His Way_ The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra - Kitty Kelley [195]
“This is what I call real pocket money,” he bragged.
Jackie Park remembered that Sinatra’s actions caused press speculation about whether he would eventually try to buy Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
“Jack went crazy when he read the newspapers,” said Jackie Park. “We were in New York at the Sherry Netherland having breakfast in Jack’s suite. He was screaming mad and showed me a newspaper article. ‘You see, this is what I get for trying to be a nice guy to that son of a bitch,’ he yelled. He called Frank and said, ‘You better understand something, Frank, and understand it now. I’m the president of Warner Bros. Pictures, and my brothers and I own the studio.… I’ll blow the whistle on you if you try anything funny. You tell your friends that I’m not afraid of them. I didn’t get this far to have a gang of ruffians for partners.’
“Jack was jumping to conclusions, assuming that Frank had had something to do with the speculation, and he was hysterical, absolutely hopping mad. I only heard his end of the conversation, but Frank must have been trying to placate him because Jack said, ‘I’m not getting excited, Frank … just as long as we understand each other. I have friends too.’ When Jack hung up, he was red-faced and angry and patting the sweat from his forehead. He said he needed a drink, and swished down a Jack Daniels like it was water. ‘Whether or not you’re afraid, you must never show it,’ he said, ‘and the worst people you can show fear to are gangsters. Then they try to take over, you understand?’ I said I understood.”
The next day, Jack Warner issued a statement clarifying the position of Frank Sinatra in the corporation:
Since there has been considerable uninformed comment about this relationship, it is appropriate that these inquiries be answered [he stated], Warner Bros. Records is owned two-thirds by Warner Bros. Pictures and one-third by Mr. Sinatra. That company is in the business of producing phonograph records which are distributed on the Warner Bros, and Reprise labels.
As to motion pictures, there is an agreement between Warner Bros. Pictures and Artanis Productions, Inc. [Frank’s corporation name, Sinatra spelled backward], an independent producer, as the result of which Artanis produces features at Warner Bros. Studios, which are released by Warner Bros. Pictures. Mr. Sinatra owns substantially all of the stock of Artanis Productions and is the president of that company. Mr. Sinatra does not own any stock of Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
This association, plus the warm friendship that exists between Mr. Sinatra and myself, has led to a certain amount of speculation that I am considering Mr. Sinatra as my successor as president of Warner Bros. Pictures—or that Mr. Sinatra desires to be my successor. There is no evidence or reason for such speculation.
The day before Frank was supposed to answer the charges of the Nevada Gaming Board, Harry Claiborne issued a statement to the press saying that Frank had decided to disassociate himself completely from the gaming industry and would give up his half interest in Cal-Neva as well as his nine percent interest in the Sands.
“I have recently become associated with a major company in the entertainment industry, and in forming that association I have promised not only to devote my talent as an entertainer to certain of our joint investments, but I have agreed to devote my full time and efforts to that company’s activities in the entertainment industry.”
The board immediately revoked and terminated Frank’s gaming license, stating that “all the allegations of the complaint as to Park Lake Enterprises and Frank Sinatra are deemed admitted by reason of their failure to file any notice of defense as required by law. …”
Castigating him as a discredit to the industry’, they ordered him to get out of gambling by January 5, 1964, which meant he had to dispose of property worth $3,500,000.
A few weeks before the board’s order, Hank Sanicola and Frank had broken up their partnership. Hank had been so enraged about the trouble with Giancana