Francis Albert Sinatra was an actor and singer who was popular during the 1940s and 1950s. He was one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with over 150 million albums sold worldwide. But did you know that Sinatra was kidnapped when he was young?
Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped once. His kidnappers demanded that all negotiations take place over the phone. During these conversations, Frank Sr. became concerned that he wouldn’t have enough coins to continue talking, so he began carrying 10 dimes in his pocket for the rest of his life.
Who was Frank Sinatra?
Francis Wayne Sinatra was born on January 10, 1944, in Jersey City, New Jersey, into the family of one of the world’s most famous singers, Frank Sinatra. The younger Sinatra was not technically a junior, but he was always referred to as Frank Jr.
He rarely saw his father because he was constantly on the road, either performing or working in movies. Sinatra Jr., On the other hand, recalled wanting to be a pianist and songwriter since he was a child.
Sinatra was performing at local clubs and venues in his early adolescence. At the age of 19, he joined Sam Donahue’s band as a vocalist. He also spent a significant amount of time with Duke Ellington, learning the music business.
Sinatra spent the majority of his early career touring. By 1968, he’d performed in 47 states and 30 countries, appeared as a guest on several television shows, including two episodes of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour with his sister Nancy, hosted a 10-week summer replacement series for The Dean Martin Show, sung with his band in Las Vegas casinos, and been the opening act for bigger names at other casinos. During that time, he developed a reputation for stringent rehearsals and high expectations of his musicians.
On October 18, 1998, Sinatra married Cynthia McMurry but unfortunately, they divorced on January 7, 2000. From a previous relationship, he had a son named Michael. In January 2006, he underwent prostate cancer surgery. The Sinatra family announced to the Associated Press on March 16, 2016, that Sinatra died unexpectedly of heart arrest while on tour in Daytona Beach, Florida, at the age of 72. (Source: Britannica)
How Did Frank Sinatra Get Kidnapped?
On December 8, 1963, Sinatra was kidnapped at the age of 19 at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. He was released two days later after his father paid the kidnappers the $240,000 ransom demanded. Barry Keenan, Johnny Irwin, and Joe Amsler were quickly apprehended and charged with kidnapping. They were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences, of which they served only a portion.
Keenan, the mastermind, was later found to be legally insane at the time of the crime and thus not legally responsible for his actions. Gladys Root, a well-known attorney, represented Irwin.
His kidnapping was thought to be a publicity stunt by Frank Sr. to promote his son’s singing career, which inspired the plot of the Hawaii Five-O episode Tiger by the Tail. When confronted with the rumor, Frank Sr. famously declared that his family needs publicity like it needs peritonitis. (Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation)