[sinatraphiles] October 18 - THIS DATE IN SINATRA HISTORY

From: "Scott Henderson" <scott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <sinatraphiles@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2022 11:03:11 -0400

Studio Recordings

1963 Warner Brothers Sound Studio, Los Angeles , California
Sound-stage recording for the movie "Robin and The 7 Hoods"
Arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle
"Don't Be a Do-Badder" (Finale) (1:07)
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr.

NOTE: Sinatra Scholar Ed O'Brien, who provided the above information, says
that the Sinatra in Hollywood  multi-cd set has a bonus vocal tracking
session that runs 5:28.

1966 Hollywood

J4569 That's Life
w/Chorus
(Dean Kay Thompson/Kelly Gordon)
PolyGram International Publishing Co. Inc. (ASCAP)
Arranged & Conducted Ernie Freeman
-3 (3:06) CD: 46013-2 The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings Disc 11
CD: 9-26340-2The Reprise Collection
CD: 1020-2 That's Life
LP: FS1025 Franks Sinatra's Greatest Hits
LP: FS1020 That's Life
45: 0531

NOTE: Sinatraphile Vance Adair points out that there was a time, not too
long ago, when this tune rivaled "My Way" and "New York, New York" as one of
the great crowd pleasers. Sinatra has unabashed fun with some of the
cornball sentiments and he is in surprisingly good voice. The arrangement
(sans organ) always sounded odd in the concert performances. Adair would
have like to have heard Sinatra experiment with a much more basic
arrangement. He could have produced something very interesting with the
semi-ballad approach taken by Ray Charles

In response, Sinatraphile Eugene Lo Curto says he doesn't have a problem
with the arrangement Sinatra used in concert, but does have a problem with
most of his performances of the song in the post-retirement years. The
vocals lacked energy and it often sounded strained and forced. He suspects
that's why Sinatra rarely sang it in concert during those years. Best
performance, by far, is Oakland 1968. Second place would be Retirement 1971
and third would be Carnegie 1974. He believes "That's Life" took its final
bow (mercifully) in 1987.

Lo Curto also loves the studio recording, and, despite what everyone says,
he enjoys the organ and the chorus behind Sinatra. The arrangement is,
without question, Ernie Freeman's finest effort. It gave Sinatra a unique,
modern sound, and it's still a favorite among the younger crowd. Recently,
my best friend (who, at 25, is one year younger than Lo Curto) asked Lo
Curto to put together a compilation Sinatra for him. He requested "That's
Life" to be the very first track.

Responding to Lo Curton, Adair says he agrees. Sinatra couldn't get his
chops around this song in later years  perhaps, though, a different
treatment would have helped. The studio recording is excellent, although, to
Adair's ears, some of Freeman's arrangements were a little wayward. No so in
this case. Adair says he too thinks the organ and the chorus work work is
done extremely well. This was (and is) a classic recording. It is heard so
seldom now, when once it was one of the great bankable Sinatra soundtracks.
Adair wonders why this is the case.

Ed O'Brien points out that Sinatra did two takes at the October 18, 1966
session with Bowen. After the playback, Sinatra was ready to leave, Bowen
told him that he probably had a Top 40 Hit. If he did another take, it would
be a Top 10 single. Sinatra did the take. Song reached #4 on the Billboard
Top 100. One last thought: Sinatra's concert version of "Strangers in the
Night" was almost always a throwaway, but "That's Life" was a highlight of
his concert performances. He sang the hell out of it. He L.A. Retirement
effort is a stunning vocal.

Sinatraphile Jack Leon Tomsky remarks that in several of the concert
versions, Sinatra would insert "Hallelujah! Oops, I thought I was in one of
those churches.

