The Music of Frank Sinatra

During the 1940s, Francis Albert Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers in the world. In fact, he sold an estimated 150 million records. His nickname was “Old Blue Eyes” and he was also referred to as the “Chairman of the Board.”

Frank Sinatra

In the Wee Small Hours

Among the many albums that Frank Sinatra has recorded, In the Wee Small Hours is one of his most successful. It is a record that has become a concept album. In the album, Sinatra focuses on the theme of loss after a failed relationship. In fact, In the Wee Small Hours is also a personal album that is based on Sinatra’s failed love affair with Ava Gardner.

The album was produced by Voyle Gilmore and featured arrangements by Nelson Riddle. Riddle provided the instrumental arrangements and orchestral background music. The arrangements were a definitive rendition of the songs and framed Sinatra’s voice with subtlety.

The album received immediate critical acclaim when it was released. Many music critics consider In the Wee Small Hours to be one of the greatest vocal jazz releases of all time. The album was released as two 10-inch LPs and two four-song EP discs. Each EP disc was sold in cardboard sleeves with the same cover as the LPs.

The album has a subdued mood and a narrative focus. The title track, “Last Night When We Were Young,” is a forlorn song that reveals how Nelson Riddle brought out Sinatra’s inner voice.

The album contains songs about depression, broken relationships, and loneliness. In the Wee Small Hours was released by Capitol in April 1955. The album was originally intended as a 12-inch LP. The record company’s executives were concerned that the album’s dark material would affect the public.

Although Frank Sinatra had a successful career, he also faced commercial failure. He released eight Top 20 singles during his first two years on Capitol. In the Wee Small Hours is his ninth studio album.

From Here to Eternity

Adapted from a novel by James Jones, From Here to Eternity was released in 1953 and won eight Academy Awards. The film was directed by Fred Zinnemann and starred Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed, and Frank Sinatra.

Despite the fact that the film was released 65 years ago, it still holds up well. Its strong writing and smart direction is what makes it such a classic. Among the movies of its era, From Here to Eternity is one of the best.

The film is based on a best-selling novel by James Jones. In the novel, a 17-year-old boy, James Jones, becomes a part of the Hawaiian Division. The story follows the lives of three soldiers on a military base in Hawaii.

In From Here to Eternity, Frank Sinatra plays Angelo Maggio, a wise-cracking soldier. Maggio is the best friend of Private Prew. Sadly, Maggio dies in the movie.

Frank Sinatra was paid $8,000 for the role. Fortunately, he won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance. The actor was not signed to a recording contract, so he was able to accept this offer. He recognized that the film had potential to become a blockbuster.

The film won the Best Picture award. The movie won an Oscar for best screenplay written by Daniel Taradash. Taradash had also written the screenplay for Abbott and Costello’s The Noose Hangs High.

The film also features a beachside kiss between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr that is one of the most passionate kisses ever. But there is more to the movie than just a romantic storyline. The film’s other great qualities are its competent actors and the intelligent direction.

Despite its flaws, From Here to Eternity is one film that should be preserved.

Dirty Harry

Whether or not Dirty Harry and Frank Sinatra would have been a good pairing is an intriguing question. Though not the first actor to be considered for the role, Clint Eastwood was a perfect fit. At the time of the film’s production, Eastwood was already a star.

Although Frank Sinatra had been offered the role of Dirty Harry, he ultimately turned down the opportunity. He was 55 at the time, and the character of Harry Callahan was not intended for him. The character would have been vastly different. He would have been a looser cop drama rather than a Counter Culture hero.

However, his decision to leave was not because he was unhappy with the script. Instead, he was injured during filming of The Manchurian Candidate eight years earlier. His hand was broken. This injury kept him out of Dirty Harry.

When Frank Sinatra decided to leave the project, he left a gap in the cast that Clint Eastwood filled. Eastwood pushed to hire Don Siegel to direct the film. He also insisted on the original story. Eastwood thought that changes made to the first draft of the film made the character less interesting.

The movie was shot in aerial and nighttime shoots, with several risky stunts. Glenn Wright, who had been Eastwood’s costume designer since Rawhide, designed Callahan’s distinctive jacket. The jacket was a symbol of Callahan’s strong values.

In the film’s aftermath, Sinatra was able to get a chance to play the lead role in The Detective, a hit film released in 1968. However, his character had an obvious age discrepancy. He was 15 years older than the other two.

After Dirty Harry, Sinatra also starred in two loose cannon cop movies. He also backed Ronald Reagan for governor in 1970.

Return to Las Vegas

Despite rumors of Sinatra’s involvement with gangsters, he continued to perform in Las Vegas. He teamed up with the Rat Pack, including Dean Martin and Joey Bishop, and performed with them at the Sands Casino.

Sinatra was a fixture in Las Vegas for 43 years. He started performing there in 1951. He performed twice a night at the Copa Room at the Sands. During that period, he was romantically involved with Ava Gardner. He also toured extensively.

Sinatra’s relationship with Nevada gaming regulators boiled over during the summer of 1963. He threatened to cancel future engagements at The Sands. This led to federal law enforcement investigating Sinatra’s alleged association with organized crime.

Sinatra’s usual 1960s prime time network color television specials were video-taped without an audience. The resulting specials were given air dates several months later.

Sinatra’s relationship with middle age was deteriorating. His vocal cords had started to give out. It was during this period that Sinatra began his comeback. He recorded several lukewarm records through Reprise.

He recorded his first live album, which consisted of 16 songs. Most of the recording was done during the holiday season. He was accompanied by Woody Herman on his European tour in October 1974.

He made his return to Las Vegas in January 1975. Sinatra’s concert residency has become a staple of the Las Vegas Strip for decades. His show continued to be popular even when Elvis Presley ruled the Strip.

In addition to Sinatra at the Sands, there are several other albums of Sinatra performances from the Las Vegas Strip. These include Strangers in the Night, September of My Years, and Standing Room Only.

The AllMusic website gives Sinatra at the Sands 4.5 stars. It describes it as “a definitive portrait of Sinatra in the 1960s.”

Children

During the years of Frank Sinatra’s career, he made several important decisions that will affect the fortunes of his children. He left a portion of his estate to his wife, and gave his children the rights to his music catalog.

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner married on November 7, 1951. They divorced on July 5, 1957. Ava and Frank had an incredibly turbulent family life.

Sinatra was very famous in the 1940s. He was nicknamed “Old Blue Eyes” and sold an estimated 150 million records during his career. He was a renowned actor and one of the best selling musicians in history. He also had the most imitated voice in history.

In the 1950s, Sinatra’s popularity began to decline. He was ill with an unremitted cold and his voice deteriorated. As a result, he was sexually inactive.

In his later years, Frank Sinatra suffered from multiple health problems. He tried to commit suicide. He gave away dozens of valuable possessions, and his family often butted heads over money and hurt feelings.

As a teenager, Frank was invited to speak on the radio. He sang at local bars. He was also tutored by an adorable mother. He was careful when he bought clothes for himself. He learned to love singing and playing the Ukulele.

Sinatra’s children attended the school of Sister Jean, who taught in San Francisco and coached softball and ping-pong. In addition, they were involved in a lot of dangerous pranks.

When Frank and Ava divorced, their children were left without close family contact. Ava lived in Italy for a few years. They had reconciliations, but their relationship never quite came back to normal.

After his death, Frank left several expensive cars to his wife, and he left 25 percent of his personal property to his widow. He also gave cash gifts to his friends and employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Frank Sinatra Date of Birth is Dec 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998

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Frank Sinatra Net Worth is $200 Million

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Frank Sinatra Height is 171 cm