His Way
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Meet Me in Las Vegas (MGM, 1956)
PRODUCER: Joe Pasternak. DIRECTOR: Roy Rowland. SCREENPLAY: Isobel Lennart. CAST: Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse, Jerry Colonna, Paul Henreid, Lena Home, Frankie Laine, Mitsuko Sawamura. Note: Frank Sinatra appeared as an unbilled guest along with Debbie Reynolds, Tony Martin, Peter Lorre, Vic Damone, and Elaine Stewart.
Johnny Concho (A Kent Production, released by United Artists, 1956)
PRODUCER: Frank Sinatra. DIRECTOR: Don McGuire. SCREENPLAY: David P. Harmon and Don McGuire. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Keenan Wynn, William Conrad, Phyllis Kirk.
High Society (MGM, 1956)
PRODUCER: Sol C. Siegel. DIRECTOR: Charles Waiters. SCREENPLAY: John Patrick. CAST: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, John Lund, Louis Calhern.
Around the World in 80 Days (A Michael Todd Production, released by United Artists, 1956)
PRODUCER: Michael Todd. DIRECTOR: Michael Anderson. SCREENPLAY: James Poe, John Farrow, and S. J. Perelman. CAST: David Niven, Cantinflas, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Newton, Frank Sinatra in a cameo appearance as a drunk in a Barbary Coast saloon.
The Pride and the Passion (A Stanley Kramer Production, released by United Artists, 1957)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Stanley Kramer. SCREENPLAY: Edna and Edward Anhalt. CAST: Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren.
The Joker Is Wild (An M.B.L. Production, released by Paramount, 1957)
PRODUCER: Samuel J. Briskin. DIRECTOR: Charles Vidor. SCREENPLAY: Oscar Saul. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, Eddie Albert.
Pal Joey (An Essex-George Sidney Production, released by Columbia, 1957)
PRODUCER: Fred Kohlmar. DIRECTOR: George Sidney. SCREENPLAY: Dorothy Kingsley. CAST: Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak.
Kings Go Forth (A Frank Ross-Eton Production, released by United Artists, 1958)
PRODUCER: Frank Ross. DIRECTOR: Delmer Daves. SCREENPLAY: Merle Miller. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood.
Some Came Running (MGM, 1958)
PRODUCER: Sol C. Siegel. DIRECTOR; Vincente Minnelli. SCREENPLAY: John Patrick and Arthur Sheekman. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine, Arthur Kennedy.
A Hole in the Head (A Sincap Production, released by United Artists, 1959)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Frank Capra. SCREENPLAY: Arnold Schulman. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter, Keenan Wynn.
Never So Few (A Canterbury Production, released by MGM, 1959) PRODUCER: Edmund Grainger. DIRECTOR: John Sturges. SCREENPLAY: Millard Kaufman. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Steve McQueen.
Can-Can (A Suffolk-Cummings Production, released by Twentieth Century Fox, 1960)
PRODUCER: Jack Cummings. DIRECTOR: Walter Lang. SCREENPLAY: Dorothy Kingsley and Charles Lederer. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan.
Ocean’s Eleven (A Dorchester Production, released by Warner Bros., 1960)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Lewis Milestone. SCREENPLAY: Harry Brown and Charles Lederer. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Angie Dickinson, Richard Conte, Cesar Romero, Patrice Wymore, Joey Bishop, Akim Tamiroff, Henry Silva.
Pepe (A G.S.-Posa Films International Production, released by Columbia, 1960)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: George Sidney. SCREENPLAY: Dorothy Kingsley and Claude Binyon. CAST: Cantinflas, Dan Dailey, Shirley Jones, Frank Sinatra in guest appearances.
The Devil at 4 O’Clock (Columbia, 1961)
PRODUCER: Fred Kohlmar. DIRECTOR: Mervyn LeRoy. SCREENPLAY: Liam O’Brien. CAST: Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Kerwin Matthews, Jean-Pierre Aumont.
Sergeants 3 (An Essex-Claude Production, released by United Artists, 1962)
PRODUCER: Frank Sinatra. DIRECTOR: John Sturges. SCREENPLAY: W. R. Burnett. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop.
The Road to Hong Kong (A Melnor Films Production, released by United Artists, 1962)
PRODUCER: Melvin Frank. DIRECTOR: Norman Panama. SCREENPLAY: Norman Panama and Melvin Frank. CAST: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Collins, Dorothy Lamour, Robert Morley, with Frank Sinatra, Jerry Colonna, Dean Martin, David Niven, and Peter Sellers as unbilled guest stars.
The Manchurian Candidate (An M.C. Production, released by United Artists, 1962)
PRODUCERS: George Axelrod and John Frankenheimer. DIRECTOR: John Frankenheimer. SCREENPLAY: George Axelrod. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury, Henry Silva.
