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Frank Sinatra: Careers
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Sinatra saw Steve McQueen in his western TV series "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958) and requested him to take Sammy Davis Jr.'s role in Never So Few (1959). Davis had said in an interview he thought he was bigger than Sinatra in the entertainment world at that time. Since Davis' role in the film was originally written as a sidekick, it had to be re-written somewhat for McQueen. During filming they got along so well that Sinatra wanted McQueen to appear in Ocean's Eleven (1960) as the cowboy Louis Jackson. McQueen was all for it but was convinced otherwise by critic Hedda Hopper, who told him it would not be a wise career move to be known as a Sinatra flunky. McQueen passed on the film, and although there were no hard feelings his brief friendship with Sinatra came to an end.
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By 1947, Sinatra's early success had crested, though he continued to work steadily in several media. On radio, he returned to the cast of Your Hit Parade in September 1947, appearing on the series for the next two seasons, then had his own 15-minute show, Light-Up Time, during 1949-1950. On film, he appeared in five more movies through the end of the decade, including both big-budget MGM musicals like On the Town and minor efforts such as The Kissing Bandit. He scored eight Top Ten hits in 1947-1949, including "Mam'selle," which hit number one in May 1947, and "Some Enchanted Evening," from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific. He ... hit the Top Ten of the album charts with 1947's Songs by Sinatra and 1948's Christmas Songs by Sinatra. Sinatra's career was in decline by the start of the '50s, but he was far from inactive.
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During the Kefauver investigation, Sinatra was questioned in advance by committee counsel Joseph L. Nellis to determine if he should be called to testify. At a 4a.m. meeting held in an office atop Rockefeller Center, Sinatra was asked about mobsters he knew, and he acknowledged "knowing" or "seeing" or saying "hello" and "goodbye" to an impressive - but possibly incomplete - list of them: Lucky Luciano; the brothers Fischetti, Joe, Rocco and Charles, cousins of Al Capone and powers in the Chicago Outfit; Meyer Lansky; Frank Costello; Joe Adonis; Longy Zwillman; Willie Moretti; Jerry Catena and Bugsy Siegel. Ultimately the Kefauver Committee did not call Sinatra. With Sinatra's career then in decline, the committee felt no real purpose would be served by lambasting him in public and perhaps finishing off his career. Implicit in that decision was the fact that Sinatra, even if the senators didn't know it at the time, was little more than a Mafia groupie.
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Sinatra appeared at the Desert Inn many times from the early 1950s until Howard Hughes purchased it in 1967. A group of mobsters, mostly from Cleveland, owned the Desert Inn. Meyer Lansky and Sam Giancana ... had interests in the hotel. Moe Dalitz, a close friend of Sinatra, ran it. Dalitz helped keep Sinatra employed when his career hit a low point after 1949.
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On a deeper level, Sinatra's career and public image touched many aspects of American cultural life. For millions, his ascent from humble Italian-American roots in Hoboken, N.J., was a symbol of ethnic achievement. And more than most entertainers, he used his influence to support political candidates. His change of allegiance from pro-Roosevelt Democrat in the 1940's to pro-Reagan Republican in the 1980's paralleled a seismic shift in American politics.
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In the '60s, Sinatra began producing and directing and continued in lead roles until 1980. After making his final film appearance in Cannonball Run II (1984), he resumed his recording career. He died in 1998.
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