ADSactly Hollywood Legends: Frank Sinatra, the king of Hollywood
Few are the girls who never dreamed of becoming an actress, a movie star, a Hollywood icon. Even fewer are the girls who never swooned over a hot movie star. Whether we like it or not, Hollywood is still the film-making capital of the world, and if you look at many of today’s starlets you would believe that all it takes is a nice face and a lot of well-placed silicone. However, Hollywood became the stuff of dreams decades ago when the movie stars were larger than life. This series is about the Golden Era of Hollywood and the legends on whose blood, sweat and talent the success of the modern film industry was built upon.
Many people like to say you could make a movie out of their lives, but when we speak of Frank Sinatra it would probably take a series, one with many seasons preferably. Mostly remembered as one of the best-selling singers of all times, Frank Sinatra also belongs to Hollywood’s Hall of Fame with an Academy Award to his name. Even more impressive is the long list of conquests among Hollywood’s most beautiful women, from Marilyn Monroe to Ava Gardner. A look at his career offers an unique opportunity to get a glimpse at the murky ties between Hollywood and the Mafia, for Frank Sinatra enjoyed the friendship of many mobsters and even owes his greatest achievement of his film career to his very powerful friends. All of the above explain why Sinatra was called the ‘king of Hollywood’.
Born in New Jersey, in 1915, the son of Italian immigrants, Sinatra took an early interest in music and landed his first major contract as lead singer for jazz musician Tommy Dorsey’s band, in 1940. They did many recordings together, but Sinatra felt it was not enough for him and wanted to go solo. Dorsey would not hear of it and a legal battle ensued. Legend has it that, in 1942, Dorsey finally agreed to let go of Sinatra’s contract for the symbolic sum of $1, while staring down the barrel of a gun.
According to FBI files, the brutal termination of contract was orchestrated by Sinatra’s godfather, Willie Moretti, underboss of the Genovese crime family. It is worth noting that, at the time, Sinatra was married to Nancy Barbato, first cousin with another member of the same mafia clan.
With his famed blue eyes and the unique voice, Sinatra quickly became popular among teenagers, who mobbed his every performance. The ‘Sinatra mania’ almost caused a riot at a 1944 concert in New York, when some 35,000 fans fought to gain admission in an already overcrowded theater. Fame is notoriously fickle, though, and by the end of the 1940s his career was slumping. News of his affair with Ava Gardner, whom he would later marry, didn’t help much.
How many of you remember the scene in ‘The Godfather’ when a movie producer finds the severed head of a prize horse in his bed, a mafia warning for the guy who didn’t want to sign up a singer for his next movie? Well, that scene is a reference to the serious arm-wrestling needed to get Frank Sinatra a movie part. He had already appeared in many musicals, but at that point in his career he needed something big. He had his beautiful eyes set on the part of a soldier in ’From Here to Eternity’(1953), alongside Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift, but producer Harry Cohn refused. Sinatra had good ties with the Chicago Mafia and had mobster Johnny Roselli come knock some sense into the annoyingly stubborn Harry Cohn. Nobody knows exactly whether there was any horse head involved, but fact is Cohn relented and gave Sinatra the part, which would eventually win him an Oscar. In 1972, Mario Puzo, acclaimed author of ‘The Godfather’ novel, wrote an article recounting a meeting with Sinatra, who scolded him in very strong terms for placing a reference to his career in his book.
One reason Harry Cohn was dead set against hiring Sinatra is that, at the time, the producer had been infuriated by Marilyn Monroe’s refusal to sleep with him. It must be said that according to Johnny Roselli’s memoirs it was the mafia who had arranged Marilyn being offered a contract with Cohn in the first place. It’s easy to understand how Cohn fell for the beautiful blonde’s charms, but Marilyn Monroe refused, claiming she was in love with Sinatra.
