[lorraine]

FEBRUARY 6–15, 1953: ...Dad forged a warm working relationship with pianist Bill Miller... [See February 6th]

That's special to me to know that around the time of my birth in 53
Mr S and Mr Miller were just beggining that......Long long Road!

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

FEBRUARY 14–17 AND MARCH 15–16, 1985: In Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.

FEBRUARY 11–17, 1982: Comedian Pat Henry [...] during an engagement at Caesars Palace. [See February 11th]

FEBRUARY 12–18, 1981: Back onstage for another week at Caesars Palace.

FEBRUARY 13–18, 1979: Six nights at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater.

FEBRUARY 14–17, 1975: Dad performed again at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 1–14, 1965: Frank headlined with his old friend Joe E. Lewis... [See February 1st]

FEBRUARY 14, 1962: Michael Romanoff was "the Emperor" and one of Hollywood's most colorful figures. Though born not in Russia but in Brooklyn, and not Romanoff but Gergenson, he adopted a royal Russian identity and bestowed gifts of land or water on his subjects, Frank, Sammy, Dean and Jimmy Van Heusen. If Dad did something especially well, Michael would say, "Well done, old boy," and make him a gift of the Ural Mountains or the Volga River. Michael and his wife were proprietors of Romanoff's restaurant in Beverly Hills. He was a unique, darling man with great style. Many years older than Frank, he became something of a father figure. It was reported that Romanoff threw the engagement party for Frank and Juliet on Valentine's Day at his restaurant.

"The Emperor," Michael Romanoff, with
one of his loyal subjects in the pool at
Dad's Palm Springs place.

FEBRUARY 1–14, 1961: ...at the Sands in Las Vegas. [See February 1st]

FEBRUARY 6–15, 1953: ...Dad forged a warm working relationship with pianist Bill Miller... [See February 6th]

FEBRUARY 14, 1950: Humiliated by press accounts of her husband in Houston with Ava, Mom announced that they were splitting up—on Valentine's Day. As a Catholic, she couldn't divorce him, so she filed for a legal separation, which would grant Dad his freedom. Press reaction was swift and harsh, with him depicted as a heel and Ava as a homewrecker. One day while I was playing dress-up in Mom's dressing room, I climbed up on a chair to get a shoebox off a shelf and knocked to the floor a stack of magazines that Mom had hidden in her closet. They were movie magazines—Modern Screen, Photoplay and so forth—and they were filled with pictures of Dad and a pretty lady named Ava Gardner, and Mom and Frankie and Baby Tina and me. There were also pictures of Dad with other ladies. I remember Marilyn Maxwell and Lana Turner. I was devastated—just like Mom. He had left me, too. I knew then that this trip was different. This was the long goodbye we had rehearsed so often, but the one I could never completely accept. My brother was to suffer, too. And my infant sister and her father said goodbye before she could even say hello.

Eventually, inevitably, I would meet this other woman. The first time we met, there was no preparation. It was meant to be matter-of-fact. They were living in a house in Coldwater Canyon. My father picked me up and said, "I want to show you my house." When we went in, there was a woman upstairs at her dressing table, brushing her shoulder-length hair. Daddy said, "Chicken, this is Ava." I said, "Hi, how do you do?" or whatever, just as I had been taught, and that was that. Except that instead of feeling pain or resentment or anger, what I saw helped me understand what my father felt. And he was clearly swept away. My heart melted just looking at her. I was only a kid. I didn't know about beauty—that awesome kind of beauty that takes your breath away. She was just the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. I couldn't stop staring at her. At last, in my preteenage wisdom, I had some understanding of why Daddy left us. In 1984, I asked him if, given the choice again, he would have left us, and he said, "No."

AVA GARDNER ON THE MORALS OF THE FIFTIES: When Nancy said, "My married life with Frank has become unhappy and aimost unbearable," the shit really hit the fan. In the next few weeks, I received scores of letters accusing me of being a scarlet woman and worse. One correspondent addressed me as "Bitch-Jezebel-Gardner," the Legion of Decency threatened to ban my movies, and Catholic priests found the time to write me accusatory letters. I even read where the Sisters of Mary and Joseph asked their students at St. Paul the Apostle School in Los Angeles to pray for Frank's poor wife. I didn't understand then and still don't why there should be this prurient mass hysteria about a male and a female climbing into bed and doing what comes naturally.

