Frank Sinatra and the Mob

[Tim Gratz]

Perhaps of some relevance to our discussion is a new book by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan about Frank Sinatra. In the current issue of "Vanity Fair" there is an excerpt about Sinatra's relationship with the Mafia. It repeats the Rosselli horse's head scene story. By the way, I saw in a different magazine that Harry Cohn's Beverly Hills home was for sale for, as I recall, somewhere between $20 and $30 million.

The article also discusses the Mafia involvement in Cuba.

[J. Raymond Carroll]

Perhaps of some relevance to our discussion is a new book by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan about Frank Sinatra. ]

Herewith a sampling of Michiko Kakutani's review in today's New York Times: "Indeed, "Sinatra" is a leering, bloated and utterly disposable volume. It draws much of its personal material from earlier books like "His Way" by Ms. Kelley and "Mr. S.," a dishy 2003 memoir by George Jacobs, Sinatra's former valet, and William Stadiem. And to make matters worse, it is thickly padded with innuendo, hearsay and speculation. The authors do little to verify many of their sources' allegations, and they seem happy to quote anyone who has anything to say about the singer's womanizing, drinking, violent temper or alleged mob connections.

[James Richards]

I post these images below as a curiosity only.

The first image shows Sinatra with Frankie Fratto (3rd from left peeking over the woman's head).

The second image shows Sinatra with Carlo Gambino (2nd from the right), Jimmy Frattiano (far right) and Richard Fusco (kneeling), all Mob figures. I don't know who the other men are.

James

Edited May 18, 2005 by James Richards

[Tim Gratz]

The second photo might be in Vanity Fair. If it is, tomorrow I should be able to post the identifications of the other mobsters.

But that's not Gambino; just a darn good look-alike (kidding, kidding!).

BTW, I highly recommend the DVD "The Rat Pack"! A great portrayal of Joe Kennedy bossing Sinatra and Sammy Davis around, and Sinatra's rage when JFK had Lawford tell Sinatra that Kennedy could not stay with him when he visited California in 1962. The brief portayal of Rosselli is also interesting. The actor has a commanding presence, and some resemb;ance with well-coiffed silver hair, but he's quite a bit taller than Rosselli.

Edited May 19, 2005 by Tim Gratz

[Robin Unger]

Hi James.

Frankie and the Boys 1976 - Left to right: Paul Castellano, Gregory DePalma, Sinatra, Tommy Marson, Carlo Gambino, Aladena Fratianno, Salvatore Spatola, Seated: Joseph Gambino, Richard Fusco

Strange, that Joseph Gambino is blanked out, in the cropped image that you posted.?

Edited May 19, 2005 by Robin Unger

[James Richards]

Thanks, Robin.

Yes, I wonder why Joseph Gambino was blanked out.

Anyway, it seemed Frattiano liked to be seen with celebrities. Here he is with Dean Martin. I don't know who the woman is.

Sorry about the poor quality.

James

[Tim Gratz]

As long as we are on Sinatra, the story goes that Giancana was so upset that Sinatra had conned him into supporting JFK that he was seriously thinking about whacking Sinatra. But then he played Sinatra records while copulating with Phyllis McGuire and he decided that Sinatra had too beautiful a voice to be killed. Probably he just changed his mind. (Remember an earlier post that Giancana wanted to kill Desi Arnaz over his sponsorship of "The Untouchables"?)

Sinatra may have been mobbed up but he was indeed a great singer.

[Tim Gratz]

Mr. Carroll wrote:

Herewith a sampling of Michiko Kakutani's review in today's New York Times: "Indeed, "Sinatra" is a leering, bloated and utterly disposable volume."

Mr. Carroll, since you seem to agree with the review, I assume you have already read the book? (I would tend not to approvingly quote a review of a book I had not read.)

Is it also reasonable to assume that Summers' books on the asssassination and on Richard Nixon were also "utterly disposable"?

And who the heck is Michiko Kakutani? I'll have to look up the review. The language you quoted does not impress me. It does not even seem up to the normal literary standards of the "Times". "Leering"? "Utterly disposable"?

I will have to look up the review.

Edited May 20, 2005 by Tim Gratz

[Shanet Clark]

I read the NYTIMES review of the Anthony Summers SINATRA book.

The reviewer has a very fond and romantic view of FRANK and doesn't "get" a book that looks past the recording sessions and singing style.

Of course, a musical history was not Anthony Summers's purpose here.

I am reminded of Chuck Giancana's refrain he learned from Sam :

"The right hand (fbi) doesn't know what the left hand (cia) is doing."

A story from the old days:

Frankie, Sammy, and Joey got in a fight.

Sammy said "Frank, I am really going to kill Joey" and Sammy said "No Frank, lets just twist his arm"

Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Joey Bishop?

No, this story is about Frank Costello, Sam Giancana and Joe Kennedy.......

