◆ SpookStack

During some of the war years Sinatra grossed well over a million dollars. His Columbia records were consistently best sellers. He appeared as guest artist at symphony concerts. He appeared in a series of money-making motion pictures—and sur- prised everyone by demonstrating an ability to dance and a flair for comedy. Back in 1943, at the height of the bobby-soxers’ Sinatra craze, Newsweek magazine had rhetor- ically asked, ‘Will the Voice fade out as a short- lived phenomenon, or will it settle down as a na- tional institution?” Throughout the war years, it looked as if the answer were—“a National Institu- tion.” In 1945 Sinatra was still where he had been since 1942-—at the top. Left, songstress Rosemary Clooney guests with Frankie on his CBS show, Meet Frank Sinatra. Below, he chats cheerily with June Christy during Metronome All-Star Band disc session, Sinatra war- bled Sweet Lorraine with the All-Stars.