Lo Curto and Sinatraphile Ed Spiegel then lament how infrequently Sinatra
recordings of almost any sort are heard on the air or even available in
stores to buy. And when they are available, they carry very high prices.

note: Universal Music issued an "Ultimate Sinatra" set in Japan, back in
2015.
They included a bonus CD disc with "That's Life" among the tracks. The
record-
ing features the dramatically different orchestral track from 7-25-66,
backing
Sinatra. There is no vocal group and the chart has a rawness not heard on
the 10-18 release. We have three different charts if you include the one
Frank used on the second "Man & His Music, " taped on 6-5 & 6-66. Riddle
wrote that chart. In concert, Frank used the 10-18 minus the back up
singers.
--Ed

Radio

1935 Broadcast - 3pm - 3:30pm (Friday)
Network KGDM (Sacramento)
Six acts from the Major Bowes Radio Amateurs

1941 Live Remote: Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook Ballroom, Cedar Grove, NJ.
Tommy Dorsey & Orchestra
October 18, 1941
Saturday Evening
1:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Mutual Network
WOR
New York City

1944 Frank Sinatra In Person (CBS)
Wednesday Evening
9 to 9:30 pm
#10
Sponsor: Lever Brothers
Eileen Barton
Vimms Vitamins Vocalist
Axel Stordahl & His Orch.
Announcer: Jerry Lawrence
Guest: Orson Welles
Rehearsal:
1. Let Me Love You Tonight
2. Just Close Your Eyes
3. Together w/Eileen Barton & Vimms Vocalists
4. All Of Me
5. Thine Alone
Broadcast:
1. All Of Me
2. Skit with Axel and Eileen
3. Just Close Your Eyes
4. Vimms commercial
5. Let Me Love You Tonight
6  Skit with Eileen
7. Together  w/ Eileen & Vimms Vocalists
8. Ghoulish skit with Orson Welles
9 Vimms commercial
10. Thine Alone/ A Kiss In The Dark  w/ Vimms Vocalists
11. closing

Note : The dress rehearsal version of "Let Me Love You Tonight" & "Just
Close Your Eyes" appear on the CD: The V-discs 2 ( Columbia )
[]
Frank and Orson Welles

1947 Your Hit Parade
Network: NBC
Sponsor: Lucky Strike
1. The Lady From Twenty Nine Palms - Frank Sinatra (6)
2. You Do - Doris Day (4)
3. You - Axel Stordahl & Orchestra (Lucky Strike Extra)
4. Peg O' My Heart - Frank Sinatra (7)
5. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now - The Hitparaders (5)
6. Embraceable You (Lucky Strike Extra)
7. Feudin' and a' Fightin' - Doris Day (3)
8. I Wish I Didn't Love You So - Ken Lane & The Hitparaders (2)
9. Near You  - Frank Sinatra (1)

1949 Light Up Time
Sponsor: Lucky Strike Cigarettes
Network: NBC
Starring: Frank Sinatra & Dorothy Kirsten
Jeff Alexander And The Orchestra
1. Lullaby Of Broadway
2. Don't Cry Joe w/Double Daters
3. When We're Alone / Penthouse Serenade w/Dorthy Kirsten

NOTE: Nine of the songs that Sinatra did on these three radio shows were
never recorded by him, Ed O'Brien has noticed.
"Together" w/Eileen Barton and Vimms Vocalists was an uptempo duet.

Television

1952  Jimmy Durante's All Star Revue
October 18, 1952
NBC-TV
8:00 P.M.  -- 9:00 P.M EST
Sponsors: Kellogg's, Pet Milk & Del Monte Foods
Guest: Frank Sinatra, Fifi D'Orsay
Frank sings "Birth Of The Blues."
Does a skit with Durante, playing a younger version of him.
Sing a la Durante "Who Will Be With You When I'm Far Away."
Asked by Jimmy who he wants to marry, Frank shows him a
framed photo of Ava.
Second skit: Duet with Durante "Sing Soft, Sweet and Gentle"
and then "Birth Of The Blues" parody.

1957 Frank Sinatra Show (ABC)
Guests: Bob Hope, Kim Novak, Peggy Lee
Premier Show
Friday Nights
21 half hour musicals
10 half hour dramas
Sponsors Chesterfield Cigarettes, Bulova Watch Company
1. The Lonesome Road
2.  I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. I Could Write A Book
4. The Lady Is A Tramp
5. Autumn Leaves
6. All The Way
7. Bewitched
8. Put Your Dreams Away
Notes: 60 mins.