TINA ON THE SPLIT-UP: When he left home, I was a baby, so I wasn't accustomed to a man in the house. I didn't feel the wrench; I didn't know him. Conversely, I had to deal with this very nice man coming through our lives from time to time. It was always—certainly—a special occasion. But there was a point where you realized that everything had to be just so. You know, we had to get cleaned and washed and combed and groomed and it wasn't comfortable. And he would come and go and come and go. And I didn't know where to find him. But I think I've gotten off a lot easier than others. I never had the feelings of what I'm told all children go through, where the child feels as much to blame—he's left me, not you, Mommy. What I did feel was that when he was around, I was different. I couldn't figure out why. Who is "he" that I should change? I used to feel nervous when I was going to see him. I had anxiety.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[ARIES3032]

I know the older children, Nancy and Frank Jr. had to share the blunt of this, but Tina perhaps was too young. I know your Dad loved all of you including your Mother.

[voice1]

FEBRUARY 14–17 AND MARCH 15–16, 1985: In Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.

And I was there.

Originally Posted by voice1

And I was there.

Cue theme music from The Naked Runner—again.

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

FEBRUARY 14–17 AND MARCH 15–16, 1985: In Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.

FEBRUARY 11–17, 1982: Comedian Pat Henry [...] during an engagement at Caesars Palace. [See February 11th]

FEBRUARY 12–18, 1981: Back onstage for another week at Caesars Palace.

FEBRUARY 15, 1980: A benefit for the Desert Hospital at the Canyon Country Club and Hotel in Palm Springs.

FEBRUARY 13–18, 1979: Six nights at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater.

FEBRUARY 14–17, 1975: Dad performed again at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 15, 1964: Frank and Dean Martin appeared on Bing's CBS television special.

FEBRUARY 15, 1960: In another of his Timex television shows [Here's To The Ladies], Dad hosted a distinguished guest, Eleanor Roosevelt, in addition to Lena Horne and a repeat visit from his girlfriend Juliet Prowse.

Eleanor Roosevelt, the widow of one of
my father's greatest heroes, graced
the stage on his February 1960
television show.

FEBRUARY 6–15, 1953: ...Dad forged a warm working relationship with pianist Bill Miller... [See February 6th]

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

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

FEBRUARY 14–17 AND MARCH 15–16, 1985: In Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.

FEBRUARY 16, 1984: FS, Dean and Sammy performed at a benefit for St. John's Hospital at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

FEBRUARY 11–17, 1982: Comedian Pat Henry [...] during an engagement at Caesars Palace. [See February 11th]

FEBRUARY 12–18, 1981: Back onstage for another week at Caesars Palace.

FEBRUARY 13–18, 1979: Six nights at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater.

FEBRUARY 14–17, 1975: Dad performed again at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 16–MARCH 1, 1967: FS did another two-week stint at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. Before my month-long tour of Vietnam for the USO, I called my Dad and asked for his advice and blessing. I needed to have some guidelines, some information. I asked what he thought of my going on tour. He said, "Great idea. Just do what they tell you and don't do anything silly. Be aware." Be aware. The same words he had inscribed on the St. Christopher medal and key chain he gave me when I got my driver's license: "Be aware of everything around you."

After my tour of Vietnam, having seen the horrors of war with my own eyes, I needed him again. I flew to Florida, got off the plane and went right to his show. When he spotted me, he introduced me to the audience and told them of my recent trip. They wouldn't stop applauding and he said, "Chicken, I think you'd better come up here." And I did, feeling out of place in my travel clothes in that elegant room. He said, "You'd better do something. How about 'My Buddy'?" Bill Miller, who knew the song, accompanied me.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Nancy]

hmmm... It seems as though I mixed up the time line a bit. Should have said I had called Dad...

I keep finding errors in the book. I really should correct them for this online version but oy!

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

FEBRUARY 14–17 AND MARCH 15–16, 1985: In Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget.

FEBRUARY 11–17, 1982: Comedian Pat Henry [...] during an engagement at Caesars Palace. [See February 11th]

FEBRUARY 12–18, 1981: Back onstage for another week at Caesars Palace.

FEBRUARY 13–18, 1979: Six nights at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater.