Sinatra with his mafia buddies: Paul 'Big Pauly' Castellano(top left) and Carlo Gambino (top 3rd from right)
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What’s fascinating about Sinatra is that he never bothered to hide his connections to the mob. He was frequently photographed hanging out with Roselli or Chicago boss Sam Giancana. He was well aware the FBI was watching him, but fact is he was never charged with anything illegal.
Later on, together with his mafia buddies he helped John F. Kennedy win the presidency. The mob used its influence with the unions to secure votes for JFK, while Sinatra publicly endorsed him at his concerts, during which he never failed to play the democrat candidate’s campaign anthem. Shortly before JFK’s inauguration, Sinatra and his Rat Pack buddies sang at a gala where the president-elect took to the stage to publicly thank Frank Sinatra for his help.
Sinatra and JFK shared a common passion for partying and beautiful women, and it is the singer who introduced Marilyn Monroe to the future president. However, after winning the election, Kennedy decided to put some distance between him and Sinatra. One reason was that Jackie Kennedy disliked Sinatra, but an even more credible reason is that such friendship simply would not do for an American president. JFK could not be seen in public with a singer who partied frequently with the most reviled mafia bosses.
It was during the 1960s that Sinatra, by then known as ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’, released some of his most famous songs, such as ‘Strangers in the Night’(1966) and the immensely popular ‘My Way’ (1968), written specifically for him by Paul Anka.
He was most successful as a crooner, but never veered too far from Hollywood, where, in 1962 he made ’The Manchurian Candidate’, which he considered the high-point of his film career.
Sinatra with his third wife, Mia Farrow
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Another reason for his interest in Hollywood - the women, of course. We’ve already mentioned Ava Gardner and Marilyn Monroe, but he also had affairs with Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall or Lana Turner. And Mia Farrow, whom he married in 1966 and divorced two years later. They remained close friends though and there have been speculations Sinatra is the real father of Mia Farrow’s son, Dylan, born in 1987, when the actress was married to Woody Allen.
In 1976, Sinatra married former model Barbara Marx and sort of settled down, at least in the sense that they remained together until his death in 1998. This is how Barbara explained her husband’s popularity with women.
”Frank attracted women. He couldn't help it. Just to look at him—the way he moved, and how he behaved— he was a great lover and true gentleman. He adored the company of women and knew how to treat them.”
All the stories regarding Frank Sinatra’s ties to the mob might seem disturbing, but this is the real face of Hollywood. It is what hides beneath all the glitter and glamour. The film industry is a business like any other and it is only natural the mafia was interested in making good and easy money out of it. More about this unsavoury part of the film world in a future post.
Post authored by @ladyrebecca.
References: Wiki,The FBI Files and Mob Ties of Frank Sinatra.
Very controversial figure, Frank Sinatra. There is no doubt that, apart from being a singer with a very attractive feeling (which is why he was called "La Voz"), he was a very ambitious person. His opportunistic relationship with the mafia and his inocultable passion for women are, I think, an expression of that. Grateful for your always gratifying posts, @ladyrebecca.
My favorite star. My favorite singer too!
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Sinatra was mad talented. I always feel weird when he is called the "King of Hollywood" though. The story of Rosemary's Baby was always a good example to me of him being powerful, but not a King.
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Very good written article! Good stuff! Keep up the good work 🙏
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Did you know Sinatra made a porn movie called The Masked Bandit? Sinatra, THE VOICE; OF BLUE EYES, not only had ties to the mafia but was also a great political activist of the time. Harshly criticized on several occasions for his leftist ideologies, he was also a defender of the black race and absolute critic of racism in the U.S., supporting and defending on several occasions his fellow musician, actor and comedian Sammy Davis Jr, victim of racist insults throughout his life. My Way is one of my favorite songs of all time! Thank you for such an excellent text, @ladyrebecca.
Wow! I didn't know that side of his life, the mobsters, the mafia and stuff; but reading this post has made me realize that was the way things were at that time and place. I loved this post 'cause it showed me the other face of an idol's life to make a complete image. Thanks for sharing.