"Autumn Leaves" was a part of a comedy skit with Bob Hope. There was no
serious attempt to sing the song.

NOTE: Ed O'Brien points out that this was Sinatra's premier show for ABC-TV.
There were 21 half-hour musical shows.
. It was televised live from Studio E in Hollywood . Riddle conducted a 27
piece orchestra during the one hour presentation.

note: A series that did not live up to the high expectations predicted by
people in the industry.
In the last year, I have posted a number of articles that were in Variety
and other publications,
leading up to this premiere. The opening show offered up a Sinatra who never
sang better on
live TV. But the skits were lame and so unnecessary. The follow up shows
were done without
a studio audience  -- Sinatra needed to feed off of the electricity provided
by audience reaction
to his singing. The ratings, after the initial show, plummeted dramatically.
The 11-29 show, with
Dean Martin, was live, but then there were two-dramas in early December
before the Christmas
show with Crosby -- another show minus an audience. Alas and alack, the
series never recovered,
despite going live in 1958. George Roberts told me that the pre-recorded
songs had to be married
to the 27 piece ABC orchestra. Riddle had a very difficult time getting it
right. And on a few he did
not.  William Self, the series producer, stated publicly that Frank was too
busy with his films, night-
club appearances, recordings and private life to tackle such a demanding
project back then. I believe
the show would have fared better in the Sunday night slot at 9:00 P.M.
---Ed
.

Film

1961, The Devil at 4 O'Clock   (US Film Release:  October 18, 1961)
Starring:  Frank Sinatra, Spencer Tracy, Barbara Luna
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy,
Sinatra plays Harry, one of three reluctant convicts enlisted by a crusty,
eccentric priest, Spencer Tracy,
to help the priest rescue a children's leper colony from a Pacific island
menaced by an erupting volcano.
(DVD Release date: 2003-01-14)

Emacs!

Concerts

1935 Stockton Highschool Auditorium, Stockton, CA (One Night Only)
The Hoboken Four
touring with the Major Bowes' Radio Amateurs

1939 Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago, Illinois (September 9 - October
27)
Harry James and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra

1940 Paramount Theater, Los Angeles, CA (October 18 - 30)
Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra
(On screen was "Moon Over Burma" with Dorothy Lamour, Robert Preston and
Preston Foster)

Great find here. I posted an article some years ago, claiming Dorsey
canceled the
two-week engagement, after the Palladium obtained an injunction and
threatened to cancel Dorsey's
six-week engagement at their new theater. Obviously, Dorsey was willing to
gamble. He did and
won.
His two week engagement at the Paramount grossed $24,000, the first week,
and $17,500 the second
week. Almost $42,000 playing a few miles away from the Palladium. Dorsey was
betting that his very
popular band could open at the Palladium the day after closing at the
Paramount. And the inaugural
engagement would draw big. Did it ever. The capacity at the Palladium was
5,000. Opening night,
10/31,TD & Co. drew 6,500. And that was just the beginning. Night after
night the crowds were there
throughout the band's run. Frank had a difficult relationship with TD, but
he was in awe of the man's
business skills and toughness.
--Ed

1941 Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove , New Jersey (October 9 - October 28)
Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra

1943 Wedgwood Room, Waldorf Astoria , New York City (October 1 - November
30)

1944 Paramount Theatre , New York City (11-29)
Three-Week Engagement
Frank Sinatra with The Raymond Paige Orchestra
O.A. Eileen Barton, Ollie O'Toole, Pops & Louie
Film: Our Hearts Were Young And Gay

1946 Fresno Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, California
Benefit for The Shack, Fresno Youth Center

1953 Sands, Las Vegas, Nevada (7-27)
Frank Sinatra & Orch (8) with Bill Miller, Nicholas
Bros.(2),Charles Nelson, Bek Steiner, Bryon Balmer,
Copa Girls (10), Ray Sinatra Orch (12); no cover or
minimum

1975 Harrah's, Lake Tahoe , Nevada (17-23)
1. Where or When
2. My Kind of Town
3. Didn't We
4. Something
5. They Can't Take That Away from Me
Monologue
1. Send in the Clowns
2. My Way
3. I Believe I'm Gonna Love You
4. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
5. Ol' Man River
6. I've Got You Under my Skin
NOTE: The long monologue extended this show to 55 minutes, according to Ed
O'Brien.