Come Blow Your Horn (An Essex-Tandem Production, released by Paramount, 1963)
PRODUCERS: Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin. DIRECTOR: Bud Yorkin. SCREENPLAY: Norman Lear. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, Molly Picon, Barbara Rush, Jill St. John, Tony Bill.
The List of Adrian Messenger (A Joel Production, released by Universal, 1963)
PRODUCER: Edward Lewis. DIRECTOR: John Huston. SCREENPLAY: Anthony Veiller. CAST: George C. Scott, Dana Wynter, Clive Brook, with Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum in guest appearances.
4 for Texas (A Sam Company Production, released by Warner Bros., 1964)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Robert Aldrich. SCREENPLAY: Teddi Sherman and Robert Aldrich. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andress, Charles Bronson.
Robin and the Seven Hoods (A P-C Productions Picture, released by Warner Bros., 1964)
PRODUCER: Frank Sinatra. DIRECTOR: Gordon Douglas. SCREENPLAY: David R. Schwartz. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Falk.
None but the Brave (An Artanis Production, released by Warner Bros., 1965)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Frank Sinatra. SCREENPLAY: John Twist and Katsuya Susaki. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Clint Walker, Tommy Sands, Brad Dexter, Tony Bill.
Von Ryan’s Express (A P-R Productions Picture, released by Twentieth Century Fox, 1965)
PRODUCER: Saul David. DIRECTOR: Mark Robson. SCREENPLAY: Wendell Mayes and Joseph Landon. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, Raffaella Carra, Brad Dexter, Sergio Fantoni, John Leyton, Edward Mulhare.
Marriage on the Rocks (An A-C Productions Picture, released by Warner Bros., 1965)
PRODUCER: William H. Daniels. DIRECTOR: Jack Donohue. SCREENPLAY: Cy Howard. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, Dean Martin, Cesar Romero.
Cast a Giant Shadow (A Mirisch-Llenroc-Batjack Production, released by United Artists, 1966)
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, AND SCREENPLAY: Melville Shavelson. CAST: Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Angie Dickinson, with Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner, John Wayne in guest appearances.
The Oscar (A Greene-Rouse Production, released by Embassy Pictures, 1966)
PRODUCER: Clarence Greene. DIRECTOR: Russell Rouse. SCREENPLAY: Harlan Ellison. CAST: Stephen Boyd, Elke Sommer, Milton Berle, Eleanor Parker, Joseph Gotten, with Frank Sinatra in a guest appearance.
Assault on a Queen (A Sinatra Enterprises-Seven Arts Production, released by Paramount, 1966)
PRODUCER: William Goetz. DIRECTOR: Jack Donohue. SCREENPLAY: Rod Serling. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Vima Lisi, Tony Franciosa, Richard Conte.
The Naked Runner (A Sinatra Enterprises Production, released by Warner Bros., 1967)
PRODUCER: Brad Dexter. DIRECTOR: Sidney J. Furie. SCREENPLAY: Stanley Mann. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Peter Vaughan, Derren Nesbitt.
Tony Rome (An Arcola-Millfield Production, released by Twentieth Century Fox, 1967)
PRODUCER: Aaron Rosenberg. DIRECTOR: Gordon Douglas. SCREENPLAY: Richard L. Breen. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Jill St. John, Richard Conte, Gena Rowlands.
The Detective (An Arcola-Millfield Production, released by Twentieth Century Fox, 1968)
PRODUCER: Aaron Rosenberg. DIRECTOR: Gordon Douglas. SCREENPLAY: Abby Mann. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Ralph Meeker, Jack Klugman.
Lady in Cement (An Arcola-Millfield Production, released by Twentieth Century Fox, 1968)
PRODUCER: Aaron Rosenberg. DIRECTOR: Gordon Douglas. SCREENPLA
Y: Marvin H. Albert and Jack Guss. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Richard Conte.
Dirty Dingus Magee (MGM, 1970)
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR: Burt Kennedy. SCREENPLAY: Tom and Frank Waldman and Joseph Heller. CAST: Frank Sinatra, George Kennedy, Anne Jackson, Lois Nettleton.
Contract on Cherry Street (a television movie, Columbia, 1977) EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Renee Valente. PRODUCER: Hugh Benson. DIRECTOR: William A. Graham. TELEPLAY: Edward Anhalt, based on the book by Philip Rosenberg. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Jay Black, Martin Balsam, Martin Gabel, Harry Guardino, Henry Silva.
The First Deadly Sin (An Artanis-Cinema VII Production, released by Filmways, 1980)
PRODUCERS: George Pappas and Mark Shanker. DIRECTOR: Brian Hutton. SCREENPLAY: Mann Rubin. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Faye Dunaway, David Dukes, George Coe, Brenda Vaccaro.
