Frank Sinatra, commonly referred to as Ol’ Blue Eyes, has been gone from this planet for almost twenty years now. Even though two decades have passed since his departure, his legend still lives on. Many people believe that he is still one of the very best singers the world has ever produced. He is an influential artist to this day, and many people try hard to equal his greatness. Sinatra was an amazing, one-of-a-kind performer, and it’s safe to say no one will ever measure up to his magnitude.
Sinatra quickly became a beloved icon in America with his amazing voice and showmen skills. While most people, even young teenagers, still know his name, there are plenty of fun facts about Sinatra that not everyone knows about. If you are curious about this amazing singer and what he was really like, keep reading to learn more.
He had a “good” side
When Sinatra was born, the doctors had to use forceps to pull him from the womb. They even thought he was stillborn before his grandmother placed him in cold water to shock his system. The forceps were used on his face during delivery, leaving a scar from the bottom corner of his mouth all the way up to his ear on his left side. Sinatra also had what is known as a “cauliflower ear,” a deformity that many rugby players have. When he was a young kid, many of his classmates began calling him “Scarface” when he was around, leading to him feeling very self-conscious about himself. Because of this, he would always use makeup to cover over the scars, and he insisted on being photographed on his right side instead of the left.
The FBI kept a file on his activities
The FBI began to keep a file on Sinatra after an incident with a few medical professionals. Allegedly, Sinatra offered to pay up to $40,000 to doctors if they would declare him unfit to serve in the military. He was also suspected to be a Communist after the film The House That I Live In came out, a short film that spoke out against the racial intolerance in the world. The FBI kept a pretty large file on him during his adult years. They even ran some investigations on him to make sure he was on the up-and-up.
Sinatra also caused some trouble for the local police during his bad boy phase in his younger years. It started with his 1938 mug shot over a local charge. One of his girlfriends attacked Nancy, his soon-to-be wife. She later had the police arrest Sinatra twice, once for adultery and once for seduction.
Sinatra was also an amazing actor
When most people think about Sinatra, they flashback to his amazing singing career. However, he was one of the first singers to transition into an acting career. Back then, holding down an acting and singing career was a huge achievement, one that Sinatra seemed to do with ease. In 1953, he played in the movie From Here to Eternity, winning the highly-coveted Academy Award for being the Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
These three facts are just a few of the amazing things you probably didn’t know about Frank Sinatra. In his early years, Sinatra was extremely popular. However, his success fluctuated as his career carried on. He even attempted to commit suicide four different times. The first one involved him turning on the gas oven at home and putting his head inside. Luckily, he was found by his manager before the gas could kill him. His volatile relationship with Ava Gardner was said to be a factor in his three other suicide attempts.
Sinatra may have had a somewhat up-and-down life, but he will always remain known as a highly gifted artist in the musical and acting realm. His musical talents and excellent acting skills have left a permanent mark in the world for sure.