1978 Radio City Music Hall , New York City (14-22)
1. New York , New York
2. Night and Day (Joe Beck arr.)
3. At Long Last Love
4. The Lady is a Tramp
5. Someone to Watch over Me
6. Here's that Rainy Day
7. My Funny Valentine
8. Baubles, Bangles and Beads w/quintet
9. The Gal that Got Away
10.It Never Entered my Mind
11.That's What God Looks Like to Me
12.Maybe This Time (Highlight of every performances from the 10 at RCMH)
13.Autumn in New York (Great reading)
14.You and Me
15.The Tender Trap
16.Lonely Town (Stunning)
17.The Oldest Established Crap Game
18. Remember
19. My Way
20. America the Beautiful

1981 Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana
1.  I've Got the World on a String
2.  Come Rain or Come Shine
3.  Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)
4.  Something
5.  Say Hello
6.  Strangers in the Night
7.  The Best Is Yet to Come
8.  I Loved Her
9.  The Lady Is a Tramp
10.  Luck Be a Lady
11.  As Time Goes By
12.  My Way
13.  Pennies From Heaven
14.  Good Thing Going
15.  Theme From New York, New York

1982 Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey (14-18)

1986 Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas
Third Annual Arts Awards Benefit Gala

1987 Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
United Way 75th Anniversary

-------------------------------------------------

EXTRA:

1935 Stockton Highschool Auditorium, Stockton, CA (One Night Only)
The Hoboken Four
touring with the Major Bowes' Radio Amateurs

Emacs!

1935 Broadcast - 3pm - 3:30pm (Friday)
Network KGDM (Sacramento)
Six acts from the Major Bowes Radio Amateurs

Emacs!

----------------------------------------------

1940 Paramount Theater, Los Angeles, CA (October 18 -30)
The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · 18 Oct 1940, Sat

Emacs!

The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · 19 Oct 1940, Sat
Emacs!

----------------------------------------------------------

1944 Frank Sinatra In Person (CBS)
Wednesday Evening
9 to 9:30 pm
#10
Sponsor: Lever Brothers
Eileen Barton
Vimms Vitamins Vocalist
Axel Stordahl & His Orch.
Announcer: Jerry Lawrence
Guest: Orson Welles

Emacs!

-------------------------------------------------------

1946 Fresno Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, California
Benefit for The Shack, Fresno Youth Center

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[]

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1952 Jimmy Durante's All Star Revue

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1957 Frank Sinatra Show (ABC)

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Emacs!
rehearsal for premiere show

George Roberts told me that the pre-recorded songs had to be married

to the 27 piece ABC orchestra. Riddle had a very difficult time getting it
right. And on a few he did

not.  William Self, the series producer, stated publicly that Frank was too
busy with his films, night-

club appearances, recordings and private life to tackle such a demanding
project back then. I believe

the show would have fared better in the Sunday night slot at 9:00 P.M.  --ED

note: Here is a picture showing Frank and the small jazz combo pre-recording
for the series

Emacs!

-----------------------------------------------

1961, The Devil at 4 O'Clock   (US Film Release:  October 18, 1961)
Starring:  Frank Sinatra, Spencer Tracy, Barbara Luna
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy,
Sinatra plays Harry, one of three reluctant convicts enlisted by a crusty,
eccentric priest, Spencer Tracy, to help the priest rescue a children's
leper colony from a Pacific island menaced by an erupting volcano.
(DVD Release date: 2003-01-14)