Cannonball Run II (Warner Bros., 1984)
PRODUCER: Albert S. Ruddy. DIRECTOR: Hal Needham. SCREENPLAY: Hal Needham, Albert S. Ruddy, and Harvey Miller, based on characters created by Brock Yates. CAST: Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Telly Savalas, Shirley MacLaine, Susan Anton. Frank Sinatra played himself.
AUTHOR’S CHAPTER NOTES
The following chapter notes indicate some of the sources used by the author in writing each chapter of the book, including the people interviewed, the documents examined, and the published sources consulted. It is by no means comprehensive, but it is intended to give the reader a general overview of some of the author’s research.
CHAPTER 1
Information on Frank Sinatra’s arrest and morals charges was obtained from arrest records and court files in Bergen County and Hudson County, New Jersey, courthouses. In addition, the author interviewed Toni Francke on March 8, 29, and June 12, 1983, and read the coverage of the episode in the Hudson Dispatch.
Among the books consulted on the history of Hoboken were: Procter, Mary and Bill Matuszeki, Gritty Cities, Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1978; Miller, George Long, The Hoboken of Yesterday, Hoboken, New Jersey: Poggi Press, 1966; Clark, Geoffrey W., “An Interpretation of Hoboken’s Population Trends, 1856–1970”; Fiel, John Perkins, Halo over Hoboken, New York: Exposition Press, 1955; Kenny, John Jr., The Bicentennial Comes to Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, 1976; Cunningham, Barbara, ed., The New Jersey Ethnic Experience, Union City, New Jersey: Wm. H. Wise & Co., 1977; Varacalli, Joseph A., Ethnic Politics in New Jersey: The Changing Nature of Irish-Italian Relations, 1917–1983, Department of Sociology, Nassau Community College, 1983.
Background on the Sinatra family was obtained from many sources, including the Hudson County Records Bureau, and interviews with Rosalie Garavante Blumberg on March 4, 1984; Steve Capiello, mayor of Hoboken, on January 24, 1983; Doris Corrado on January 20, 21, and 24, 1983; and Frank Garrick on January 20, 1983.
CHAPTER 2
The author obtained background information on Frank Sinatra’s family from interviews with Rosalie Garavante Blumberg, Rose Bucino Carrier on February 18, June 13, and August 1, 1983, and August 4, 1984, Doris Corrado, Tony Macagnano on February 18, 1983, Adam Sciaria on February 16, 1983, Bob Anthony on January 17, 1983, Kathryn Buhan on January 24, 1983, Joan Crocco Schook on January 24, 25, and February 16, 1983, Joe Romano on January 21, 1983, and Agnes Carney Hannigan on January 25, February 18, and March 11, 1983.
In addition, the author consulted records in the Hudson County Courthouse, the Hoboken Fire Department, and articles published in magazines such as the Jersey Journal, Look, Esquire, and Photoplay.
CHAPTER 3
Material in this chapter comes primarily from the many interviews with the Sinatras’ friends and neighbors in Hoboken, among them Tony Macagnano, Agnes Hannigan, Doris Corrado, Rose Carrier, Anna Spatolla Sinatra, and Frank Garrick. In addition, the author interviewed Nick Sevano on seventeen occasions in June and August 1983, March to September 1984, and in January 1985.
CHAPTER 4
Much of the material concerning the beginning of Sinatra’s career was obtained from interviews with Fred “Tamby” Tamburro on February 7, 1983, Don Milo on January 22 and February 15, 1983, Tony “Skelly” Petrocelli on January 21, 1983, Marian Brush Schreiber on January 23 and 25 and February 20 and 28, 1983, Frank Capone Cipriello on February 16, 1983, Adeline Yacinda on March 10, 1983, and Sam Lefaso on February 21 and August 21 and 22, 1984. Among the other material consulted by the author were news articles in the New York Journal-American, New York Post, the New Jersey Monthly, Bandleader, and Look. The author also read Beyond the Melting Pot, Glazer, Nathan, and Moynihan, Daniel P., Cambridge, Mass.: The M.I.T. Press, 1963; Barzini, Luigi, The Italians, New York: Atheneum, 1981; and Tony Sciacca’s book, Sinatra, New York: Pinnacle Books, 1976.
Information in this chapter on other aspects of this period in Sinatra’s life was obtained from, among other places, records of the Hudson County Courthouse, other personal interviews, and news articles.
