Frank Sinatra As An Italian American - Term Paper Example

? Frank Sinatra: An Italian American Life Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction 2 Frank Sinatra – Biography 2 Frank Sinatra – Societal Contributions 5 Frank Sinatra’s Life as Italian American 6 Frank Sinatra’s Symbolism for Italian Americans 7 Frank Sinatra’s Alleged Mafia Ties 8 History of Italian Assimilation into American Culture 9 Conclusion 9 Sources Cited 10 Introduction Frank Sinatra's life is representative of the conflicts and challenges of his generation, particularly for Italian Americans who lived under difficult financial situations in the country with a life filled with the risk of gang violence and war. Sinatra is representative of the generation that grew up in America as native born citizens of European immigrants who came to the New World by ship, passing through Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty with all that it represented to the early 20th Century. Sinatra’s generation would arguably build America from a frontier nation with a burgeoning industrial capacity to a nation that led the world in all aspects of politics, economics, and governance following WWII. Where America currently seeks a vision of itself in its popular heroes, celebrities, and public figures, Sinatra can be seen as the early prototype of poster boy, teen star, pop idol, movie star, and celebrity. By all accounts he loved and relished his extensive fame, status, and wealth and used his advantages to support his family and community. For all of his characteristic charm and fatal flaws, Frank Sinatra remains a man who captured America’s attention in the early era of mass media, and became one of the most iconic stars of radio, television, and cinema. In this regard his life and history can be reviewed a definitive not only of the hopes and dreams of immigrant Italians seeking a better life in America, but also of the nation itself acquiring a collective identity during the era of world war and international conflict as it rose to superpower status in world affairs. Frank Sinatra – Biography Frank Sinatra was born on Dec. 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey to a family of Italian immigrants. According to his major biographer, Sinatra was born at home, on a kitchen table, in a procedure which lacked the most basic and rudimentary aspects of formal healthcare. A midwife reportedly injured him during the birth process and he was born without breathing until his grandmother held him under water to force him to come to life. (RatPack, 2011) While Sinatra recovered well enough to live a long and successful life, the story of his birth illustrates how different life was in the early 20th century. In 1915, the farmhouse and log cabin were still the predominant form of community habitation in America, and most people lacked basic education and health care for their families. The public safety net taken for granted now in social security and other benefits programs did not exist, nor did modern medicine, making survival difficult for the poor immigrants like Sinatra’s family who came to America. While infant mortality rates in birth were very high at that time in relation to now, it can also be said that most early Americans experienced the same threats of disease, nutrition, poverty, and livelihood as Sinatra’s family, but something made him different to stand out from the crowd. Frank Sinatra allegedly won a talent contest in order to earn his big break into show business at age 23 in the New York area. (RatPack, 2011) In this regard, his upbringing in New Jersey inevitably led him to New York which was the center of entertainment as well as industry, finance, and business. Sinatra’s official biography tells of him being inspired by the music of Bing Crosby when he was a youth, and this “big band” sound of white jazz would become his musical trademark. Sinatra’s early career was made through singing at dinner lounges, and he began to find some work on local radio programs in New Jersey. The jazz and big band musician Harry James discovered and signed Sinatra to a record contract when he met him at “The Rustic Cabin” lounge in 1939. (RatPack, 2011) Sinatra did not last the two years with James before he met Tommy Dorsey and joined his band of early pop-swing players. From there, Sinatra would begin a recording and film-making career that would continue for over 50 years, establishing him as the voice of America with his hit “New York, New York” and making him one of the most sought after sex symbols in the media. Sinatra ultimately married four times, recorded over 1000 songs for publication, and this included over 80 albums in his career, more than 20 of which were gold. Ed O'Brien and Scott P. Sayers, Jr. listed over 1159 formally issued recordings by him in their definitive biography, "Sinatra: The Man and His Music." (IMDb, 2011) Sinatra’s early success in Big Band recordings earned him a ticket to Hollywood and the “big screen” during the era of World War II. The war represented one of the largest mobilizations of human organization in history, and the majority of his generation was drafted into the service for duty overseas. As these American forces entered R&R, they relaxed with their dates to Sinatra films, where he generally starred in romantic comedies, dramas, and musicals that were typical of the era. Sinatra’s fame during the war years was so great that he is credited with being the cause of the Columbus Day Riot in New York City in 1944 where over 35,000 screaming girl fans mobbed a location where he was scheduled to appear. (IMDb, 2011) Sinatra won a “special Oscar” one of his early films titled “The House I Live In” (1946), as well as an Oscar for Best Supporting actor in “Suddenly” in 1954. (IMDb, 2011) He also received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in “The Man With the Golden Arm” in 1955. This established Sinatra as one of the leading men of Hollywood and the recording industry by the time of the early 1960’s. One of Sinatra’s greatest successes was his membership in Hollywood’s “rat pack” of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. (RatPack, 2011) Sinatra’s life and career in the film and recording industry cemented his status as one of the premiere celebrities and marquee names in show business in the post-war era. The effect of this is amplified by the historical effect of new media on the nation as it emerged from war and sought identity in the new icons of culture found mass-produced in newsstands and music stores across America. Frank Sinatra – Societal Contributions Frank Sinatra’s social contributions historically can be viewed from a standpoint of his musical influence, his style, swagger, and charisma, as well as his presence as a cultural icon. As a media hero, movie star, and pop idol, Sinatra lived a larger than life presence where his every move was the target of tabloid speculation and reported on as gossip to millions of eager fans. That 35,000 females could organize a riot in New York City when women were scarcely accorded equal rights in society points to the rapid changes occurring in America from the time of his parents arrival as immigrants from Italy to the 1950’s and 1960’s where the country’s wealth seemed unparalleled. As one of the first celebrities to exist in the mass-media environment made possible by new technologies, Sinatra enjoyed all of the favor that status and wealth could provide in America. In this manner, his main societal contribution is not so much in his movies and films, but rather in his style, aura, and presence which were larger than life and bigger even than one album or film. Sinatra symbolized the elite of American society, the way that anything is possible for those at the very top of the pyramid of social hierarchies. In this way, he is one of many “Horatio Alger” stories in America in the early 20th Century, a rags-to-riches myth where the son of an immigrant receives, by seemingly blind luck, God-given talent, or inside connections, all of the societal pleasures and enjoyments that money, fame, and power can buy. Frank Sinatra thus functioned socially as a type of everyman that the youth of the WWII era could relate to and project themselves into as living an idealized life of wealth and enjoyment at the most elite levels of American society. Sinatra is not known for moral, spiritual, or scientific knowledge, nor is he remembered for philanthropy, social progress, or being a champion of civil rights. Nevertheless, in a realistic portrait of a man rather than an idealistic imagining of his life, Sinatra can be compared to Hemmingway as one of the most powerful, controversial, and recognized artists of his generation. Frank Sinatra’s Life as Italian American It can be argued that Frank Sinatra’s entire life, from early family upbringing to his end days in Las Vegas, were all conditioned deeply by a sense of Italian heritage that was made into something completely new with all of the potentiality that America had to offer. The Italian American identity relates to family connections, food, and social environments like the marketplace, business community, and church around the unity of “Old World” heritage and values. Sinatra’s emergence in New Jersey and New York was from the heart of Italian immigrant country in the USA traditionally, and his depiction in mainstream media popularized Italian American culture in ways that was both beneficial and detrimental to the community. In the multicultural era of today, many of Sinatra’s racial views and tolerances would not be accepted, but it cannot be said that this is different from the mainstream values of his time. Current multicultural teachings also frown on the idea that there is only one way to express ethnic identity, for to do so one runs the risk of building a stereotype around racist thinking and logic. Therefore, whether or not Frank Sinatra represented what it was to be “Italian American” during the 1940’s-1960’s era or even today is not clear. In his wealth, status, and fame in society he was certainly not definitive of mainstream Italian American experience, but he may have been a leading example of what many young men his age hoped to be or hoped to receive from life at its highest level. If the day to day life of the factory worker, street cop, or street sweeper was less glamorous than Sinatra’s, it is a given, but each could hope maybe in some way he possessed a chance to obtain those dreams by investing them in Sinatra through following his adventures in film, music, and gossip columns. Frank Sinatra’s Symbolism for Italian Americans If Sinatra represented what Italian Americans desired to be, or the most that could be accomplished in American life for the majority of people in wealth, beautiful women, fast cars, money, fame, etc., it can be debated whether or not the “playboy” lifestyle was beneficial over-all for the Italian American community or whether it reinforced negative stereotypes generationally. For example, Sinatra cannot be faulted personally for not being a social leader like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., or a rocket scientist, nuclear physicist, or brain surgeon, as he never presented himself in that manner to the public. But collectively, a community should be conscious of the type of role models that they set for children and look up to for values. If the “playboy” lifestyle is the highest experience of American life, having the most toys, women, booze, and VIP treatment, then