Frank Sinatra Fast Facts
Full name: Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra
Born: December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey
Died: May 14, 1998 in Los Angeles, California (heart disease, kidney disease, bladder cancer)
Resting place: Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California
Father: Anthony Martin Sinatra, born Saverio Antonino Martino Sinatra on May 4, 1892 in Lercara Friddi, province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Died January 24, 1969 in Houston, Texas
Mother: Natalie Catherine "Dolly" (Garavente) Sinatra, born Natalina Maria Vittoria Garaventa on November 25, 1894 (per FindAGrave.com) in Genoa, Italy. Died January 6, 1977 in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, San Bernardino / Riverside counties, California (plane crash)
Spouses: Nancy Barbato (February 4, 1939 - October 29, 1951) (divorced) (3 children)
Ava Gardner (November 7, 1951 - July 5, 1957) (divorced)
Mia Farrow (July 19, 1966 - August 16, 1968) (divorced)
Barbara Marx (July 11, 1976 - May 14, 1998) (his death)
Children: Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey)
Francis Wayne "Frank, Jr." Sinatra (born January 10, 1944 in Jersey City, New Jersey)
Christina "Tina" Sinatra (born June 20, 1948 in Los Angeles, California)
Granddaughters: (via Nancy Sinatra Lambert)
Angela Jennifer "A.J." Lambert Paparozzi and Amanda Kate Lambert Erlinger
Great-granddaughter: (via A.J. Lambert Paparozzi) Miranda Vega Paparozzi
Did You Know?
Sinatra was born a century ago in a small apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. Because he weighed 13 1/2 pounds and labor had stalled, a traumatic forceps delivery was used. The forceps tore the left side of his face and neck, as well as his left ear. The doctor cut the cord and lay Frank – huge and blue and bleeding from his wounds, and apparently dead – by the kitchen sink, quickly shifting his efforts to saving the nearly unconscious Dolly’s life. Frank's grandmother picked him up, ran some ice-cold water from the sink over him, and slapped his back. He snuffled and began to howl.
His traumatic birth left him with a scar that ran from the corner of his mouth to his jaw line, a cauliflower ear, and a ruptured eardrum. As a child, he was nicknamed "Scarface." He also suffered a bad case of adolescent acne, which left his cheeks pitted. Self-conscious about his looks as an adult, Sinatra applied makeup to hide the scars. Even with the makeup, he hated to be photographed on his left side. The physical insecurities didn't end there. Sinatra also wore elevator shoes to boost his 5' 7" height.
He was exempted from service during World War II because of the ruptured left eardrum.
Nicknames: The Voice, Chairman of the Board, Ol' Blue Eyes, Swoonatra, The Sultan of Swoon, La Voz
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.
His signature drink was a mix of four ice cubes, two fingers of Jack Daniel's whiskey, and a splash of water. Frank cupped it in his hand, insulated by a cocktail napkin.
When Bela Lugosi died virtually penniless, Sinatra quietly paid for his funeral.
On May 10, 1964, Brad Dexter saved Sinatra from drowning during the production of None but the Brave in Kauai. Dexter was later awarded a Red Cross medal for his bravery. Sinatra never forgot it and the two stayed close friends for the rest of their lives.
Sinatra and Paul Newman are the only people to win an Honorary Oscar, a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and a competitive Oscar.
Sinatra has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: One for music (1637 Vine Street), one for film (1600 Vine Street), and one for television (6538 Hollywood Blvd).
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 miniature bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey, a pack of Camel cigarettes, and a Zippo cigarette lighter.
TCM's Star of the Month
Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music (1965)
was a one-hour television special, first broadcast by NBC on November 24, 1965, to mark the occasion of Frank Sinatra's 50th birthday. The special won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Program, and a Peabody Award. It was also nominated for two other Emmy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe.
