Frank Sinatra defined the golden age of American music with his smooth voice and impeccable style. He conquered Hollywood and the music industry while living a life full of drama and romance. Furthermore, he maintained a tough public image that often clashed with his emotional ballads. Consequently, the Chairman of the Board remains one of the most celebrated cultural icons of the 20th century. Explore these fascinating details about Ol' Blue Eyes.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra famously inspired the creation of the cartoon character Scooby-Doo. Specifically, a CBS executive heard him singing the “doo-be-doo-be-doo” refrain at the end of “Strangers in the Night” and got the idea for the dog.
He nearly died at birth because he was a massive baby weighing 13.5 pounds (6.1 kilograms). Unfortunately, the doctor used forceps to pull him out, which caused the permanent scars on his neck and cheek.
The police arrested him in 1938 for the crime of “seduction and adultery.” A woman accused him of promising marriage to get her into bed, which was technically illegal at the time.
He openly hated his hit song “Strangers in the Night.” In fact, he famously called it “a piece of sh*t” and “the worst song” he ever heard, even though it won him a Grammy.
The FBI kept a massive surveillance file on him that grew to over 2,400 pages. They tracked his movements for decades because they suspected he possessed deep ties to the Mafia.
He possessed a phobia of germs and showered up to 12 times a day. Reportedly, he obsessed over cleanliness and smelled like lavender water constantly.
Kidnappers took his son, Frank Sinatra Jr., from a Lake Tahoe hotel in 1963. Terrifyingly, the singer paid a ransom of $240,000 to secure his son’s safe release.
He always carried ten dimes in his pocket at all times. He developed this habit after the kidnapping so he could always use a payphone in an emergency.
Frank Sinatra never learned how to read music professionally. Instead, he relied entirely on his incredible ear and memory to learn complex arrangements.
His family buried him with a flask of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and a pack of Camel cigarettes. Fittingly, his tombstone reads “The Best Is Yet to Come.”
He demanded that his diverse orchestras play to integrated audiences. Therefore, he refused to perform at venues that segregated people by race during the Civil Rights era.
The classic song “New York, New York” was originally written for Liza Minnelli. However, Sinatra covered the track later and transformed it into the legendary anthem we know today.
He married actress Mia Farrow when he was 50 and she was only 21. Consequently, the massive age gap caused a media frenzy that eventually contributed to their divorce.
Paul Anka wrote the lyrics to “My Way” specifically for Sinatra. He adapted a French pop song because he knew Frank planned to quit the music business.
Finally, he gave Marilyn Monroe a Maltese terrier named Mafia. He affectionately called the dog “Maf” as a joke about the rumors surrounding his own life.
