[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

APRIL 25-30, 1978: He played a week at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

APRIL 8–27, 1974: Frank began a tour to benefit the Variety Clubs International, appearing for the first time since 1963 at New York's Carnegie Hall. In Variety one critic wrote: "He did everything right. They shook, yelled, stomped, clapped together, stood up at least five times." Mary Campbell of the Associated Press added, "He proved he's still Chairman of the Board." At $150 a head, the show brought in $250,000 for the show business charity that protects homeless, abused and orphaned children. The tour took him next to Providence, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

APRIL 13–MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL 24-28, 1962: The Bob Hope Show, taped in advance of his departure from L.A., was aired on the 25th while Dad was visiting children's hospitals and youth centers in Hong Kong. During his stay, he performed two concerts at the new City Hall. On the second night, according to the trip diary, "The concert was a total success and the number of people wanting to attend couldn't be accommodated." So when it ended, he moved to another part of the hall and performed an additional concert. On the final day in Hong Kong, he did a matinee for children, an unqualified success. When it ended, he presented a check for $95,000 for charity.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

APRIL 26, 1950: Dad's voice was faltering, and he finally lost it entirely, canceling the last two days of his engagement at the Copacabana because of a vocal-cord hemorrhage. He was coughing up blood, and doctors ordered him to remain completely silent for at least a week. He did as he was told.

SINATRA ON THE NIGHT HE LOST HIS VOICE: I was doing three shows a night at the Copa, five radio shows a week, benefit performances and recording at the same time. And then I opened at the Capitol Theatre in the daytime towards the end of the engagement. I went out to do the third show at about half past two or a quarter to three in the morning, and I went for a note, and nothing came out... absolutely nothing. Just dust. I was never so panic stricken in my whole life. I remember looking at the audience, there was a blizzard outside, about 70 people in the place - and they knew something serious had happened. There was absolute silence - stunning, absolute silence. I looked at them, and they looked at me, and I looked at Skitch Henderson, who was playing the piano. His face was ghastly white. Finally I whispered to the audience, "Good night," and walked off the floor.

APRIL 1–28, 1942: Back in New York after a series of one-nighters in the Midwest, the [Tommy Dorsey] band returned for a blockbuster month at the Paramount.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

APRIL 27-MAY 1, 1983: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 25-30, 1978: He played a week at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California.

APRIL 27, 1977: A benefit at Carnegie Hall for the Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

APRIL 8–27, 1974: Frank began a tour to benefit the Variety Clubs International, appearing for the first time since 1963 at New York's Carnegie Hall. In Variety one critic wrote: "He did everything right. They shook, yelled, stomped, clapped together, stood up at least five times." Mary Campbell of the Associated Press added, "He proved he's still Chairman of the Board." At $150 a head, the show brought in $250,000 for the show business charity that protects homeless, abused and orphaned children. The tour took him next to Providence, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

APRIL 13–MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL 27, 1964: Dad began shooting None but the Brave for Warner Bros. on location in Hawaii. Making his directorial debut, he also starred with Clint Walker. The cast included my husband, Tommy Sands, and my cousin Dick Sinatra (son of bandleader Ray Sinatra). "None but the Brave is an anti-war story," Dad recalled, "that deals with a group of Americans and a group of Japanese stranded together on a Pacific island during the war. I have tried to show that when men do not have to fight, there is a community of interests."

On location in Hawaii. The chair was a
gift from me for his first directing job.
His little visitor was Yul Brynner's daughter.


On the set in Kauai with Clint Walker.

APRIL 24-28, 1962: The Bob Hope Show, taped in advance of his departure from L.A., was aired on the 25th while Dad was visiting children's hospitals and youth centers in Hong Kong. During his stay, he performed two concerts at the new City Hall. On the second night, according to the trip diary, "The concert was a total success and the number of people wanting to attend couldn't be accommodated." So when it ended, he moved to another part of the hall and performed an additional concert. On the final day in Hong Kong, he did a matinee for children, an unqualified success. When it ended, he presented a check for $95,000 for charity.

