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AUGUST 3RD AT 8 PM ET

TINA & NANCY SINATRA ON

FATHER FRANK SINATRA

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FRANK SINATRA : THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

“You better get busy living, because dying's a pain in the ass.”

- Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra was unquestionably one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century as well as one of its most fascinating personalities. From humble roots growing up on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, young Frankie was determined to make it in show business. He started out working in saloons, but eventually got work as a band singer, first with The Hoboken Four and then hitting the big time with Harry James and, later, Tommy Dorsey. In 1942 he embarked on his solo career and became a sensation with the bobbysoxers. Frank’s popularity brought him to the attention of MGM, where he appeared in some of the best-remembered musicals of the 1940s, often paired with Gene Kelly, as in “Anchors Aweigh” (1945) and “On The Town” (1949). Frank’s career began to slide as the 1950s began. Both his movies and records were losing popularity with the fans. His personal life likewise received negative press when his affair with Ava Gardner broke up his marriage to Nancy Barbato. While Frank’s subsequent marriage to Ava Gardner ultimately ended in divorce, his career hit a surprising high when the singer won the dramatically-charged role of of Maggio in “From Here to Eternity” (1953). Frank’s unforgettable performance of the cocky young soldier doomed to die at the hands of the brutal Sergeant “Fatso” Judson (Ernest Borgnine) garnered him an Oscar for best supporting actor. While many claimed that Frank never took his acting career as seriously as his singing, he continued to give strong and memorable performances in such films as “Suddenly” (1954) “The Man with the Golden Arm” (1955), “The Joker is Wild” (1957) and, especially, “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962). Frank certainly proved his worth as an actor of dramatic ability, but as he entered the 1960s he concentrated mainly on lighter roles, having fun with his pals Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop in the “Rat Pack” movies, such as “Ocean’s Eleven” (1960” and “Sergeant’s 3” (1962). Frank kept himself extremely busy throughout the decade. Besides the movies, he had hit-after-hit recordings and sellout concert appearances all across the globe. While his film career closed out in 1984, Frank continued entertaining his millions of fans with his live performances until ill health forced him to stop. His death in 1998 left a void that can never be filled.

Many have said that Frank Sinatra was a complex individual, generous to a fault but prone to a quick temper. What no one can question, however, is the man’s incredible talent and the legacy he left the world. When it came to entertainment, Frank Sinatra truly was “The Chairman of the Board”.