Song list:
1. "I've Got You Under My Skin" 2. "Without a Song" 3. "Don't Worry 'bout Me" 4. "I Get a Kick Out of You" 5. "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" 6. "My Kind of Town"
7. Medley: "It Was a Very Good Year"/"Young at Heart"/"The Girl Next Door"/"Last Night When We Were Young"
8. "This Is All I Ask" 9. "Come Fly with Me" 10. "The Lady Is a Tramp" 11. "I've Got the World on a String" 12. "Witchcraft" 13. "You Make Me Feel So Young" 14. "Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day)"
9:00 p.m. - Color - 149 mins. - TV-G
Guys and Dolls (1955)
D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, Stubby Kaye, B. S. Pully, Veda Ann Borg, Sheldon Leonard, Regis Toomey. Lavish Hollywoodization of classic Broadway musical based on Damon Runyon's colorful characters with Blaine, Kaye, Pully, and Johnny Silver reprising their stage performances and Brando making a not-bad musical debut as gambler Sky Masterson. Tuneful Frank Loesser score includes "Fugue for Tinhorns," "If I Were a Bell," "Luck Be a Lady," Blaine's memorable "Adelaide's Lament," and Stubby's showstopping "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."
11:45 p.m. - Color - 109 mins. - TV-14
Pal Joey (1957)
D: George Sidney. Cast: Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Barbara Nichols, Hank Henry, Bobby Sherwood.
Sinatra is in peak form as a cocky nightclub singer who makes a move on every "dame'' he meets--including innocent showgirl Novak--but meets his Waterloo when wealthy, demanding Hayworth agrees to bankroll his dream of running his own club. Almost complete rewrite of the 1940 Broadway show based on John O'Hara's short stories, but entertaining just the same, with a great Rodgers and Hart score including "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" (with sanitized lyrics), "The Lady Is a Tramp." Look fast for Robert Reed.
1:45 a.m. - Color - 131 mins. - TV-PG
Can-Can (1960)
D: Walter Lang. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan, Juliet Prowse.
Lackluster version of Cole Porter musical of 1890s Paris involving lawyer Sinatra defending MacLaine's right to perform "daring" dance in her nightclub. Chevalier and Jourdan try to inject charm, but Sinatra is blase and MacLaine shrill. Songs: "C'est Magnifique," "I Love Paris," "Let's Do It," "Just One of Those Things."
4:15 a.m. - Color - 109 mins. - TV-PG
Marriage on the Rocks (1965)
D: Jack Donohue. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, Dean Martin, Cesar Romero, Hermione Baddeley, Tony Bill.
A couple divorces by mistake during a madcap Mexican vacation.
6:15 a.m. - B/W - 81 mins. - TV-G
Double Dynamite (1951)
D: Irving Cummings. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Jane Russell, Groucho Marx, Don McGuire.
Sinatra plays a bank clerk falsely accused of robbery. Flat comedy marked a career low point for all three of its stars. Filmed in 1948.
7:45 a.m. - Color - 120 mins. - TV-PG
Hole in the Head, A (1959)
D: Frank Capra. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter, Eddie Hodges, Keenan Wynn, Joi Lansing.
Sticky story of a ne'er-do-well (Sinatra) and his son (Hodges) doesn't seem sincere. Only distinction is Oscar-winning song, "High Hopes."
10:00 a.m. - Color - 106 mins. - TV-PG
Assault on a Queen (1966)
D: Jack Donohue. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Virna Lisi, Anthony Franciosa, Richard Conte, Alf Kjellin, Errol John.
Complex caper film about an attempted robbery of the Queen Mary. Sinatra stars as an American who is hired by a rich Italian, Lisi, and her German partner, Kjellin, to help renovate a sunken German U-boat and use it to threaten to sink the luxury liner if the thieves are not allowed to board and plunder the ship. The producers tried to generate the same magic that made Sinatra's Ocean's 11 so popular. They didn't succeed but the results aren't too bad.
12:00 p.m. - Color - 91 mins. - TV-14
Dirty Dingus Magee (1970)
D: Burt Kennedy. Cast: Frank Sinatra, George Kennedy, Anne Jackson, Lois Nettleton, Jack Elam, Michele Carey.
Reviews ranged from ecstatic to putrid for this western comedy with Sinatra and George Kennedy top-billed. I'm in the middle. The film has plenty of action and a few funny lines, but it is an essentially empty exercise. Director Burt Kennedy lets Sinatra and the picture go too far with tawdry double entendres and many groaners. The script was by Tom Waldman, Frank Waldman, and Joseph Heller, author of Catch-22.
8:00 p.m. - Color - 75 mins. - TV-G
Sinatra Sings (2011)
Frank Sinatra performances culled from his TV specials and concerts. Narrated by Tina Sinatra.