APRIL 27, 1955: He starred in a dramatic role in Max Liebman's Kaleidoscope television show.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

APRIL 27, 1950: Even though his personal and professional reputation was in a nosedive, and his draw among the new generation of teenage moviegoers was in decline, L.B. Mayer kept Dad on at MGM because he cared for him so much, and would have continued to do so. Ironically, it was a careless remark about Mayer's mistress that precipitated Frank's dismissal from the studio. "So?" L.B. said, "I hear you been making Jokes about my lady friend." A mortified Frank responded, "Yeah, I wish I could take that back. I'm so sorry. I wish I'd never said anything so stupid." He would never intentionally hurt this lovely man. And L.B. said, "That's not a very nice thing to do. I want you to leave here, and I don't ever want you to come back again." His relationship with MCA, his talent agency, had also deteriorated. And by this time his records weren't selling well because the music business was changing.

APRIL 1–28, 1942: Back in New York after a series of one-nighters in the Midwest, the [Tommy Dorsey] band returned for a blockbuster month at the Paramount.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

APRIL 28, 1984: FS, Dean, Sammy and Lionel Richie performed at the SHARE Boomtown Benefit at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus.

APRIL 27-MAY 1, 1983: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 28, 1982: A benefit for the Musicians Emergency Benevolent Fund, Local 369, at the Aladdin Hotel.

APRIL 25-30, 1978: He played a week at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

APRIL 13–MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL 24-28, 1962: The Bob Hope Show, taped in advance of his departure from L.A., was aired on the 25th while Dad was visiting children's hospitals and youth centers in Hong Kong. During his stay, he performed two concerts at the new City Hall. On the second night, according to the trip diary, "The concert was a total success and the number of people wanting to attend couldn't be accommodated." So when it ended, he moved to another part of the hall and performed an additional concert. On the final day in Hong Kong, he did a matinee for children, an unqualified success. When it ended, he presented a check for $95,000 for charity.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

APRIL 28, 1947: He appeared in Galveston, Texas, with Jack Benny, Alice Faye, Phil Silvers and Gene Autry in a benefit for victims of the Texas City petroleum explosion.

APRIL 1–28, 1942: Back in New York after a series of one-nighters in the Midwest, the [Tommy Dorsey] band returned for a blockbuster month at the Paramount.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Nancy]

APRIL 28, 1984: FS, Dean, Sammy and Lionel Richie performed at the SHARE Boomtown Benefit at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus.

The SHARE parties were legendary in Hollywood. The SHARE girls were movie stars and other volunteers who didn't necessarily dance or sing but they did chorus line-type numbers and were adorable. They surrounded themselves with famous performers who could help bring in the money for the charity, so they had terrific shows.

SHARE stands for share happily and reap endlessly.

http://www.share4children.org/

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

APRIL 27-MAY 1, 1983: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1981: Back to the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale.

APRIL 25-30, 1978: He played a week at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

APRIL 13–MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL 29-30, 1963: Ten more songs were recorded in two sessions in Hollywood for Sinatra's Sinatra. Among them: "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "Young at Heart", "All the Way," "Witchcraft" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Nancy]

APRIL 29-30, 1963: Ten more songs were recorded in two sessions in Hollywood for Sinatra's Sinatra. Among them: "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "Young at Heart", "All the Way," "Witchcraft" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

I always forget about this album. Thanks for the reminder.

[Gregory]

I love Sinatra's Sinatra.

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

APRIL 30, 1984: FS attended Bill "Count" Basie's funeral.

APRIL 27-MAY 1, 1983: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1981: Back to the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale.

APRIL 25-30, 1978: He played a week at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

APRIL 13–MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL 29-30, 1963: Ten more songs were recorded in two sessions in Hollywood for Sinatra's Sinatra. Among them: "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "Young at Heart", "All the Way," "Witchcraft" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1996: In May of 1996, A.J. graduated from USC, becoming the first Sinatra to finish college. Dad celebrated with her, the proudest grandpa in the world.

MAY 1990: In an appearance at Radio City Music Hall, fans rushed the stage to deposit flowers at my father's feet. "Sort of reminds me of the Paramount," Dad joked, recalling the old bobby-soxer days.

