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Frank Sinatra: Friends
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Sinatra often crossed paths -- and even played golf -- with some of the country's biggest names in organized crime: He counted mobsters Sam Giancana, Charles "Lucky" Luciany and Al Capone's cousin Joseph Fischetti among his friends. Although he told grand juries, a state gaming commission and courtroom juries that he had no deep ties to the Mafia, Sinatra's social life tantalized FBI investigators for decades. Ultimately, the bureau never found enough evidence to prosecute Sinatra. Those associations produced no criminal charges either, but were extensive enough o lead President John F. Kennedy to cool his relationship with Sinatra.
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Sinatra and Joseph Fischetti remained friends for years. Sinatra performed many times at the Fontainbleu Hotel in Miami. Fischetti was deeply involved with this hotel. As early as May 1947 Fischetti had bragged to an FBI informant about his ''financial interest'' in Frank Sinatra. Fischetti worked as a sort of agent for Sinatra in Miami and Chicago and got him several bookings in the early 1950s when Sinatra’s career was nearly dead.
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With most women Sinatra dates, his friends say, he never knows whether they want him for what he can do for them now -- or will do for them later. With Ava Gardner, it was different. He could do nothing for her later. She was on top. If Sinatra learned anything from his experience with her, he possibly learned that when a proud man is down a woman cannot help. Particularly a woman on top.
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The committee obligingly invited Sinatra to appear on June 4, 1972. Instead Sinatra flew to England. Incensed the committee prepared a second subpoena and ordered U.S. marshals to stand by at all ports of entry to issue the subpoena as soon as Sinatra re-entered the United States. Sinatra called in some favors and after telephone calls from Vice President Spiro Agnew, a close friend of Sinatra, the second subpoena was cancelled and a new invitation was issued for July 18. In addition the committee agreed to limit their questions to the Berkshire Downs Racetrack.
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Leo Durocher, one of Sinatra's closest friends, was now shooting pool in the small room behind the bar. Standing near the door was Jim Mahoney, Sinatra's press agent, a somewhat chunky young man with a square jaw and narrow eyes who would resemble a tough Irish plainclothesman if it were not for the expensive continental suits he wears and his exquisite shoes often adorned with polished buckles. Also nearby was a big, broad-shouldered two-hundred-pound actor named Brad Dexter who seemed always to be thrusting out his chest so that his gut would not show.
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Frank was so out of it on June 15 that Barbara, his wife off 21 years, had to cancel a big Father's Day bash at the Beverly Hills home. "She had to withdraw invitations to pals Edie Gorme, Steve Lawrence, Don Rickles and George Schlatter," says the friend.
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