Sinatra, Frank (Francis Albert) 1915-98
US singer and film actor

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, he started his long and successful career as a recording artist singing with the bands of Harry James and Tommy Dorsey on radio, becoming a teen idol. He made his film debut in musicals in 1941, leading to films such as Anchors Aweigh (1945) and On The Town (1949). His appeal declined, until he won an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his role in From Here to Eternity (1953). This led to more film work, notably in The Man With the Golden Arm (1955), Pal Joey (1957), The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and The Detective (1968). His revival as an actor led to new singing opportunities, and he produced an impressive series of recordings (1956-65), notably the albums For Swinging Lovers, Come Fly with Me and That's Life. His fine musical phrasing and choice of material made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 1950s and 1960s as well as a top concert performer into the 1990s. In a highly publicized private life, he was married on four occasions; his wives included Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow.

Bibliography: Nancy Sinatra, Frank Sinatra, My Father (1985)