MAY 1987: FS canceled a summer concert tour of Scandinavia when the Swedish government announced plans to impose a tax on him for having performed in Bophuthatswana, South Africa, in 1981. Generally, foreign entertainers performing in Scandinavia were not taxed. Dad had eagerly been anticipating the concert tour, his first in Scandinavia in 35 years, but was deeply disappointed that unelected bureaucrats had the power to determine who should and should not perform in Sweden. As a lifetime defender of democratic rights, he felt it would be the height of hypocrisy to perform where people aren't made to feel welcome or treated with disrespect when they choose to exercise their legal rights.

MAY 1-5, 1984: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 27-MAY 1, 1983: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1981: Back to the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1976: At the same time that my father became engaged to Barbara Marx, his mother, Dolly, moved to Palm Springs to be closer to her family.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 1974: MGM released That's Entertainment, producer-director Jack Haley Jr.'s masterpiece. Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Peter Lawford, Liza Minnelli, Donald O'Connor, Mickey Rooney, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor all co-hosted with Frank Sinatra. My father's MGM films are well represented.

MAY 1974: In five sessions in Hollywood, Dad recorded Some Nice Things I've Missed, produced by Costa, Bowen and Burke. It featured "You Turned My World Around," "Sweet Caroline," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "The Summer Knows," "If" and more. "The Summer Knows" and "If" were a study in contrasts. The first was done in 18 takes. (So much for one-take Sinatra. That's for movies; for songs, he has done as many as 25 or 30 takes.) "If" was done in two. It would have been done in one, except that Dad noticed some "sand" in it. Not enough of the gravel quality "to sell to a dealer," he said, "but I think we need another one."

I was with Mom and Hugh in Palm Springs waiting out the last two weeks of a difficult pregnancy when Dad recorded this album. John Brady described the end of one session: "He said goodnight to some of the soft, pretty ladies, and to Father O'Connell [Grandma's priest] he said, 'Say a couple of small prayers for my Nancy, OK? I'm gonna be a granddad, you know.'"

MAY 1-2, 1968: At a Big Brothers testimonial in Washington, D.C., for columnist Drew Pearson, Dad publicly announced his support of longtime friend Hubert Humphrey for president. He attended a benefit for Humphrey at the Shoreham Hotel.

HUBERT HUMPHREY ON DAD'S IDEALS: My first recollection of your father was during the time of Roosevelt. He went to schools and talked to young people about all forms of prejudice and intolerance. Your dad was a hero to these kids. And he took this powerful message right to them - touching both their hearts and minds. I am convinced that this early dedication and activity helped create the political climate that made possible the passage of civil rights legislation in the 1960s. Thousands and thousands of boys and girls in the Forties who become parents and mature citizens in the Sixties had their eyes opened for the first time to the evils of prejudice by your dad. I recall the time when your father and I went to the White House very late one night. We went in the back entrance and up in the elevator to find the president in a characteristic posture for receiving visitors. He was in his bedroom, flat on his stomach, having a rubdown. He looked up and said, "Hiya, Frank. What have you and Hubert been conspiring to do tonight?" What we had been conspiring to do was a series of concerts in Watts, a war-torn ghetto in Los Angeles, the proceeds of which would be used for voter registration, to help implement the Voting Rights Act of 1965. What I recall most about your father is his great concern for the country, and particularly for black Americans who have been so long denied an equal opportunity... He is a solid, devoted American liberal in the tradition of Roosevelt and Truman, Kennedy and Johnson, and - if I can be immodest - myself.

MAY 1967: Frank Sinatra was selected by the American-Italian Anti-Defamation League to head a national campaign to discourage identification of gangsters in ethnic terms. Their first effort: to persuade the ABC television network to stop using Italian-sounding names for thugs on their highly rated show The Untouchables. They were partially successful: Producers actually Americanized the names of several gangster characters.

MAY 1967: Ralph Salerno, a retired cop and a leading authority on organized crime, told the New York Times that Frank Sinatra "hardly matches the image the American-Italian Anti-Defamation League is seeking to project as representative of the 20 million Americans of Italian birth or ancestry." The Times then proceeded to rake up all of Dad's previously reported friendships and alleged connections with mobsters. It was obvious that Mr. Salerno had not done his homework, since my father had never been indicted for anything.