9:15 p.m. - B/W - 118 mins. - TV-PG
From Here to Eternity (1953)
D: Fred Zinnemann. Cast: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Philip Ober, Ernest Borgnine, Mickey Shaughnessy, Jack Warden, Claude Akins, George Reeves.
Toned-down but still powerful adaptation of James Jones' novel of Army life in Hawaii just before Pearl Harbor. Depiction of Japanese sneak attack combines unforgettable action scenes with actual combat footage. Brilliantly acted by entire cast, including Sinatra in his "comeback'' role as the ill-fated soldier Maggio. Eight Oscars include Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (Daniel Taradash), Cinematography (Burnett Guffey), and Supporting Actors Sinatra and Reed. Remade in 1979 as a TV miniseries, which in turn spun off a brief series.
11:30 p.m. - Color - 126 mins. - TV-PG
Devil at 4 O'Clock, The (1961)
D: Mervyn LeRoy. Cast: Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Kerwin Mathews, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Gregoire Aslan, Bernie Hamilton, Alexander Scourby, Barbara Luna, Cathy Lewis.
Prisoners Harry (Frank Sinatra), Marcel (Gregoire Aslan) and Charlie (Bernie Hamilton) are flown to a small tropical island to serve the elderly Father Doonan (Spencer Tracy), who makes them work high in the mountains at a health clinic for local children. When a volcano erupts, the young patients are stranded, while the rest of the island's population flees. When Doonan offers to free the convicts if they help save the children, Harry leads his fellow convicts on a daring rescue mission.
1:45 a.m. - Color - 114 mins. - TV-PG
Detective, The (1968)
D: Gordon Douglas. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Jacqueline Bisset, Jack Klugman, William Windom, Robert Duvall.
When a gay man is viciously slain, Detective Joe Leland (Frank Sinatra) is put on the case. Joe eventually tracks down the victim's roommate, who confesses to the crime and is sentenced to death; however, the outcome of the case doesn't sit well with the detective. Norma (Jacqueline Bisset), a distraught widow, visits Joe. She believes her husband's death was no accident, but the cops don't seem to care. Joe begins to investigate, and stumbles on a cover-up related to his previous case.
4:00 a.m. - Color - 112 mins. - TV-14
First Deadly Sin, The (1980)
D: Brian G. Hutton. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Faye Dunaway, David Dukes, Martin Gabel, James Whitmore, George Coe, Brenda Vaccaro, Anthony Zerbe.
Edward Delaney (Frank Sinatra) is nearing the end of his career as a New York City homicide detective. But, before he can retire, he picks up a case involving multiple brutal murders, the victims of which have nothing in common. With help from a museum curator (Martin Gabel), Edward starts to piece together the few clues the vicious killer has left behind. As he starts to close in on the killer, his wife, Barbara (Faye Dunaway), is diagnosed with a serious disease.
6:00 a.m. - B/W - 77 mins. - TV-PG
Suddenly (1954)
D: Lewis Allen. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason, Nancy Gates, Willis Bouchey, Kim Charney, Paul Frees, Christopher Dark, Charles Smith.
Sinatra leads trio of paid assassins who take over house in small town where the President will pass on his way to a fishing trip. White-knuckle thriller, written by Richard Sale, with Sinatra excellent in thoroughly detestable role; rest of cast equally fine. "Suddenly," incidentally, is the name of the town.
7:30 a.m. - Color - 106 mins. - TV-PG
None but the Brave (1965)
D: Frank Sinatra. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Clint Walker, Tatsuya Mihashi, Brad Dexter, Tommy Sands, Tony Bill, Takeshi Kato, Kenji Sahara, Takashi Inagaki, Christopher Dark.
Crash-landed Marines (Frank Sinatra, Clint Walker, Tommy Sands) form an uneasy truce with forgotten Japanese soldiers on a South Pacific island.
9:30 a.m. - Color - 132 mins. - TV-PG
Pride and the Passion, The (1957)
D: Stanley Kramer. Cast: Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Theodore Bikel, John Wengraf.
Miscast actioner involving capture of huge cannon by British naval officer (Grant) in 19th-century Spain. Spectacle scenes--filmed on location--are impressive; but most of the film is ridiculous. From the C. S. Forester novel.