FEBRUARY 14–17, 1975: Dad performed again at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 17, 1970: With a vote of 4-3, the Supreme Court rejected my father's appeal of a warrant to appear before the New Jersey State Committee investigating organized crime. He agreed to testify, but only at a secret midnight appearance that would minimize his exposure to the media. He testified to having met Meyer Lansky and Willie Moretti but not to knowing them. He confirmed that his many friends included Sam Giancana and Paul "Skinny" D'Amato but denied knowing that they, Joe Fischetti, Joe Adonis or Lucky Luciano were members of a criminal organization known as either La Cosa Nostra or the Mafia.

After they embarrassed and humiliated my father and threatened to arrest him if he entered his home state, they asked him the same questions every other committee had asked him too many times before. The answers were a matter of public record, but they never took the time to research them. Instead, they chose to take full advantage of the publicity that the Sinatra name would bring to their hearings and dragged the man and his name through the mud once again. The ultimate irony was that once they ran out of questions, instead of dismissing my father, they asked him an irrelevant question about one of his movie roles: "Mr. Sinatra, was that really you running for the train at the end of Von Ryan's Express?"

Mickey Rudin on the hearings: "When he finally appeared before that committee, they asked him nothing of any substance, had no evidence of affiliations with any criminals in New Jersey. And it was a complete bullshit questioning session. Nevertheless, there were resulting headlines about Sinatra and the Mafia." After 75 minutes in this vein, the committee chairman announced his satisfaction that Frank Sinatra had cooperated fully and ordered the contempt charge dropped.

FEBRUARY 16–MARCH 1, 1967: FS did another two-week stint at the Fontainebleau... [See February 16th]

FEBRUARY 17–MARCH 2, 1965: He and [Joe E.] Lewis moved the act to the Sands for another two-week run.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[ARIES3032]

We were honored to see Bill Miller's last performance with Frankie Jr. A great loss to the familyu and the world.

[SinatraFan]

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

FEBRUARY 12–18, 1981: Back onstage for another week at Caesars Palace.

FEBRUARY 13–18, 1979: Six nights at Chicago's Arie Crown Theater.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 16–MARCH 1, 1967: FS did another two-week stint at the Fontainebleau... [See February 16th]

FEBRUARY 17–MARCH 2, 1965: He and [Joe E.] Lewis moved the act to the Sands for another two-week run.

FEBRUARY 18-21, 1963: During four days of studio sessions with Nelson Riddle in Los Angeles, he recorded 11 songs for the album The Concert Sinatra. Because of Nelson's contract with Capitol, this was the first time his name could appear on the Reprise label. This album was recorded on Stage 7 at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios in order to capture the best possible sound. The stage acts as an echo chamber - and experts say that its natural reverberation characteristics are splendid. Nelson Riddle remembered about the sessions: "I never saw Frank so businesslike and concentrated as he was for The Concert Sinatra."

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

FRANK JR. ON THE CONCERT SINATRA: The Goldwyn Recording Studio is so vast and it had hall radius. There were over 80 musicians in the studio. They wanted to make a multi-channel album, and with two three-channel machines, they had six channels of recording. On the first night, "Ol' Man River" stunned the studio. The recording of "Soliloquy" is brilliant even though it is missing an entire movement because Nelson turned two pages instead of one. The fluorescent lights in the studio were humming and the sound leaped into the microphones, so they turned off the lights and the only illumination came from the little lights on the music stands. It was surreal.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

Thanks, Allen, for filling in for me.

To all: My 'net access may be severely limited for the next week or so. I truly appreciate Allen's help. It seems I taught him well. Great job!

[Stnwy18]

Originally Posted by SinatraFan

During four days of studio sessions with Nelson Riddle in Los Angeles, he recorded 11 songs for the album The Concert Sinatra.

There were only eight (8) songs on The Concert Sinatra, were there other songs Sinatra recorded for this project that did not make the finished album?

[Gonzalo Duque]

He recorded "America The Beautiful" and "California" for the album but they weren't included and didn't find their way onto a CD until 1990 on the 4 CD Reprise set. He recorded ""You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" at the end of the sessions for this album but that made its way onto "Sinatra '65", and as a 45 rpm single.

[Nancy]

Thanks, Allen!

[Stnwy18]

Thanks Gonzo! That's not California, the Al Jolson song, is it?

[Gonzalo Duque]

Most definitely not the Jolson tune, this one is about the virtues of the state.

[Stnwy18]

I didn't think so.

[SinatraFan]

You're welcome, Nancy and Bob. I'm glad I could help out.

Originally Posted by Stnwy18

That's not California, the Al Jolson song, is it?

This recording of California was written by Cahn and Van Heusen.