MAY 1966: Dad made a guest appearance in the motion picture The Oscar, playing himself accepting an Oscar. I had a small part as my father's guest at the Academy Awards presentation.

APRIL 13-MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

APRIL-MAY 1965: During his first five sessions of the year, Dad recorded 17 songs. Among them: "September Song," "Last Night When We Were Young," "Hello Young Lovers," "When Somebody Loves You," "It Was a Very Good Year" and the title song of what became one of the best albums he ever made: The September of My Years. This album marks the first time I ever thought about what life would be like for me without my father, and as much as I loved it, it was painful to listen to. It would win four Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Solo Vocal Performance, Best Arrangement for "It Was a Very Good Year" and Best Album Notes.

MAY 1961: In six marathon sessions for Reprise, half arranged by Billy May and half by Sy Oliver, Dad recorded 24 songs. Billy May did the Swing Along with Me sessions: "Moonlight on the Ganges," "Granada," "Don't Cry Joe" and "The Curse of an Aching Heart," which was one of the songs the Hoboken Four sang in 1935. The album, produced by Neal Hefti, was retitled Sinatra Swings because of a Capitol Records injunction regarding their Sinatra album Come Swing with Me. The Sy Oliver sessions, which included "I'll Be Seeing You," "Imagination," "East of the Sun" and Tommy Dorsey's theme, "I'm Getting Sentimental over You," were part of the tribute album I Remember Tommy. "I really think this album has some of the best work I've ever done," recalled Frank. "I feel sentimental over Dorsey. I tried to sing the songs as he used to play them on his trombone."

Album cover from the Ric Ross collection,
photographed by Berliner and Rowe.

MAY 1957: This was the time of Frank Sinatra's concept albums: his invitations to Come Fly with Me and Come Dance with Me and to have A Jolly Christmas. His Capitol albums were averaging sales of 200,000 each, making him the most consistent seller of albums in the music industry. The reason, said conductor Nelson Riddle, was that he was getting better: "Where Sinatra used to sound like a muted violin, now he's like a fine cello." And Sinatra, known for his way with a melody, his beautifully enunciated and deeply felt reading of a lyric, is meticulous, too, about giving credit to the superlative composers, lyricists, arrangers, musicians, producers and directors with whom he has worked. He told writer John Bryson, "I believe in a team of people. Four heads are better than one. I want the best strength I can have behind me."

Album cover from the Ric Ross collection,
photographed by Berliner and Rowe.

MAY 1953: Ava broke away from filming Knights of the Round Table to join Frank for what she called a "second honeymoon" during his European singing tour, but transportation foul-ups and less-than-enthusiastic audiences prompted him to shorten the itinerary. He was booed in Italy when, according to Ava, the audience ignored his singing and "was on its feet going wild and yelling, 'Ava! Ava! Ava!' The noise was so great he stopped singing. The orchestra stopped playing, Frank walked off. I got up, left the theater, and went back to the hotel. After a pause Frank came back on stage and finished the show." Their careers, which by necessity involved constant traveling, pushed them into a long-distance relationship. They relied on telephone lines to connect them a good deal of the time and, whenever possible, airplanes to bring them together for brief visits on location. Perhaps, at the end of it, the fact was that they simply couldn't stay together because they couldn't bear to be apart. Ultimately, it was healthier for them to pursue separate lives. All I do know is that Dad was so sad. He had a body full of sighs. And it took a long time for him to begin to live again. A long time. "What a period of time that was," he said. "It was all Mondays." I knew when I hugged him I was helping to heal the wound - but a hug from a daughter was only a Band-Aid, not a cure.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1947: Returning to the scene of his early triumph with Major Bowes in 1935, Dad headlined at New York's Capitol Theater. As the opening act, theater manager Sidney Fairmont wanted the Nicholas Brothers-the hottest dance act in the business - but Dad said he'd rather book an up-and-coming trio he'd heard about. "It's a dancing act," he said. "The kid in it works with his dad and his uncle. I don't know the name." So Fairmont hired Will Mastin, his brother Sammy Davis Sr. and Sammy's talented young son for $1,250 a week, far more money than they'd ever earned before. "Frank was giving us twelve hundred and fifty dollars a week!" Sammy recalled. "We had never seen that much money in our lives." "You can imagine what I had to go through to get you here," Sid told young Sammy, "because Frank didn't want any of the leading dance acts, he wanted you."