CHAPTER 5
Much of the material in this chapter comes from some of Sinatra’s early associates, either in their own published memories or in personal interviews with the author. Among these are Simon, George T., The Big Bands, New York: Schirmer Books, 1981; Haines, Connie, For Once in My Life, New York: Warner Books, 1976; Herb Sanford’s Tommy and Jimmy: The Dorsey Years, New York: Arlington House, 1972; Sammy Cahn’s I Should Care: The Sammy Cahn Story, New York: Arbor House, 1974; and articles in the New York Post, New York Daily News, American Mercury, Hollywood Citizen News, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, and the Chicago Sun-Times. The author also interviewed Nick Sevano, Herb Caen, on March 23, 1984, Al Algiro, Sammy Cahn on July 7, 1983, Rita Marrit on April 7, 11, and 18, 1984, Mary Lou Watts on July 12, 1984, Arthur Michaud on March 11, 1984, and N. Joseph Ross on October 2, 1984. Two previous books on Sinatra, Arnold Shaw’s Sinatra, London: W.H. Allen, 1968, and Robin Douglas Home’s Sinatra, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1962, as well as numerous newspaper interviews with Sinatra were also used. In addition, the author also examined arrest records in the Hudson County Courthouse.
CHAPTER 6
Among the sources consulted by the author were articles in the Saturday Evening Post, New York Post, PM, Look, New York Daily News, and the New York Journal-American as well as several books and personal interviews.
In George Burns’s book, Dr. Burns’ Prescription for Happiness, New York: G.P. Putnam 6c Sons, 1984, George Burns recounts that he once offered Sinatra $250 to sing on his radio show. He says, “I was about to sign him when I learned I could get an act called the Three Smoothies for the same money. Well, I wasn’t born yesterday. If I could get three people for the same money, what would I want with that skinny kid? So I took the Smoothies. Frank has never forgotten that. Every Christmas I get a gift from him with a note thanking me for not doing for his career what I did for the Smoothies.”
In one of two interviews with Mitch Miller in November 1983, Mr. Miller told the author, “Jimmy Van Heusen once canceled dinner with me by saying, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to eat with the Monster.’ Everyone called Sinatra the Monster.”
CHAPTER 7
Much of the material in this chapter comes from author interviews with, among others, Fred “Tamby” Tambarro, Nick Sevano, Ben Barton on July 8 and 13, 1983; Minnie Cardinale on February 19, 1983; Connie Cappadona on September 27, 1984; Richie Shirak on January 22, 1983, and Joey (GiGi) Lissa on January 21, 1983. The author also used several published news articles and books.
CHAPTER 8
The author gathered information on the early years of Sinatra’s success from many sources, particularly interviews with Marian Brush Schreiber, Mary Lou Watts, and Tony Macagnano and articles in the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, PM, Look, Boston Post, New York World Telegram, Hollywood Reporter, and New York Post.
CHAPTER 9
The story of Sinatra’s war years was obtained from interviews with Phil Silvers on March 14, 1984, Jo-Carroll Silvers on March 15, 18, 19, 27,
1983, and Sammy Cahn. The author also had access to an oral history taped by Jack Keller. Several articles and books were also used.
CHAPTER 10
Material on Sinatra’s early years at MGM was obtained from several sources, among them files at MGM examined by the author and many published accounts, including John Douglas Eames’s The MGM Story, New York: Crown, 1979, and Earl Wilson’s Sinatra, New York: New American Library, 1976, as well as other articles and interviews. Among the sources for Sinatra’s friendship with Joe Fischetti, his trip to Havana and the resulting publicity were MGM files, Joe Fischetti’s FBI files (obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request) in which Fischetti told agents in 1963 that he had known Sinatra for twenty-five years since they were “kids,” and Jack Keller’s oral history tapes as well as numerous books and newspaper articles. Among these were Ovid Demaris’s The Green Felt Jungle, New York: Trident Press, 1963; David Hanna’s The Lucky Luciano inheritance, New York: Belmont Tower Books, 1975; Feder and Joesten’s The Luciano Story, New York: Award Books, 1972; Eisenberg, Dan, Landau’s Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob, New York and London: Paddington Press, 1979; John Rockwell’s Sinatra: An American Classic, New York: Rolling Stone Press, 1984; and articles in the New York World Telegram, New York Post, New York Sun, Havana Post, and Los Angeles Times.
As to MGM legal files, a daily production report is prepared by the assistant director and is a day-to-day report that tells who worked, both cast and crew, the period they worked, and any comments about the day’s activities.
Other information in this chapter, including Sinatra’s feud with Lee Mortimer, was documented by reference to Jack Keller’s oral history tapes, interviews with John Hearst, Jr., on November 4, 1983, William Randolph Hearst on November 1, 1983, Anna Carroll, Hearst’s secretary, on November 6, 1983, Mel Tormé on April 18, 1984, Anna Spatolla Sinatra, Phil Evans on January 31, 1986, and Betty Garrett on July 30, 1983. The author also used Bill Davidson’s The Real and The Unreal, New York: Harper & Bros., 1957, Charles Higham’s Ava, New York: Delacorte Press, 1974, and several articles about Ava Gardner. The author also examined arrest records in Hudson County Courthouse.