His Way_ The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra - Kitty Kelley [315]
The author also interviewed a close friend of Sinatra’s who requested anonymity and who told the author, “Frank was seeing Giancana, and Sam did a lot to help Kennedy get elected President with all that Teamster money. He bought Cook County for Jack, and Frank could never understand why Jack Kennedy wouldn’t accept Giancana as a friend. Frank thought if politicians can take the money they need to get elected, why can’t they consent to take the friendship that goes along with the money. Frank never understood that.”
The author gained additional information from articles in The New York Times, New York World-Telegram and Sun, New York Post, Time, Variety, Herald-Tribune, London Daily Mail, Jersey Journal, and the Sacramento Bee.
The author also consulted G. Robert Blakey and Richard N. Billings’s book, The Plot to Kill the President, New York: Times Books, 1981, among others.
Following the dedication of the Frank Sinatra Youth House in Israel, Frank’s films and records were banned by one Arab League. He said, “I am deeply disappointed that statesmen anywhere should condemn anyone for aiding children of whatever faith or origin.”
With regard to Sinatra’s relationship with Ed Sullivan, in 1947, when Frank slugged Lee Mortimer, Sullivan defended Frank. “Basically, Sinatra is a warmhearted, decent person, and I think it’s about time they stopped kicking him around,” he wrote in his column. Frank was so grateful for the public support that he sent Sullivan a gold watch that was inscribed: “Ed, You can have my last drop of blood. Frankie.” After Sinatra attacked Sullivan in 1955, protesting “newspaper personalities on TV” who use movie celebrities “without paying for their services,” Sullivan bought a full-page ad in The Hollywood Reporter ridiculing Frank’s television ratings. “P.S. Aside to Frankie Boy. Never mind that tremulous 1947 offer. … I don’t wear wristwatches … furthermore, it’s on its way back.” The two men made up four months later when Sullivan was almost killed in a car accident. Robert Weitman of CBS-TV, the former manager of the Paramount, suggested to Frank that he call Ed to wish him well. Frank agreed. “I love Ed and I know he loves me,” he said as reported in the New York Post. He then appeared on Sullivan’s television show without payment.
On April 20, 1968, the Fontainebleau Hotel dropped its $10 million libel suit against the Miami Herald in which Sinatra was under threat of contempt for ignoring a subpoena. The Herald published a joint statement with the hotel in which the newspaper said its investigation had indicated that an insurance company was titleholder of record of the hotel land on Miami Beach and that Ben Novak was sole owner of the operating company. The Herald had challenged the hotel’s ownership and had repeatedly subpoenaed Sinatra to testify after the hotel filed suit.
CHAPTER 23
The author obtained material on Sam Giancana and the Cal-Neva Lodge from the transcripts of federal wiretaps in FBI files, Edward A. Olsen’s Oral History on file at the University of Nevada in Reno, and from Justice Department files, some of which were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In addition, she conducted extensive interviews with, among others, Chuck Moses; a business associate of Hank Sanicola; Peter Lawford; Herb Caen; Bethel Van Tassel on August 28, 29, September 6, and October 4, 1984, and April 5, 1985; Louise Anderson on August 29, 1984, and April 5, 1985; Phyllis McGuire on July 8, 1985; Victor LaCroix Collins; Jacqueline Park on May 20, 1983; Ben Barton; Nick Sevano; Joe Shimon; and law enforcement officials. She gained additional information from the newspaper files of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, The Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Sun-Times, the New York Post, and the Nevada State Journal. Several books were also consulted.