by definition the system is neither egalitarian nor established where all can enjoy in the benefits of the social system. Therefore, in one way Sinatra represents an elite America, blind to social justice concerns, and an example to reject as one for children to follow in favor of more beneficial paths of service and ideals. Yet, as a poet with insight into the human condition, love, relationships, and sorrow, Sinatra may still be judged by history as one of the great voices of his time. Frank Sinatra’s Alleged Mafia Ties Sinatra’s campaigning for JFK was well known, as were his alleged ties to mafia figures. According to biographers, Herbert Hoover the FBI Chief presented the President with a list of Sinatra’s organized crime or mafia connections, including “Joseph and Rocco Fischetti, who were cousins of Al Capone; New Jersey crime boss Willie Moretti; James Tarantino who was himself an associate of gangster Bugsy Siegel; Mickey Cohen of Los Angeles; and reigning Chicago boss Sam Giancana. According to Hoover, when Giancana had been arrested in 1958, the police found Sinatra's private telephone number in Giancana's wallet. Hoover described a command performance by Sinatra and singer Dean Martin at the home of ‘notorious Chicago hoodlum’ Anthony ‘Joe Batters’ Accardo. According to Hoover, in the summer of 1959, Sinatra allegedly hosted a nine-day, round-the-clock party at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City where Chicago wiseguys rubbed elbows with top East Coast mobsters, including Vito Genovese and Tommy Lucchese.” (Bruno, 2011) Yet, in the same report Hoover also accused Sinatra of ties to communist organizations in Hollywood and elsewhere, but few see Sinatra as a communist historically. If Sinatra’s mob connections were no more or less casual than his affiliations with people allied with communist front organizations, then little would likely be made of it in biographies and historical accounts of the era. Rather, it appears that Sinatra’s mafia ties go deeper into the power centers and financing behind the early record companies, jazz lounges, underground gambling, smuggling, organized vice, and drug distribution syndicates. Whether this is corrupting or detrimental to his historical legacy as a man is doubtful, because Sinatra did not represent himself as otherwise than ‘mob-associated’ to friends, family, and public acquaintances. If the mafia were an organized part of American life during this time, it is apparent that Sinatra was a favorite of this group and that they both shared a common set of values. History of Italian Assimilation into American Culture The difficulty of Italian integration into American mainstream life cannot be considered as difficult as other ethnic minorities such as African Americans or Native Americans, but there may have been some historical discrimination due to poverty, language, and religion. As JFK was the first Roman Catholic President of the United States, and Sinatra was advocating for his election from a position of fame and public renown, it can be concluded that this was favourable for overcoming the prejudice against Catholics. By acting and singing at the highest levels of the entertainment industry, Sinatra showed all Italian Americans that they could enjoy the finest aspects of American life without any bar to their assimilation practically, and the history of the post-war era supports the full inclusion of Italian American immigrants and their children into the mainstream society. Conclusion Frank Sinatra was a controversial Italian American who was one of the greatest role models of his generation. His life and public activity helped define what it is to be a pop star and celebrity in America. While his music was not groundbreaking or innovative technically, it reached a wide audience drawn together by the events of WWII and helped them define their feelings as a nation. Sinatra was one of the earliest stars on radio, TV, and motion pictures, which gave him a larger than life appearance and influence on his generation. Whether or not he used his power, wealth, and fame for the most socially beneficial or progressive causes is really not an issue of history, for he represented himself according to a dynamic that was self –determined as he expressed so vividly in the song, “My Way”. Whether or not he was just, fair, honest, friendly, and kind to others would seem to be a minor issue, because he seized the path to fame, wealth, power, and affluence that most all of his contemporaries only dreamed about. Nevertheless, as a role model of rugged individualism as symbolized by the post-war American culture, and as an Italian American celebrity of the 20th Century, there are few who can compare to Sinatra in stature and influence. Sources Cited Bruno, Anthony. FRANK SINATRA AND THE MOB - A Hoodlum Complex. TruTV – Crime Library, 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. ‹http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/frank_sinatra/1.html›. Kaplan, James. He did it HER way: Definitive biography of Frank Sinatra tells of the dominating and unhinged mother whose ferocious ambition drove him to stardom. The Daily Mail, 31st October 2010. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. ‹http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1324975/Frank-Sinatras-definitive-biography-tells-mother-ambition-drove-stardom.html›. IMDb. Biography for Frank Sinatra. IMDbPro, 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. ‹http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000069/bio›. RackPack Show. Frank Sinatra Biography. ‘This is Sinatra’, RatPack.biz, 2002-11. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. ‹http://www.ratpack.biz/frank-sinatra/biography.htm›. Read More