|
|
|
Return to Frank Sinatra Caricature |
Frank made it big singing for the swing bands in the late 1930's early 40's (first with Harry James and then with Tommy Dorsey). Later during World War II, The Voice struck out on his own and was probably responsible as much as anyone for the rise of the singer to the detriment of the instrumentalist in popular music.
When it looked like his recording career was slowing down, Frank began starring in Hollywood films and most weren't all that bad. Unlike other singers, Frank preferred to avoid musicals where the characters break into spontaneous song while walking down the street. Instead, when acting, he was an actor.
But what was really a surprise was that Frank
was at his best in dramatic roles, one of which, his
supporting role in From Here to Eternity, actually garnered
him an Oscar. Among his other top ranked performances were as the nutty
paranoid army officer in The Manchurian Candidate, as a heroin addict in The Man With
the Golden Arm and as the able and heroic martinet, Colonel Joseph Ryan in Von Ryan's Express. Despite the near universal praise for Frank's
latter performance, fans of the book will gag at the changes made by the scriptwriters.
But there's plenty of Frank for those liking lighter fare.
No one can forget Robin and the Seven Hoods, 4 for Texas, and of course Ocean's Eleven (far superior to the recent remake). Midway between drama and comedy was Frank's movie Tony Rome. Although at first glance it's just another Sam Spade type pot boiler, Frank does a nice job. Particularly refreshing is he plays a private investigator in probably one of the most realistic PI roles in a film. Instead of investigating a murder, a kidnapping, or going up against organized crime (all of which would get a real PI's license yanked before you could say "Gumshoe!"), Frank is hired by a rich fat-cat to bring his drunken daughter back home from a hotel room and then to find a diamond pin she lost while she was under the sauce. But it was as a singer and entertainer that Frank will
be most remembered, and he ended up as the top paid entertainer of his time. He
was still putting out #1 songs on the Top Forty when the bobby soxers
who had sent him to the top were long gone. If you can find a record
store still open somewhere, you'll probably find one of the largest
bins holds the CD's of Old Blue Eyes. But for all his appearances - on film,
television, or live - one was not what you'd expect from a hip
sophisticate like Frank Sinatra. And regardless of what you hear of
Frank's more seamier connections and cantankerous nature, you can't
but help like him for it. In the 1960's, Frank, along with Sammy Davis,
Jr., appeared on the
kid's show hosted by Soupy Sales. Soupy's program was somewhat on
multiple levels. Older kids and even adults liked the show, not the
least reason being that he had non-kid celebrities as guest stars
long before it became standard fare on Sesame
Street. But for those who remember Soupy's show, you
can guess the final outcome. Yes, by the time the skit was over, The
Chairman of the Board ended up with a pie in his face.
Return to Frank Sinatra Caricature