11:45 a.m. - Color - 125 mins. - TV-PG
Never So Few (1959)
D: John Sturges. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Steve McQueen, Richard Johnson, Paul Henreid, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Charles Bronson.
WW2 action/romance tale; salty performances which make one forget the cliches and improbabilities.
8:00 p.m. - Color - 51 mins. TV-G
Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back (1973)
Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra (or Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back) was an NBC musical television special starring Frank Sinatra broadcast on November 18, 1973. The special was written by Fred Ebb, directed by Marty Pasetta, and produced by Howard W. Koch. The announcer for the special was Ed McMahon. Gene Kelly, the guest star on the special, had last worked with Sinatra on the 1949 film On the Town.
Song list:
1. "My Way" (Instrumental) 2. "You Will Be My Music" 3. "I Get a Kick Out of You" 4. "Street of Dreams" 5. "I've Got You Under My Skin" 6. "I've Got the World on a String"
7. Saloon trilogy: "Last Night When We Were Young"/"Violets for Your Furs"/"Here's That Rainy Day"
8. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (Instrumental) 9. "I Begged Her" (Instrumental)
10. Medley with Gene Kelly: "Can't Do That Anymore"/"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"/"For Me and My Gal"/"New York, New York"
11. "Nice 'n' Easy" 12. "Let Me Try Again" 13. "Send in the Clowns" 14. "You Will Be My Music" (Reprise)
9:00 p.m. - Color - 98 mins. - TV-G
On the Town (1949)
D: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen. Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Alice Pearce, Florence Bates.
Three sailors have 24 hours to take in the sights and sounds of N.Y.C. Exuberant MGM musical, innovatively shot on location all over the City, isn't much in terms of plot and discards some of the best songs from the Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Leonard Bernstein show on which it's based . . . but it's still terrific entertainment. Highlight: "New York, New York.'' Oscar winner for Roger Edens and Lennie Hayton's musical scoring. An impressive directing debut for Kelly and Donen.
11:00 p.m. - Color - 93 mins. - TV-G
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
D: Busby Berkeley. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly, Betty Garrett, Edward Arnold, Jules Munshin, Richard Lane, Tom Dugan.
Contrived but colorful turn-of-the-century musical, with Williams taking over Sinatra and Kelly's baseball team. "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg" and Kelly's "The Hat My Father Wore on St. Patrick's Day" are musical highlights.
12:45 a.m. - Color - 139 mins. - TV-G
Anchors Aweigh (1945)
D: George Sidney. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Jose Iturbi, Dean Stockwell, Pamela Britton.
Popular '40s musical of sailors on leave doesn't hold up story-wise, but musical numbers still good: Sinatra's "I Fall in Love Too Easily," Kelly's irresistible dance with Jerry the cartoon mouse.
3:15 a.m. - B/W - 103 mins. - TV-G
It Happened In Brooklyn (1947)
D: Richard Whorf. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Jimmy Durante, Peter Lawford, Gloria Grahame.
Hokey musical with Brooklynite Sinatra returning to his beloved borough after WW2; complications follow as he falls for music teacher Grayson. Some good songs, including "Time After Time'' and wonderful Sinatra-Durante duet, "The Song's Gotta Come From the Heart.''
5:15 a.m. - Color - 100 mins. - TV-G
Kissing Bandit, The (1948)
D: Laslo Benedek. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, J. Carrol Naish, Ricardo Montalban, Mildred Natwick, Cyd Charisse, Billy Gilbert.
Frail Sinatra vehicle about son of Western kissing bandit who picks up where Dad left off; song "Siesta'' sums it up.
7:00 a.m. - B/W - 88 mins. - TV-G
Step Lively (1944)
D: Tim Whelan. Cast: Frank Sinatra, George Murphy, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria DeHaven, Eugene Pallette, Anne Jeffreys, Walter Slezak.
Brisk musical remake of Room Service with producer Murphy wheeling and dealing to get his show produced. Engagingly frantic, with sharp dialogue, funny contribution by Slezak as the hotel manager. If you blink you'll miss (brunette) Dorothy Malone as switchboard operator in lobby.
8:30 a.m. - B/W - 90 mins. - TV-G
Higher and Higher (1943)
D: Tim Whelan. Cast: Michèle Morgan, Jack Haley, Frank Sinatra (film debut), Leon Errol, Barbara Hale, Mary Wickes, Elisabeth Risdon, Marcy McGuire, Mel Tormé, Victor Borge.
