Frank.sinatra

7/30/2019 Frank.sinatra

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M.A., ANGLO AMERICAN STUDIES

1ST YEAR

PENU GABRIELA

Contemporary British and American Art

AN ESSAY ON AMERICAN ICONS:

FRANK SINATRA

CONSTANTA, 2009


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Motto:

I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful

time living life, a man who had good friends, fine family

- and I don't think I could ask for anything more than that,

actually. Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra, also known as Ol Blue Eyes, is one of the most important pop

culture figures of the 20th century, whose career spanned many disciplines. He was an artist, an

actor, producer, director, cabaret and concert star, radio, film and television personality, and the

list could continue. We can say now that Sinatras contribution to our life and times extends far

beyond his music, to embrace joy, a sense of style and a glorious self-confidence that define

what it meant to be young at heart and have the world on a string. His vision and spirit

continue to be shaped by the experience, wisdom and insight from the legacy of work he left

behind. He was raw, straightforward and as lighthearted as possible, a sweet charmer, and ladies

lover and had a reputation of living fast. He began the golden age in which American popular

music became a universal language and this extraordinary creative genius is its most articulate

spokesman worldwide.

On 12th of December 1915 in New Jersey, Francis or Frank was born, as the only child of

Italian immigrants. He never graduated school as per his rude behavior and he had to work hard

since little. His mother, who was influential in the neighborhood and in the local Democratic

Party succeed persuading a local singing group The Hoboken Four to accept Frank into their

group. Later on, Frank left the band and collaborated with Harry James and then, Tommy

Dorsey. With the help of George Evans, his image was shaped and in 1942 he started his solo

career, finding fame as the king of bobbysoxers, that is the young women and girls who were his


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fans. He became the most popular singer of the era among teenage music fans. About that time

his film career started and sooner he won a special Oscar for his role in a short film against

intolerance. His career on a high, Sinatra went from strength-to-strength on record, on stage and

on screen, becoming a prolific singer, producer, and director worldwide. Though he had a lot of

affairs during his marriage with his first wife, he got involved with the beautiful actress Ava

Garder, who ended up his marriage with Nancy Barbato. It is known that due to a complicated

delivery using forceps his face had permanent scars and also a damaged eardrum. But, despite

this, his life has been one full of accomplishments, joys and sorrows. He was a bona fide

sensation, selling records faster than they could be printed. In the autumn of 1942, eager to go

out on his own and to get out of his contract with Dorsey, he pledged one third of his future gross

earnings to Dorsey, and another 10% of his future gross to Dorsey's manager, Leonard

Vannerson.

Around November of 1946, Columbia Records estimated that Frank was recording an average of

24 songs per year, enabling them to issue one new Sinatra record a month. At that time, his

records were selling at an annual rate of 10 million per year. According to mass-media of those

times, Frank was believed to be a part of the Mafia and he was first linked to this organization in

February 1947 in a gossip column report that stated he was seen in Havana with mobster Lucky

Luciano. Later, in 1949, he was tied to both the Mafia "and" the Communists. The Committee on

Un-American Activities said he followed or appeased some of the Communist Party line

program. Sinatra has flat out denied any involvement with the Communist Party. Apparently,

these accusations continued. In 1947, Sinatra punched Hearst gossip columnist Lee Mortimer at

Ciro's (Hollywood's hot night spot). The Hearst papers went wild, running whole pages on this

incident, and repeated stories on the Mafia/Communist charges. Sinatra said he punched


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Sinatra foible and peccadillo. For a year Hoover investigated Sinatra's alleged communist

affiliations, but came up empty-handed. Also, in 1948, Sinatra supported the candidacy ofHenry

A. Wallace. In 1970 Sinatra sang at the White House as part of a tribute to senator Everett

Dirksen and supported another Republican candidate as he declared for Ronald Reagan in his

race for a second term as the Governorship of California. Sinatra was also good friends with

Vice President Spiro Agnew.

In 1983, he was one of 5 recipients to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. That same year

he received two honors of distinction. Variety Clubs International, the show business charity,

saluted him for his achievements as an entertainer and a humanitarian. As a tribute to him, the

Sinatra Family Children's Unit for the Chronically Ill, was established at the Seattle Children's

Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center. In 1979, Frank wins the Trustees Award in

acknowledgment of his lifetime of devotion to the high standards of recording artistry. In early

1994, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded Frank Sinatra with his first multi-

platinum record in his 55-year career, for 2 million units sold of the all-star vocal collection,

Duets. This was Sinatra's first "multi" platinum record. He took "platinum" with Strangers in

the Night in 1966, and Greatest Hits in 1968. In addition, Frank has racked up 21 gold albums

in his career.

Frank Sinatras achievements earned him three Oscars, two Golden Globes, ten personal

Grammys (and a total of twenty one including those for his albums), an Emmy, a Cecile B.

DeMille Award and a Peabody. One of the most prestigious awards Sinatra received was the

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Motion Picture Society of America. This award,

presented only a few times in the Academys history, is given to an individual in the motion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election,_1948http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Househttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_Dirksenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_Dirksenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reaganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiro_Agnewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election,_1948http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wallacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Househttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_Dirksenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett_Dirksenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reaganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiro_Agnew


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picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry. Sinatras

charitable legacy is legendary. His pioneering fight against prejudice is one of the important

facets that shaped his life from childhood on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey. His short film,

The House I Live In received a special Oscar in 1945. He had a very long career, of sixty

years, throughout which he demonstrated a remarkable ability to thrive in hard times, (as the

Great Depression), moving from the swing era to the rock-and-roll era. He performed on more

than 1,400 recordings, was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three-double platinum and one triple

platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America. He also appeared in 58 films,

and produced eight motion pictures. Frank Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards

from the Grammys, The Screen Actors Guild, The Kennedy Center and the National Association

for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom

and the Congressional Gold Medal, and remains a legend and inspiration to thousands for his

contributions to culture and the arts. Passing through the different aspects of his life, it is a nice

and interesting experience to see the many facets of a wonderful entertainer and an incredible

and interesting man.

Regarding the racial attitude he had, the fact that he has played in the short film titled

The House I Live In, a film on toleranceand racial equality brought him a great sympathy ofthe non-white people and also earned him a special Academy Award. Sinatra led his band

members of the Rat Pack and label-mates on Reprise in refusing to patronize hotels and casinos

that wouldn't allow black singers to play live or wouldn't allow black patrons entry. He would

often speak from the stage on desegregation. He also spoke at a number of New Jersey high

schools in 1945, where students had gone on strike in opposition to racial integration. He would

play more benefits for Martin Luther King, Jr. who, according to Frank Sinatra, Jr., at one point
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_equalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reprisehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desegregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_equalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reprisehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desegregationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra,_Jr.


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Frank.sinatra

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