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Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 - May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor and is, with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles, one of the top five American popular musicians of the 20th century.

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey as the son of a quiet father and a talented, tempestuous mother, Sinatra decided to become a singer after hearing Bing Crosby on the radio. He began singing in small clubs in New Jersey and eventually attracted the attention of trumpeter and band-leader Harry James.

After a brief stint with James, he joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra where he rose to fame as a singer. His vast appeal to the "bobbie soxers", as teenagers were called, revealed a whole new audience for popular music, which had generally appealed mainly to adults up to that time. He was the first teen idol.

He later recorded as a solo artist with some success, particularly during the musician's recording strikes. Vocalists were not part of the musician union and were allowed to record during the ban by using a capella vocal backing.

His career was in eclipse in the late 40s and early 50s when he made a spectacular comeback as a film actor in From Here to Eternity. He later appeared in many films, the most notable being The Man with the Golden Arm, and The Manchurian Candidate.

Sinatra debuted with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra on February 2, 1940.

He originally recorded for Columbia in the 1940s but switched to Capitol Records in the 1950s. By the 1960s he was a big enough star to start his own record label: Reprise Records.

In the 1950s and 60s, Sinatra was a popular attraction in Las Vegas. He was friends with many other entertainers, including Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. These three were the core of the Rat Pack, a loose group of entertainers who were friends and partied together.

His voice is instantly recognizable, and in its prime could evoke not only great strength and charisma, but nostalgia and tenderness as well. Sinatra had good taste in songs, and excellent taste in arrangers. He is particularly noted for his phrasing.

Sinatra died in 1998 and is buried in the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, Palm Springs, California.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2003.

Frank Sinatra Facts

Birth NameFrancis Albert Sinatra
OccupationMusician, Actor
BirthdayDecember 12, 1915
SignSagittarius
BirthplaceHoboken, New Jersey, USA
Date of deathMay 14, 1998 (age 82)
Height5' 8½" (1m74)  How tall is Frank Sinatra compared to you?
Awards1973 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Life Achievement Award
1971 Golden Globe Awards: Cecil B. DeMille Award
1958 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical (for Pal Joey)
1954 Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor (for From Here to Eternity)
1954 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (for From Here to Eternity)

Selected Filmography

The Timex Shows Vol. 1
Frank Sinatra or America's Golden Age
All Or Nothing At All
Sinatra: Reflections
Man With The Golden Arm
The Timex Shows Vol. 2
The Frank Sinatra Film Collection
Till The Clouds Roll By
Frank Sinatra: Concert Collection
Man With The Golden Arm, The
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