On the verge of losing his home, former millionaire Cyrus (Leon Errol) and his driver, Mike (Jack Haley), recruit Millie (Michele Morgan), a beautiful maid, to pose as the fictitious heiress to Cyrus' now-spent fortune. With Mike's guidance, Millie courts the debonair Sir Victor Fitzroy (Victor Borge) in hopes of marrying him to obtain a dowry. But Victor may not be what he seems, neighborhood kid Frank (Frank Sinatra) wants Millie for himself -- and poor Millie doesn't love either of them.
8:00 p.m. - Color - 30 mins. - TV-G
"Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank" (1957)
was the tenth episode of The Frank Sinatra Show television series. The series aired on ABC from October 18, 1957 to June 27, 1958.
Aired December 20, 1957: Guests: Bing Crosby, The Ralph Brewster Singers
Note: In this Christmas show, Frank sings "Mistletoe and Holly" (which he co-wrote), "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." Bing croons "Away in a Manger" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The two team up for "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "The Christmas Song," and "White Christmas." The Ralph Brewster singers perform "Here We Come a-Caroling" and "The First Noel." This episode was directed by Frank and written by Bill Morrow. Produced at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios using the drama episodes crew, it was shot in color but originally broadcast in black and white. At a 2001 Museum of Television and Radio seminar, producer William Self explained the rather unusual production method: "Crosby liked to pre-record and lip synch, and he preferred doing it in the morning. Frank liked to record live and do it in the evening. So these duets were sung about ten hours apart, and we put it all together. There was no orchestra there. Bill Miller, who was a wonderful pianist, played low so the mike would not pick it up - or very much. And then Frank would sing to the low piano. And then Nelson Riddle came in later and overrode the piano with the orchestra."
8:45 p.m. - B/W - 120 mins. - TV-G
Miracle of the Bells, The (1948)
D: Irving Pichel. Cast: Fred MacMurray, Valli, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, Charles Meredith.
Contrived story of miracle occurring when movie star is laid to rest in coal-mining home town; often ludicrous, despite sincere cast. Screenplay by Ben Hecht and Quentin Reynolds.
11:00 p.m. - Color - 112 mins. - TV-PG
High Society (1956)
D: Charles Walters. Cast: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Blackmer.
Fluffy remake of The Philadelphia Story is enjoyable, but has lost all the bite of the original. Kelly is about to marry Lund when ex-hubby Crosby arrives, along with reporters Sinatra and Holm. Cole Porter songs include "True Love,'' "Did You Evah?,'' "You're Sensational,'' plus Bing and Satchmo's "Now You Has Jazz.'' Grace Kelly's last acting role.
1:00 a.m. - Color - 123 mins. - TV-PG
Robin And The 7 Hoods (1964)
D: Gordon Douglas. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby, Peter Falk, Barbara Rush, Edward G. Robinson, Victor Buono, Tony Randall, Allen Jenkins.
Set in Chicago during Prohibition, the Rat Pack's take on the Robin Hood legend finds bootlegger Robbo (Frank Sinatra) and his cronies refusing to pay the greedy Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) a cut of their profits after Guy shoots mob boss Big Jim (Edward G. Robinson) and takes over. When Big Jim's daughter, Marian (Barbara Rush), gives Robbo a large sum of money, believing he has avenged her father's death, the gangster donates it to an orphanage, cementing his reputation as a softhearted hood.
3:15 a.m. - Color - 111 mins. - TV-PG
Tender Trap, The (1955)
D: Charles Walters. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, Celeste Holm, David Wayne, Carolyn Jones, Lola Albright, Tom Helmore, James Drury.
Silly romp of swinging, set-in-his-ways N.Y.C. bachelor Sinatra, who meets his match in determined, marriage-minded Reynolds. A real time capsule of 1950s attitudes toward men, women, and sex. Impeccable support from Holm and Wayne; memorable Cahn/Van Heusen title tune. Julius J. Epstein adapted the Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith play.
8:00 p.m. - Color - 50 mins. - TV-G
Sinatra (1969)
Sinatra: Featuring Don Costa and His Orchestra was a 1969 Emmy nominated television special starring Frank Sinatra, broadcast Wednesday, November 5, 1969, on CBS. It was directed by Tim Kiley.
