John Wayne is in truth a star-spangled man whom so proudly we hail. For over half a century, Mr. Wayne [John Wayne] has served honorably as America's symbol to the world of the highest morals and prudent standards of our society. [on Don Rickles] I like him. But that's because I have no taste. In Hoboken, when I was a kid, I lived in a plenty tough neighborhood. When somebody called me a "dirty little pig," there was only one thing to do: break his head. When I got older, I realized you shouldn't do it [get even] that way. I realized you've got to do it through education . . . maybe with a few exceptions. [1965] For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more. I detest bad manners. If people are polite, I am. They shouldn't try to get away with not being polite to me. I'm a performer. I'm better in the first take. Don't tell me. Suggest. But don't tell me. [on the resignation of US President Richard Nixon, Aug. 9, 1974] Any man can make a mistake. [on friend Peggy Lee] Her wonderful talent should be studied by all vocalists; her regal presence is pure elegance and charm. A well balanced girl is the one who has an empty head and a full sweater. That guy Heston has to watch it. If he's not careful, he'll get actors a good name. - On Charlton Heston Salary The Naked Runner (1967) $1,000,000 From Here to Eternity (1953) $8,000 Meet Danny Wilson (1951) $25,000 Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) $125,000 Reveille with Beverly (1943) $1,500 Major Bowes Amateur Theater of the Air (1935) $35.00 |
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