SAMMY DAVIS JR. ON MEETING SINATRA: Our first rehearsal, in walks Frank with the coat over his shoulder. He said, "Good afternoon, everybody." And he walked over to me and said, "My name is Frank Sinatra." I said, "I know. I was the kid in the Army who used to go see you do your radio show." He said, "Wait a minute! Are you the one that I used to give tickets to in Hollywood? You had on an Army uniform. You used to come and catch The Old Gold Show?" I said, "Yessir, I am." So in the show, Frank himself does the opening. He comes out, sings a couple of songs, then he says, "Ladies and gentlemen, now I'm going to get the show started. Here's some cats that dance up a storm. Keep your eye on the little guy in the middle - personal friend of mine." Well, that's all! [See also Late September 1945]

How many friends like him does a man find in a lifetime? I not only idolized him, I carefully studied his style as a performer. It got to where I sounded so much like him that I had no real style of my own. Even with this, Frank proved a friend. He talked to me about it and helped me to develop my own style or I would never have made it as a singer. Of course he was right. A selfish star would have let me continue, knowing full well that imitations only benefit the original.

MAY 1942: As reports about Nazi atrocities against Jews began to filter back from Europe - many of them reported in the New York Times - Dad felt he had to do something about racial and ethnic discrimination, so he had 100 copies of a special medallion made. On one side was a St. Christopher medal, on the other a Star of David. Wearing one himself, he gave others to friends.

FRANK ON PREJUDICE: Prejudice is nothing new to me. In Hoboken, when I was a kid, I lived in a tough neighborhood. When somebody called me "a dirty little guinea," there was only one thing to do - break his head. When I got older, I realized you shouldn't do it that way. I realized you've got to do it through education - maybe with a few exceptions.

MAY 1941: Frank Sinatra seemed to be everywhere: on radio, on record, on stage and in the movies. In 15 months, he had become the hottest new singing star in the country - especially among teenagers - and Billboard named him top male vocalist of the year. "You could almost feel the excitement coming up out of the crowds when that kid stood up to sing," Dorsey told a reporter. "Remember, he was no matinee idol. He was just a skinny kid with big ears. I used to stand there so amazed that I'd almost forget to take my own solos." With bobby-soxers swooning in front of the bandstand, the musicians would stop playing and "swoon" right back at them. But Dorsey began to feel upstaged.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1-5, 1984: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1981: Back to the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 1-2, 1968: At a Big Brothers testimonial in Washington, D.C., for columnist Drew Pearson, Dad publicly announced his support of longtime friend Hubert Humphrey for president. He attended a benefit for Humphrey at the Shoreham Hotel.

APRIL 13-MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

FS plants a tree in Israel in memory of his
beloved friend and agent Bert Allenberg.
[Photo by David Rubinger.]


Later, he was greeted by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1-5, 1984: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1981: Back to the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale.

MAY 3-6, 1979: Dad performed for four nights at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.

MAY 3-16, 1978: One week each at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

APRIL 13-MAY 3, 1966: Back to the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Nancy]

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

I don't know if any of you have ever had this problem but it's painful as can be.

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1-5, 1984: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

MAY 4-17, 1982: On another short tour, he played Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Providence, Rhode Island.

MAY 3-6, 1979: Dad performed for four nights at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.

MAY 3-16, 1978: One week each at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 4-8, 1970: On the day Dad arrived in London for a series of concerts for charities with Count Basie at Royal Festival Hall, the BBC aired a documentary called The Frank Sinatra Story.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 1-5, 1984: At the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

MAY 4-17, 1982: On another short tour, he played Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Providence, Rhode Island.

MAY 3-6, 1979: Dad performed for four nights at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.

MAY 3-16, 1978: One week each at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 4-8, 1970: On the day Dad arrived in London for a series of concerts for charities with Count Basie at Royal Festival Hall, the BBC aired a documentary called The Frank Sinatra Story.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 6, 1992: Jilly Rizzo died in a fiery car accident in Palm Springs.