Set list:
1. "For Once in My Life" 2. "Please Be Kind" 3. "My Way"
4. Film clip medley with song highlights of: "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night"/"You're Sensational"/"All the Way"/"(Love Is) The Tender Trap"
5. "Little Green Apples" 6. "Out Beyond the Window" 7. "A Man Alone" 8. "Didn't We?" 9. "Forget to Remember" 10. "Fly Me to the Moon" 11. "Street of Dreams" 12. "Love's Been Good to Me" 13. "Goin' Out of My Head" 14. "My Kind of Town"
9:15 p.m. - B/W - 119 mins. - TV-14
Man with the Golden Arm, The (1956)
D: Otto Preminger. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Darren McGavin, Arnold Stang, Doro Merande.
Then-daring film of drug addiction is now dated, but still powerful; Sinatra is the junkie, Parker the crippled wife. Memorable Elmer Bernstein jazz score.
11:30 p.m. - B/W - 126 mins. - TV-PG
Joker Is Wild, The (1957)
D: Charles Vidor. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, Eddie Albert, Beverly Garland, Jackie Coogan, Sophie Tucker.
Sinatra is fine in biography of nightclub performer Joe E. Lewis, with Crain and Gaynor diverting as his two loves. Cahn and Van Heusen song "All the Way'' won an Oscar; in fact, the film was reissued as All the Way.
1:45 a.m. - Color - 136 mins. - TV-PG
Some Came Running (1958)
D: Vincente Minnelli. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine, Martha Hyer, Arthur Kennedy, Nancy Gates.
Slick adaptation of James Jones' novel about disillusionment in a small midwestern town in the late 1940s; more character study than narrative. MacLaine is especially good as luckless floozie who's stuck on Sinatra; Elmer Bernstein's music score also a standout.
4:15 a.m. - Color - 113 mins. - TV-PG
Sergeants 3 (1962)
D: John Sturges. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, Henry Silva, Ruta Lee, Buddy Lester, Michael Pate.
Mike (Frank Sinatra), Chip (Dean Martin) and Larry (Peter Lawford) are three rowdy American sergeants stationed in Indian territory. Along with Jonah (Sammy Davis Jr.), a former slave who aspires to be a trooper, the trio attempt to fight back against an Indian chief (Henry Silva) who has conspired to unite all of the local tribes and kill any Americans in sight. But when the sergeants are taken prisoner, they must find a way to warn their regiment of an impending ambush.
6:15 a.m. - Color - 115 mins. - TV-PG
4 For Texas (1963)
D: Robert Aldrich. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andress, Charles Bronson, Victor Buono, Edric Connor, Nick Dennis, Richard Jaeckel, Mike Mazurki, Wesley Addy, Marjorie Bennett, Virginia Christine, Ellen Corby, Jack Elam, Joe DeRita, Larry Fine, Moe Howard.
In the 1870s, two rival businessmen, Zack Thomas (Frank Sinatra) and Joe Jarrett (Dean Martin), on a stagecoach heading to Galveston, Texas, must pull together to protect $100,000 from an outlaw named Matson (Charles Bronson). Once in Galveston, however, their rivalry continues, as Thomas joins up with Elya Carlson (Anita Ekberg) and Jarret with Maxine Richter (Ursula Andress). But Matson is still on the loose, and a scheming banker threatens both Thomas and Jarrett.
Frank Sinatra on Lux Radio Theatre
"Wake Up and Live" - February 21, 1944 - Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Maxwell, James Gleason, Bob Crosby, James Dunn, Cathy Lewis
"Magnificent Obsession" - November 13, 1944 - Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche. Frank Sinatra appears to promote his program.
"Anchors Aweigh" - December 29, 1947 - Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson
"Miracle of the Bells" - May 31, 1948 - Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Valli
Frank Sinatra Christmas Music
The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas is a 1968 Christmas album by Frank Sinatra and featuring his children, Nancy, Frank, Jr. and Tina.
"I Wouldn't Trade Christmas" (with Nancy, Frank, Jr. and Tina)
"The Bells of Christmas (Greensleeves)" (with Nancy, Frank, Jr. and Tina)
"The Christmas Waltz"
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" (with Nancy, Frank, Jr. and Tina)
"Whatever Happened to Christmas?"
