This is a bit of a kiss and tell biography of Frank Sinatra. Sinatra did all the kissing and George Jacobs, his servant of 15 years' standing, has done all the telling.

All I really knew about Sinatra before this book was that he was a singer who was born in the USA of Italian descent, he was suspected of being involved with the Mafia and he married a couple of women.

I didn't know about his many women, his several wives, his obsession with Ava Gardner and his temper tantrums. Sinatra also suffered from an obsession with uncreased clothes and an appalling sense of humour.

Now I do!

George Jacobs stuck with Sinatra through thick and thin and was dismissed after 15 years when he had a dance with Mia Farrow: the then Mrs S. This was a fatal mistake for George as Sinatra's psyche was fragile to say the least and anyone caught messing with his young, very young, wife had to pay the price. The price George paid was his job.

Sinatra comes across as kind, hard faced, a schizophrenic, a loner, an outsider and someone desperately in need of love. All these aspects of his character are carefully drawn in this book and as far as I can tell we see a warts and all protrait of the man that most of us know simply as the man who sang New York, New York, My Way and Strangers in the Night better than anyone else.

The overall picture of Sinatra is that whilst he did befriend some Mafia types, he was never part of the Mafia: not a hit man or strategist or director of murders and mayhem anyway. He befriended John F Kennedy and provided Kennedy with many sexual opportunities by providing board and lodgings. Bobby Kennedy was a different kettle of fish and Jacobs is unsure of whether BK was in the same womanising category as his brother. Jacobs is sure that Bobby Kennedy helped to close the book on Sinatra as someone that JFK needed to know and work with. Sinatra never forgave Bobby for that: closing off a route that Sinatra was desperate to keep open.

Marylin Monroe is portrayed in a very sad way: as a dirty, unkempt, seriously insecure and promiscuous woman. A woman who lacked anything resembling femininity at home whatever the outside world thought of her. Sinatra was a strong influence on Monroe but even he had his limits and even he could do nothing to prevent the final slide that overtook the poor woman.

Jacobs travelled the world as he served his boss and at a time when African Americans were not exactly welcome everywhere, that provided some interesting interludes: Sinatra would book into a high quality hotel so where does the hired help stay?

We read of a littany of sexual conquests and if we came to learn that Sinatra died of syphillis or AIDS or advanced herpes we would not have been surprised. As far as I know he didn't die of any such thing but I think it was not for the want of trying. Jacobs regales us with many, many stories of how Sinatra would spend night after night in the arms of one, two, many women. All women of the night too. Even when he was in love with someone, he thought nothing of sleeping around with his other women.

Ava Gardener was the one time wife of Old Blue Eyes and for some reason we keep reading throughout the whole book, all 260 pages of it, that he persistently chased her again and again. When he did find her, in Spain, the USA or wherever, he ended up insulting the woman, making her concerned for his mental health ... what was he trying to achieve? I got bored with this aspect of Sinatra's life: get a grip, I tried to tell him!

Politicians, hoodlums and Hollywood stars drift in and drift out of this book. We are told who was on the loved list and who was on the loathed list: he didn't like hoity toity Englishmen apparently!

Sinatra was also an arch thrower of temper tantrums and he could explode for what are reported as the most minor upsets. Then there would be smashing and bashing on a grand scale until there was nothing left to smash. This was news to me! Why a grown man would behave like this is something deeply rooted in his genes and his childhood I think but Jacobs could give us no clues here.

By the end of the book we are led to believe that Sinatra had alienated himself from much of his family and children: remember, Jacobs is providing us with an outside view but he could well be telling us the truth of the situation. The final straw that broke the camel's back was Sinatra's marriage to Mia Farrow: 32 years or so his junior and a hippy to boot.

Jacobs left Sinatra's employ in 1968 and Sinatra lived on for another 30 years after that, until he was 83 years old.

Jacobs gives us, then, an insider's view of Sinatra the person for just 18% of his life. Jacobs would like us to believe that it was the most vital 18%. Since I know nothing of what went before and after I cannot judge. Jacobs has given us an interesting story, though, and if you are interested in Sinatra and his life and loves, take a look at this book: it's a good read.

 

© Duncan Williamson
9 August 2004

© Webmaster Duncan Williamson 2004