THE DEATH OF JILLY RIZZO: It was the night of his 75th birthday and he was throwing himself a party. After cooking all evening with road manager Tony Oppedisano, Jilly left his house to visit his girlfriend Betty Jean. He was in her neighbor's Jaguar, which had been left with Betty Jean while the neighbor was on vacation. It was after midnight and the driver of the oncoming car had been drinking. He was traveling 85 mph when he hit Jilly in the white jag, which had two rear gas tanks.

The impact produced sparks, igniting one gas tank and, as the car spun around, the other tank also exploded. Jilly was trapped inside, unable to open the door, which had been automatically locked. The fact that he had one eye made it impossible for him to see the door clearly, adding to his confusion in this car that was completely foreign to him.

All that was left of Jilly was his jewelry. The car was too hot to be touched for many hours after the crash. Tony identified the jewelry and what was left of the car, then he went back to Jilly's house to change. He phoned security at my father's house—it was very early—and told the guard what had happened and to make certain that Frank received no phone calls.

After he showered, he called Jilly's children with the horrible news, and then Tony went to my father's house. He broke the news to Barbara and they decided not to wake Daddy up, but to wait until he came out of his room for breakfast. Although they were concerned that he might hear the news on television, they decided to risk it and let him sleep. Tony called me in Los Angeles, and I passed the news along to the rest of my family. Then I threw some clothes in my car—a Jaguar—and headed toward Palm Springs.

Before my dad woke up, Barbara called his doctor, Dr. Picchione; she was worried that the dreadful news would have a shattering effect on Frank and she felt the doctor might be necessary. She and Tony told Dad, who was devastated but strong. He asked about Jilly's daughter.

The driver who killed Jilly Rizzo did not have a license. It had been taken away because of three previous drunk driving convictions. Justice was sure and sweet. He's still in jail.

Tony: "As Jilly was getting into the car just after midnight I said, 'I want to be the first to wish you a happy birthday.'"

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

MAY 4-17, 1982: On another short tour, he played Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Providence, Rhode Island.

MAY 3-6, 1979: Dad performed for four nights at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.

MAY 3-16, 1978: One week each at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 4-8, 1970: On the day Dad arrived in London for a series of concerts for charities with Count Basie at Royal Festival Hall, the BBC aired a documentary called The Frank Sinatra Story.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

MAY 6, 1957: Another top 10 album, A Swingin' Affair, with great charts by Nelson Riddle, included "Night and Day," "I Wish I Were in Love Again," "The Lonesome Road" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It."

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

MAY 6, 1947: Dad guest-starred on NBC's The Bob Hope Show.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Nancy]

A very sad day in our history.

THE DEATH OF JILLY RIZZO: It was the night of his 75th birthday and he was throwing himself a party. After cooking all evening with road manager Tony Oppedisano, Jilly left his house to visit his girlfriend Betty Jean. He was in her neighbor's Jaguar, which had been left with Betty Jean while the neighbor was on vacation. It was after midnight and the driver of the oncoming car had been drinking. He was traveling 85 mph when he hit Jilly in the white jag, which had two rear gas tanks.

The impact produced sparks, igniting one gas tank and, as the car spun around, the other tank also exploded. Jilly was trapped inside, unable to open the door, which had been automatically locked. The fact that he had one eye made it impossible for him to see the door clearly, adding to his confusion in this car that was completely foreign to him.

All that was left of Jilly was his jewelry. The car was too hot to be touched for many hours after the crash. Tony identified the jewelry and what was left of the car, then he went back to Jilly's house to change. He phoned security at my father's house—it was very early—and told the guard what had happened and to make certain that Frank received no phone calls.

After he showered, he called Jilly's children with the horrible news, and then Tony went to my father's house. He broke the news to Barbara and they decided not to wake Daddy up, but to wait until he came out of his room for breakfast. Although they were concerned that he might hear the news on television, they decided to risk it and let him sleep. Tony called me in Los Angeles, and I passed the news along to the rest of my family. Then I threw some clothes in my car—a Jaguar—and headed toward Palm Springs.