Frank Sinatra - Christmas Dreaming
"White Christmas"
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
"Christmas Dreaming"
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
"Jingle Bells"
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
"Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)"
"Silent Night"
Frank Sinatra on Television
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show (October 15, 1959)
The first of four specials hosted by Frank Sinatra and sponsored by Timex. His guests are Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Mitzi Gaynor, and Jimmy Durante. Also known as Bing Crosby and Dean Martin Present High Hopes.
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: An Afternoon with Frank Sinatra (December 13, 1959)
The second of four specials hosted by Sinatra and sponsored by Timex. His guests are Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, Juliet Prowse, The Hi-Los, and Ella Fitzgerald.
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: To the Ladies (February 15, 1960)
The third of four specials hosted by Frank Sinatra and sponsored by Timex. His guests are Lena Horne, Mary Costa, Juliet Prowse, Barbara Heller, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home, Elvis! (May 12, 1960)
The fourth of four specials hosted by Frank Sinatra and sponsored by Timex. His guests are Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Tom Hansen Dancers, and Leona Irwin.
Recipes by Frank Sinatra
Sinatra's Chicken Vesuvius
One 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into pieces
4 or 5 small red potatoes (about 3 ounces each)
1 small red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 small white onion
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the chicken in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
Quarter the potatoes. Seed the bell pepper and cut it into 8 pieces. Quarter the onions through the root ends.
Add the vegetables to the chicken and sprinkle with pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Smooth out the vegetables, and make sure the chicken pieces are skin side up. Bake until the chicken is browned and the skin is crisp, about 40 minutes. Poke holes in the chicken skin so the juices flow. Stir so the vegetables are glazed. Continue baking until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes longer.
Arrange on a serving platter and spoon the juices on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings.
Frank Sinatra's Eggplant Parmigiana
Tomato Sauce:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes, cut up
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise in 12-inch slices
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese
Prepare "Tomato Sauce" and set aside.
Combine flour and salt. Dip eggplant in egg, then in seasoned flour. Sauté eggplant slices in hot oil in large skillet for 3 minutes on each side, adding more oil if necessary. Drain slices well on paper towel. Place 1/2 of eggplant in single layer in a 10 x 6 x 2-inch baking dish, cutting slices to fit. Sprinkle with 1/2 of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 sauce and 1/2 mozzarella cheese. Cut remaining mozzarella into triangles. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot. Serves 6.
Frank Sinatra's Sausage and Peppers
3 green peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper (optional)
1 lb. hot Italian sausages
3/4 cup red wine
Remove stems and seeds from peppers and cut into large chunks. In an ovenproof baking dish that can be used on the top of the stove, saute green peppers in oil until they begin to soften. Sprinkle with a little salt. Lift the green peppers out of the dish and set aside. Brown the sausages in the same baking dish. When browned, add 3/4 cup red wine. Cover the pan with foil and bake the sausages in wine in a 350 degrees F. oven for 40 minutes. (Ovens vary, so cook until the sausage is no longer pink.) Uncover and add the sauteed green peppers. Bake for an additional 30 minutes and serve in same baking dish. Serves 4.
Sinatra's Spinach
Sinatra loved this dish because it isn't fattening and he believed the olive oil was good for his voice.
1 (1-pound) can whole-leaf spinach
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
Drain the spinach and place in a serving dish. Drizzle with the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the onion. Makes 4 servings.
Recipes by Dolly Sinatra
Dolly Sinatra's Marinara Sauce
This amount is for 1 pound of pasta.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with puree
1 sprig fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the oil is fragrant and is seasoned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and puree. Heat to simmering. Cook on low heat until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
Add the oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low heat for another 15 minutes or so as it thickens. Makes 4 servings.
Serve with a green salad topped with sliced tomatoes and dressed with Italian dressing, and sliced Italian bread.
Dolly Sinatra's Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
2/3 lb. ground veal (or pork)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1/4 lb. freshly grated Romano cheese
1/3 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup stale Italian bread, crumbed
6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lukewarm water
olive oil
(Makes approx. 18-20 meatballs depending on size.)
Combine the ground beef and veal in a large bowl. Add the garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water. The mixture should be moist but firm enough to make meatballs. Shape into meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry 5-6 meatballs at a time until browned and cooked. Place on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.