[SinatraFan]

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

FEBRUARY 19, 1981: Nearly 20 years after turning in his Nevada gaming license, Dad won it back, but not without some unpleasant scrutiny related, once again, to the Mob connection charges. Some members of the press made a big deal out of a charge - never substantiated - that Dad had been involved in skimming revenues from a Westchester, New York, theater in 1976. Lawyer Mickey Rudin: "The Westchester case is another unfortunate incident. When the theater first opened, I made no arrangements for your father to play there because it was an untested facility. After it was open for some time and proved to be a successful venue, a deal was made for Frank's appearance. He received the most money he had ever received for an appearance at a facility of that size. There were subsequent deals. When the facility got in trouble, Frank made some appearances there with Dean Martin, for which they were well paid. We permitted the sale of t-shirts and other souvenirs in the hope that the facility would make enough money to stay out of bankruptcy. At one of the performances somebody brought Carlo Gambino backstage with his granddaughter, who was named Sinatra, to take some pictures. A lot of pictures were taken of a lot of different people backstage. Unfortunately, they got into the hands of the press. One of the pictures was introduced as evidence in the trial of certain people who were accused of bankruptcy fraud and tax fraud in connection with the Westchester Theater. That started the Mafia hue and cry all over again. Insofar as Frank's involvement in that case, neither he nor I was ever subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury with respect to this matter. However, the press made much of the picture and constantly brought Frank's name into the Westchester proceedings." Guilt by association again.

At the hearing, then L.A. County Sheriff Peter Pitchess testified that "If Mr. Sinatra is a member of the Mafia, I am the godfather." And Gregory Peck said, "Frank is one of the finest men and most trustworthy, truthful and reliable men I have known." The commission was unanimous in its approval for Dad to be licensed as a "key" employee at Caesars Palace, a necessary status for casino ownership.

FRANK SINATRA WINS THE FIGHT: In 1981 Sinatra applied for a gaming license in Nevada, and this time he had important facts read into the record. Here is how he brought that about. First, exercising his right under the Freedom of Information Act, he had the government disclose all their files on Frank Sinatra. He then turned these files over to the state of Nevada. In the post, the FBI had refused to turn over their files. (Part of their refusal may have been motivated by their knowledge that there was nothing incriminatory in them.)

The FBI files indicated that my father had been investigated endlessly for 30 years. (The early FBI files have him listed as a "Communist" because he appeared at a rally with Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and because he sang "The House I Live In.")

The files disclosed that there was no evidence of Mafia membership, Mafia affiliation or doing business with the Mafia. The FBI files also showed that the stories about Sinatra and members of the Mafia had come out originally as rumors printed in newspaper articles - rumors that were reported as rumors but were subsequently reported over and over until they were accepted as "facts."

At the conclusion of the hearing, Frank Sinatra was given a gaming license. He had generally tried to take the position of no comment or, as he would put it "Look, I'm not going to deny every piece of crap that comes along. I'm not going to dignify them with a response."

At various times, because of his loyalty to others or his refusal to dignify his attackers, he had sometimes lashed back, but most often he suppressed his feelings. I had learned, as he had long ago, that to most columnists it's not news that my father can be a nice guy or a decent kid. The many benefactions didn't start to come out until late in life. Without a newspaper or a TV station at his command, the only forum open to him, he thought was his microphone. So he used it to vent some of his anger, sometimes humorously, sometimes viciously. He reached only a few thousand people, whereas the accusers reached millions through their media. But it was a healthy outlet for him. And for those who shared and understood his plight, each little jab he struck was significant and understandable. Though some remarks were not in good taste, I saw the set-to as a David vs. Goliath kind of thing, a mighty blow from a man some saw as mighty himself but who was, in dueling with the coarser members of the press, a little guy up against a giant.



KIRK DOUGLAS ON FRANK: I admire his guts. I am rather astounded at the number of investigations that take place on Frank Sinatra. I find him guilty of being impulsive and a great artist.

FEBRUARY 8–MARCH 4, 1972: Stepping up his schedule of charity work... [See February 8th]

FEBRUARY 16–MARCH 1, 1967: FS did another two-week stint at the Fontainebleau... [See February 16th]

FEBRUARY 17–MARCH 2, 1965: He and [Joe E.] Lewis moved the act to the Sands for another two-week run.

FEBRUARY 18-21, 1963: During four days of studio sessions with Nelson Riddle... [See February 18th]

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]