Before my dad woke up, Barbara called his doctor, Dr. Picchione; she was worried that the dreadful news would have a shattering effect on Frank and she felt the doctor might be necessary. She and Tony told Dad, who was devastated but strong. He asked about Jilly's daughter.

The driver who killed Jilly Rizzo did not have a license. It had been taken away because of three previous drunk driving convictions. Justice was sure and sweet. He's still in jail.

Tony: "As Jilly was getting into the car just after midnight I said, 'I want to be the first to wish you a happy birthday.'"

[Gregory]

It's still so sad to read that story. I must have been hard the on Frank and all of those who loved Jilly.

[AR86]

It's a sad story.

I imagine that was very bad day for your Dad and your family.
Mr Rizzo was so important in your life.

It's so hard to accept that for a stupid person that life of a good person can to finish in that way and in that particular day.
A day of happiness become a sad day in one second.

I don't know if is destiny or something else but the life is very unforeseeable.

These kind of events are the proof that we have to love every second of our life.

[SinatraFan]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

MAY 3-7, 1983: He finished an engagement at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago despite a broken blood vessel in his throat.

MAY 4-17, 1982: On another short tour, he played Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Providence, Rhode Island.

MAY 7, 1981: FS sang at a luncheon honoring Mrs. Reagan at the Congressional Club in Washington, D.C.

MAY 3-16, 1978: One week each at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

APRIL 29-MAY 8,1977: FS performed again at the Latin Casino.

APRIL 12–MAY 23, 1977: After a week at home, Dad went on the road with a series of appearances in small venues: the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California, the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and a week with Dean Martin at the Westchester Premier Theater in Tarrytown, New York.

MAY 1-10, 1976: A short tour of the United States and Canada with Count Basie, which concluded at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

MAY 4-8, 1970: On the day Dad arrived in London for a series of concerts for charities with Count Basie at Royal Festival Hall, the BBC aired a documentary called The Frank Sinatra Story.

MAY 2-10, 1962: Continuing his tour in Israel, Dad presided at groundbreaking ceremonies in Nazareth for the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center for Arab and Jewish children, then performed two concerts. He traveled to Jerusalem for Independence Day festivities, a meeting with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and two more concerts. He then took a well-deserved rest, flying to the Isle of Rhodes and spending five days on a yacht cruising the Greek Islands.

MAY 7, 1957: Dad was the subject of a three-part Look magazine cover story entitled "The Life Story of Frank Sinatra - Talent, Tantrums and Torment." Chronicling his meteoric rise to fame, author Bill Davidson acknowledged his subject's unquestioned gifts as a singer, actor and nightclub performer, but alluded repeatedly to his "emaciated" physique, thinning hair and frequent public displays of anger. "There is a generous Sinatra and a cruel Sinatra," wrote Davidson. "There is a Sinatra who fights for the underdog and a Sinatra who bullies his underlings. There is a cocky Sinatra, a scared Sinatra, a gay Sinatra, a brooding Sinatra. There is Sinatra the devoted family man and Sinatra the libertine." Dad promptly sued Look for libel, and though the suit was dropped a few months later - at the advice of his attorneys - he filed immediately for invasion of privacy, but that suit, too, was dropped. "I have always maintained that any writer or publication has a right to discuss or criticize my professional activities as a singer or actor," said Dad. "But I feel that an entertainer has a right to his privacy that is as inviolate as any other person's. Otherwise, it means that a 'public figure' is a second-class citizen in that he is denied rights which others enjoy." The fact is that public figures do not enjoy the same right to privacy as ordinary citizens. Davidson remembers the suit and the reason Dad decided not to pursue it. Prior to the Look article, the U.S. Supreme Court had issued a ruling called "The Koussevitsky Decision," named after Boston Symphony conductor Serge Koussevitsky. The ruling stipulated that a public figure cannot sue for invasion of privacy. When I asked Davidson if he thought the ruling was fair, he said, "In retrospect, frankly, no. But I think it will eventually be reversed."

APRIL 25-MAY 8, 1951: He returned to New York's Paramount for a two-week engagement with the Joe Bushkin Orchestra.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]