Frank Sinatra (1915–1998) was an American singer, actor, and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. Over the course of his acting career he created a body of work that one biographer described as being "as varied, impressive and rewarding as that of any other Hollywood star".

Sinatra began his career as a singer, initially in his native Hoboken, New Jersey, but increasing success led to a contract to perform on stage and radio across the United States. One of his earliest film roles was in the 1935 short film Major Bowes' Amateur Theatre of the Air, a spin off from the Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show. He appeared in a full-length film in an uncredited cameo singing performance in Las Vegas Nights, singing "I'll Never Smile Again" with Tommy Dorsey's The Pied Pipers. His work with Dorsey's band also led to appearances in the full-length films Las Vegas Nights (1941) and Ship Ahoy (1942). As Sinatra's singing career grew, he appeared in larger roles in feature films, several of which were musicals, including three alongside Gene Kelly: Anchors Aweigh (1945), On the Town (1949) and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949). As his acting career developed further, Sinatra also produced several of the films in which he appeared, and directed one—None but the Brave—which he also produced and in which he starred.

Sinatra's film and singing careers had declined by 1952, when he was out-of-contract with both his record company and film studio. In 1953, he re-kindled his film career by targeting serious roles: he auditioned for—and won—a role in From Here to Eternity for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. Other serious roles followed, including a portrayal of an ex-convict and drug addict in The Man with the Golden Arm, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and the British Academy Film Award for the Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Sinatra received numerous awards for his film work. He won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Pal Joey (1957), and was nominated in the same category for Come Blow Your Horn (1963). Three of the films in which Sinatra appears, The House I Live In (1945), The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and From Here to Eternity (1953)—have been added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. The House I Live In—a film that opposes anti-Semitism and racism—was awarded a special Golden Globe and Academy Award. In 1970, at the 43rd Academy Awards, Sinatra was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award; the following year he was awarded the Golden Globe 'Cecil B. DeMille' Award.

As actor

Title Year Role Notes Las Vegas Nights Singer - Tommy Dorsey's Band Uncredited Ship Ahoy Reveille with Beverly Himself Higher and Higher Step Lively Anchors Aweigh Till the Clouds Roll By Himself Cameo It Happened in Brooklyn 1947 1948 Father Paul Ricardo Take Me Out to the Ball Game On the Town Chip Double Dynamite Meet Danny Wilson From Here to Eternity 1953 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Suddenly Young at Heart Not as a Stranger Guys and Dolls Meet Me in Las Vegas Man at Slot Machine Uncredited High Society Johnny Concho Around the World in 80 Days Saloon Pianist Cameo Miguel Pal Joey Kings Go Forth Some Came Running Never So Few Can-Can Ocean's 11 Pepe Himself Cameo 1961 Harry Sergeants 3 Astronaut Uncredited, Cameo Gypsy Cameo Come Blow Your Horn 4 for Texas Paris When It Sizzles Singer Voice, Uncredited Robin and the 7 Hoods Robbo None but the Brave Von Ryan's Express Marriage on the Rocks Cast a Giant Shadow Cameo Assault on a Queen Himself Cameo Tony Rome Lady in Cement Dirty Dingus Magee 1970 That's Entertainment! 1974 Himself Co-Host That's Entertainment, Part II 1976 – Archive Footage Contract on Cherry Street 1977 Det. Insp. Frank Hovannes Television movie 1980 Cannonball Run II 1983 Himself Cameo Who Framed Roger Rabbit 1988 Singing Sword Cameo; voice only Young at Heart 1995 Fictional version of Himself Television movie

As producer Year Title Notes 1956 Johnny Concho 1959 Executive producer 1962 Sergeants 3 1964 Robin and the 7 Hoods 1965 None but the Brave 1966 Assault on a Queen Executive producer 1980

As director Year Title Notes 1965 None but the Brave Also produced and starred

Shorts

Title Year Role Notes Major Bowes' Amateur Theatre of the Air 1935 Himself Performed in blackface The Shining Future Running time, 20 minutes Road to Victory Edited version of The Shining Future. Running time, 10 minutes. Show Business at War – Running time, 17 minutes Himself Running time, 10 minutes Running time, 19 minutes Lucky Strike Salesman's Movie 48-A 1948 Running time, 10 minutes Hollywood Night Life 1952 – Running time, 9 minutes Invitation to Monte Carlo 1959 Himself Running time, 46 minutes Sinatra in Israel 1962 Narrator Running time, 22.5 minutes Will Rogers Hospital Trailer 1965 Narrator / Himself Running time, 2.5 minutes

See also List of awards and nominations received by Frank Sinatra

Notes and references

References

Sources