Edited May 20, 2005 by Shanet Clark

[Tim Gratz]

The Vanity Fair excerpt has a photo of Sinatra disembarking from the plane when he arrived at the Mafia conference in Havana. Supposedly he was carrying a bagful of money for Luciana (what a lucky guy he was!). I suspect that rather than being "utterly disposable" the book will be a "keeper".

If members are not familiar with the Mafia conference in Havana, let me know and I will find and post an interesting two-part article on it. It was at that conference, held at the Hotel Nacional, that the Mafia agreed to whack Siegel. There is a scene of the meeting in "Bugsy" but it does not mention that Sinatra was in Havana to entertain the mobsters. No implication, of course, that Sinatra was aware of the deadly agenda of his friends.

[J. Raymond Carroll]

/quote]Perhaps of some relevance to our discussion is a new book by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan about Frank Sinatra. ... By the way, I saw in a different magazine that Harry Cohn's Beverly Hills home was for sale for, as I recall, somewhere between $20 and $30 million. [unquote]

Mr. Gratz: the suspense is killing me. How much did Cohn net from the sale and will the money be used to continue the campaign to distract everyone from the JFK assassination inquiry?

[Tim Gratz]

Mr. Carroll wrote:

Mr. Gratz: the suspense is killing me. How much did Cohn net from the sale and will the money be used to continue the campaign to distract everyone from the JFK assassination inquiry?

Now I have seen some off-the-wall posts before but this certainly ranks near the top.

Who is orchestrating a "campaign to distract everyone from the JFK assassination inquiry?"

Summers, by writing a book about Sinatra?

Or me, for posting a reference to the book?

If any member of the Forum decides to read Summers' Sinatra book because he or she likes the Mob, or likes Summers' writing, does that materially set back the ultimate resolution of the case? What if rather than reading, a member decides to go golfing. Is that also bad because the member's attention is focused for a few hours on his golf game rather than "solving" the crime? To satisfy Mr. Carroll one must work, eat, take some time for spouse and/or children (I hope he'd grant us that!) but every other waking moment must be spent on researching the assassination? Seems a bit obsessive to me!

And there is in fact a nexus. Reliable information suggests that Sinatra persuaded the Mob to support JFK in 1960 and the Mob was enraged when RFK went after it with a vengeance. Several peope (including Sam Giancana's brother) believe that the Mafia killed JFK as a result of this "Doublecross". Without reading the book, one cannot know if it gets into assassination-related matters. So I suggest it might be worth-while reading.

[Norman T. Field]

Mr. Carroll wrote:

Mr. Gratz: the suspense is killing me. How much did Cohn net from the sale and will the money be used to continue the campaign to distract everyone from the JFK assassination inquiry?

Now I have seen some off-the-wall posts before but this certainly ranks near the top.

Who is orchestrating a "campaign to distract everyone from the JFK assassination inquiry?"

Summers, by writing a book about Sinatra?

Or me, for posting a reference to the book?

If any member of the Forum decides to read Summers' Sinatra book because he or she likes the Mob, or likes Summers' writing, does that materially set back the ultimate resolution of the case?  What if rather than reading, a member decides to go golfing.  Is that also bad because the member's attention is focused for a few hours on his golf game rather than "solving" the crime?  To satisfy Mr. Carroll one must work, eat, take some time for spouse and/or children (I hope he'd grant us that!) but every other waking moment must be spent on researching the assassination?  Seems a bit obsessive to me!

And there is in fact a nexus.  Reliable information suggests that Sinatra persuaded the Mob to support JFK in 1960 and the Mob was enraged when RFK went after it with a vengeance.  Several peope (including Sam Giancana's brother) believe that the Mafia killed JFK as a result of this "Doublecross".  Without reading the book, one cannot know if it gets into assassination-related matters.  So I suggest it might be worth-while reading.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I consider Chuck Giancana to have slightly more credibility than Victor Posner but only slightly. According to Chuck, JFK was a solo Chicago job and the hitters were all from Chicago. Also claims that Marilyn Monroe was a Chicago hit using a poisoned supository obtained from the CIA.

I think Chuck enjoys selling books and won't let facts get in his way.

[Tim Gratz]

Norman, I tend to agree with you re much of Chuck Giancana.

It is possible, however, that it was a Mafia hit fueled by the "doublecross: when JFK did not honor the promises made to the mob by his father.

The assassination is also discussed in Bill Bonnano's book "Bound by Honor". He claims Rosselli "confessed" his involvement to him while they were both guests of the federal government. He calims Rosselli shot from the sewer. I tend not to credit Bonnano's book either.

[James Richards]

I have heard this Roselli firing from a sewer theory a few times now. I'm having a hard time getting my head around the dapper John Roselli (Strategist) climbing into a filthy sewer in the first place.

James