The Devil at 4 O'Clock, based on Max Catto's 1958 novel of the same name,
was announced as an upcoming Columbia Pictures production in the 29 Aug 1958
DV. Soon after, items in the 3 Sep 1958 Var and 9 Oct 1958 DV stated that
Richard Murphy would adapt the script and Spencer Tracy would star as
Father Matthew Doonan. On 12 Feb 1959, LAT reported that Peter Glenville
had been hired to direct. Richard Day came on board as art director, and
locations were chosen in Martinique, where filming was set to begin on 1 Jun
1959, as noted in the 25 Mar 1959 DV. A Var item published the same day
stated that Bridget Boland would write the screenplay. Two days after
filming had initially been scheduled to begin, the 3 Jun 1959 Var announced
Sidney Poitier's casting. Other actors considered for roles around that time
included Diahann Caroll and the singer-turned-actor, Fabian, the 23 Sep 1959
and 11 Nov 1959 DV noted. The start of principal photography was moved to
Mar 1960, according to a 5 Jan 1960 DV item, which stated that Marpessa Dawn
had been cast in the leading female role. Tommy Sands was also cast, the 14
Jan 1960 DV reported.
       A Hollywood strike continued to delay production. Peter Glenville
left to direct the stage play Becket (New York City, 5 Oct 1960), starring
Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn. The 15 Jun 1960 DV indicated that John
Sturges would replace Glenville, and that Frank Sinatra would co-star with
Spencer Tracy. The filming site moved from Martinique to Maui, HI, and
Mervyn LeRoy â not Sturges was hired to to direct, as stated in the 22 Sep
11960 DV. In the meantime, Liam O'Brien replaced Bridget Boland as
screenwriter.
       Doubts arose over whether or not Tracy would remain with the project.
Although the 5 Jul 1960 DV suggested he had other commitments to honor, a DV
item published two days later confirmed that the actor would stay on, as
long as he was released by 15 Dec 1960 for filming of Judgment at Nuremberg
(1961, see entry). A contrary report in the 16 Sep 1960 DV stated that Tracy
was leaving, and would be paid $75,000 of his $275,000 salary, which was to
have included a percentage of the film's profits. The 19 Sep 1960 DV
reported another change in plans, stating that Tracy would film The Devil at
4 O'Clock until 31 Oct 1960, at which point he would return to mainland U.S.
for promotional appearances in support of Inherit the Wind (1960, see
entry), to be followed by the filming of Judgment at Nuremberg.
       In early Sep 1960, Herbert Lom was cast, and Jack Kruschen was
considered for a role, as noted in the 13 Sep 1960 and 14 Sep 1960 issues of
DV.
       Principal photography began on 22 Sep 1960 in Maui, where some
shooting took place in the town of Lahaina. An estimated sixty tons of
equipment had to be shipped from Los Angeles, CA, including the
flame-throwing and exploding-spark machines, composition smoke and lava ash
(pumped pulp residue from sugar cane)â needed for volcano eruption scenes,
as stated in the 30 Aug 1960 LAT.
It was expected that an influx of $500,000 would boost the local economy, an
expenditure that represented one-tenth of the entire production budget,
cited as $5 million in the 23 Oct 1960 NYT. Lahaina locations included a
County Building-Post Office-Courthouse, which stood in for a French colonial
governor's building; a church with an iron steeple, built especially for the
production; and a false road with cables underneath, constructed for the
earthquake sequence.
       The latter half of production took place in Southern CA, where
locations included Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.'s ranch in Malibu, the 7
Nov 1960 DV reported. After principal photography concluded, additional
filming, for the final sequence in which the island is completely destroyed,
took place in Fallbrook, CA. The 10 Mar 1961 DV noted that shooting had
begun the previous week in Fallbrook, where a number of residents had
mistaken the noise and debris caused by simulated eruptions for a real
natural disaster. Further filming of a forest fire, scheduled to take place
on 13 Mar 1961, was protested by locals.
       In advance of the film's release, Columbia announced a $1.7 million
advertising campaign, according to a 28 Jul 1961 DV item. One promotional
effort involved Columbia's sponsorship of ABC-TV's Evening Report news
program for an entire month in the fall of 1961, the 23 Aug 1961 DV stated.
       Dual world premieres at the Waikiki Theatre in Honolulu, HI, and at
the Iao Theater in Maui, took place on 5 Oct 1961, as reported in the 11 Oct
1961 Var. In conjuction with the film's opening in mid-Oct 1961, the 25 Oct
1961 DV stated that Columbia would release a soundtrack album featuring
George Duning's score.

note: I took this history from AFI. Frank gets very little play in any of
the discussions concerning this film.
         The film cost almost $6 million to make and grossed around four and
a half million. Sinatra was much
         bigger b.o. in 1961. The above ad has Frank as the dominant figure
with Tracy in the background.
         Here are a few insights into the making of the film:
In his autobiography "Sun and Shadow", Jean-Pierre Aumont, who played
Jacques, spoke of scheduling conflicts between Spencer Tracy and Frank
Sinatra: "[Tracy], a genial man who was not well at the time, couldn't work
past the morning. The problem was that Sinatra would only work in the
afternoon. In the morning he hired a private plane and hopped from island to
island trying to convince the startled inhabitants to vote for [John F.
Kennedy] in the next presidential election. Around two o'clock he returned,
exhausted, at the precise moment when Tracy was retiring for the day to his
rooms. How, in these conditions, the scenes between Tracy and Sinatra were
shot is a mystery to me."

Richard Widmark has said that Spencer Tracy told him that a broomstick was
used as Frank Sinatra's stand-in during Sinatra's absences, marking his
position in a scene, the brush end representing Sinatra's head. Tracy had to
act opposite it whilst a script girl read Sinatra's lines.

Spencer Tracy got so fed up by Sinatra's unprofessional behavior that he
started to refer to him as "the other fellow" or Mr S.

Apparently, at the time of this film's theatrical release, Spencer Tracy
said of Frank Sinatra, "Nobody at Metro [MGM] ever had the financial power
Sinatra had today."

--Ed

----------------------------------------

1986 Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas
Third Annual Arts Awards Benefit Gala

WHEN SINATRA SINGS

DALLAS, TEXAS: In October of 1986, there was a huge event at the Hilton
Anatole Hotel (which was then called the Loews Anatole).  It was the
Princess Grace Foundation, and it would become the biggest event in the
history of this hotel.  Several days prior to this event, all waiters who
were scheduled to be working this function underwent background checks.
Though we werent told of any specifics, there were a lot of suits walking
around and we suspected they were federal agents.

In the afternoon, as we were setting up the banquet tables with wine glasses
and silverware, numerous celebrities were rehearsing their presentations for
the event later that evening.  As I was wiping and placing the dinner knives
around the table, Diane Warwick was sound-checking the microphone from
different locations in the back of the Pavilion room.  Based on her
interaction with some of the people around her, I found her lacking presence
and color, much like the dress she was wearing. This was disappointing
because as a teenager in Holland I often played her LPs on my record player
to the extent that my mother asked me if I was in love.

I expected Dianne Warwick to have a rich personality, much like her voice
and the lyrics of her songs.  But it seemed that the only thing noticeable
about her was the very large cross she wore around her neck with Jesus on
it.  And it looked as if Jesus was in tremendous pain.  I didnt understand
why someone would be wearing this, but at this point I had other things to
do: I was polishing the wine glasses and placing them right above the dinner
knives, for this banquet dinner would entail many different courses, many
different wines and many different celebrities.

In sharp contrast to Dianne Warwick was Robert Wagner.  He appeared moments
later and was rehearsing his lines behind the podium stand and was dressed
in his usual debonair style.  I was only a few meters away from him when he
smiled at me and said How are you doing?  I was surprised by the
instantaneous sincerity with which he said that, and I greeted him back with
a smile.  He appeared to be very gracious and elegant, much like the
character he portrayed in Hart to Hart, and his presence in the room was as
strong as it was inspiring.  Strangely enough, many of the Spanish speaking
waiters had no idea who Robert Wagner was, though they suspected he was a
famous movie star because it was written all over him.

Only hours later the room would be filled with hundreds of people, many of
them world famous actors, musicians, politicians, and other media
celebrities.  Behind the microphone where Robert Wagner had been rehearsing
earlier, was an elevated platform with a long table of about 20 seats facing
the crowd.  In the middle of this row was King Rainier of Monaco, with his
wife, Princess Grace; and daughter, Princess Stefanie; and son, Prince
Albert, and numerous other family members.

