◆ SpookStack

G. Aronowitz York Po: lame for ti. Sees. He has kept hir-lT" y aloof from report" With a few exceptions, no re- evier bas had anything amounting to a genuine interview with Sinatra for two years. Requests for interviews are turned aside with the explanation that Sinatra is “away,” “sick,” or “busy.” Whether he wishes to be or not, Sinatra has be- come the most feared man in Hollywood. “Sinatra is a closed corporation in this town,” a veteran Hollywood reporter told me recently. “No one will talk about him, He's an untouchable.” - Sinatra takes nearly everything written about him the wrong way, for some rea- son that is not entirely clear. When Bill Davidson, one of the best of the “report- ers in depth,” wrote a three-part articie about Sinatra for Look magazine, in which he indicated that the performer was less than superhuman, Sinatra promptly filed suit for libel. Later this suit was dropped, and another, claiming that the magazine had invaded Sinatra's privacy, was substituted. That suit is now await- ing trial in the Los Angeles courts. When I began working on this article, I sent a telegram asking for gn interview with Sinatra to Warren Cowgn, his press agent. It was never answerdd, but I was told by Guy Metin, then an employee of Cowan's, “My sffongest recommenda- tion to him will be that he see you. I can’t promisé anything beyond that.” “When I reached Miami Beach, Mcll- waine stated, first, that Frank was “too tied up over the Albert Maltz thing” {he had just hired Maltz, and the press was hitting him hard) and, second, that he was “too busy rehearsing his television show” {the show, telecast in May, in which he welcomed back Elvis Presley to civilian life). a I learned it is useless to attempt to get otherg to talk abouy the Leader. Ma Sammy is, Jr., Pgter. - ford, Joey Bish#p,' Hank igficl natra’s right-iehd man), Afack Gfay, Beans Ponedel (Sinatra’s maké-ip foan) persistently avoided me. I finally trying to see them. ALL this would have been merely frus- trating if it had not been for one incident that was alarming. While I was in Miami Beach on this story, my phone rang at four one morning. Wo apparently had been circulated that I was writing an article, A low voice said, “German?” (this is & common mispro- nunciation of my name). “If you know : what's good for you,” the voice went on, * “Jay off Frank.” The receiver clicked in my car, _ _ At first I was convinced it was a joke. The trouble was, my rapidly beating heart didn’t act as if it had been a joke; nor did my shaking hands. It had to be a prank, I reasoned. Even those most infected by Sinatra’s highly contagious devil-may-care attitude would not be rash enough to threaten a man. Bat I could not help being disturbed. Much has been written of Sinatra's ” hoodlum companions. Whether he has any such connections is difficult to verify. However, the fact that Sinatra himself is only too well aware that many people be- lieve he has them is evinced by a line he permits Joey Bishop to use in the Summit Meeting act: “Later on,” says Bishop, “Sinatra will give a lecture on all the good work the Matha does.” Sinatra doee nat danend an Lite Ge Ge Gcopena of nis CO- horts to be pugnacious in his behalf. He does considerable fighting on his own, or he has in the past. In Monte Carlo one night, he was approached by an Eng- Tishman who once had insulted Ava Gardner. The man put out his hand, try- ing to patch things up. He was well over 6’4” and weighed at least 250 pounds. Sinatra stared at him contemptuoualy. “Beat it, bum,” he said. Taken aback, the man—who could have demolished Sinatra with one slap—retreated, apolo- gizing. Another time, a man kept trying to crash one of Sinatra’s parties in Palm Springs. Later he disappeared, and a friend asked what had happened to him. “He became punched,” Sinatra said, with a wink. Besides the actual physical combat, there also have been any number of ver- bal set-tos with directors, producers, and other actors. Sinatra walked off the set of Carousel when it was on location in Maine because he disagreed with Henry Ephron, the producer. On the Some Came Running location in Indiana, M-C-M ex- ecutive producer Sol Siegel had to make peace between Sinatra and Vincente Min- nelli, the director. The Guys and Dolls set was e@ far from happy one; Sinatra and Marlon Brando could not ‘get along together, : HEN Sinatra is working, either things go his way or he automatically rebels. He sets his own hours, usually begin- ning work at 11 a.m. This invariably costs a studio extra money, since over- time costs mount considerably when a company has to be kept working until seven or eight P.M. as is often the case with Sinatra’s companies. Sinatra's rec- ords are also made on his own personal schedule. He has been known to keep an orchestra waiting sround a “studio until close to midnight, when he feels relaxed enough to sing at his best. Sinatra claims he works as he does because he knows exactly what is best for him. Directurs who have worked with him have been known to disagree. “H he would just listen.” Stanley Kramer, the producer-director, once said, “he might become the greatest actor in the world.” Sinatra will seldom listen. He dictates not only to the director and pro- ‘ducer, but even to minor participants. On many occesions ke acts also as an unofficial casting director. Shirley Mac- Laine’s rapid rise has not come about entirely as a resalt of her talent, which is adequate. It is reasonable to assume that Sinatra's interest in her and his encouragement have been of great help. Time and time again Sinatra has told people that he hates being alone. And it is a good possibility that his extraor- dinary work schedule is predicated on Btee the GOOD HOUSEKEEPING Consumers’ Guaranty—page 6 ” amine and Bajoy for 10 Days FREE Good House we. 3 A treasury of exciting ideas and suggestions to delight the modern hostess . . - t i t cP Ca Regardless of where or when you enter- ! more successfully than ever, Here are hundreds upon hundreds of suggestions from the very planning of the party, through the festivities, right up to the very moment when you say “Good- night.” a . ott * Includes valuable Weesto + "af help you plan party, mann, es 15S, decorations, games, ofc. 4 + . Good Housckecping Book Div, Desk 184. =< 250 West SSth Street, New York 19, N.Y. 255 Charges... Eave $5¢ delivery charges ck beck or money der ne eae velope. Same return-refund privilege.