Also sitting on stage was Frank Sinatra. Behind the stage were many large
curtains; behind that were many employee exits; and behind that was the very
large banquet kitchen, filled with an army of cooks and chefs, fighting for
their life to dish-out each course in a timely manner.

And between all these layers were armies of waiters with large oval trays on
their shoulders, carrying dinner plates stacked on top of dinner plates,
going to-and-fro, much like working ants serving the colonies.

At some point, after the dinner was served, all waiters were ordered out of
the Pavilion Room as the show was about to commence.  Finally, we were
allowed to take a deep breath.
I stood somewhere behind the curtain in the pantry aisle, drinking some
coffee from one of my spare porcelain cups, when I saw Frank Sinatra gently
walk right by me into the seedy employee restroom, much to the surprise of
the hotels upper management.  My friend and fellow waiter, Mario from New
York City, was already taking a leak when he suddenly saw Frank Sinatra
standing next to him, doing the same.  As he looked over, Sinatra said: How
youre doing?  The two of them began talking and this was a dream come true
for Mario, who was also of Italian heritage and a big Sinatra fan.

When Sinatra exited the restroom he remained in the employee pantry area,
talking to some of his people, not bothered by loitering waiters and pantry
workers wheeling trays of dirty dishes right by him.  Sinatra was relaxed,
as he was awaiting his cue to take to the stage.

Once Sinatra took to the stage, his voice, so familiar and so widely
recognized, would change the ambiance of the entire room instantaneously.
When I heard Sinatra sing, I felt suddenly that I was living in America, the
America I had seen in the movies, the America I had come for, the America
that was a promise for so many, for so many afar.

Occasionally I peeked through the curtains to see him in action, and came to
realize that Sinatra was as comfortable on the stage as he was behind it,
and that he could talk to King Rainier just as easily as to a waiter or any
man on the street.

Sinatra was a real man in the traditional and honorable sense.  He was that
man who Kipling wrote about in his If poem: "the man who could talk to
crowds and keep his virtue, and walk with Kings yet not lose the common
touch, and that the Earth was his and everything in it."  Sinatra really did
have the world on a string, sitting on a rainbow, string around his finger
-- as the song goes:

During the presentations and performances, we had a large and decorative
coffee and dessert buffet set up outside of the Pavilion Room in the lobby.
Among a variety of pastries, it included sliced fruit, Swiss chocolate and
after-dinner drinks.

I was wearing a tuxedo with white gloves, busing dirty plates, refilling
coffee and accommodating special requests when I noticed a couple of
military men, both with crew-cuts, both with many meddles on their chest,
and both with a drink in their hand.  I thought it was great that they were
also in attendance and greeted them with admiration.  I offered them coffee
but the most senior one told me that he was only interested in gun-powder
and pussy juice.  I found this was a funny thing to say and realized these
were men that had real combat experience.  I also realized that they were
both drunk.

At some point, I entered the Pavilion room again and was waived down by a
beautiful, smiling woman.  She was Stefanie Powers, asking for a refill of
coffee, and I quickly poured her a cup from the pot that I was holding.  We
exchanged a few pleasantries and she asked me where my accent was from, so I
told her I was from Holland.  We spoke some more and she asked me if I was
allowed to sit down at her table.  But being stupidly professional, I told
her that I had to continue working.  After I left her table, I looked back
at her and she smiled, and I remember thinking that I had just spoken to
Mrs. H, and earlier to Mr. H.  And both of them were as charming in person
as they were on television.

The next day when I returned to work I heard that Frank Sinatra had tipped
the manager on duty four bills of $100 for bringing breakfast to his suite
at 4 oclock in the morning.  Among some of the people in his suite were
Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Carey Grant and Roger Moore.  These kinds of
men knew how to party, but they also knew how to be gracious and grateful
towards the people serving them -- they were from a better generation.

from:
http://www.promisedyouamerica.com/2017/10/when-sinatra-sings-you-feel-americ
a.html

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This calendar, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any fashion
whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher (The
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