Sinatra in Hollywood

Oscar-winning actor, acclaimed director, and recipient of the Golden Globe Award for lifetime achievement in film, Frank Sinatra carved out one of the biggest careers in the history of Hollywood, yet his screen legacy has been overshadowed by his achievements as a recording artist. Until now. "Sinatra in Hollywood" is an analytical yet deeply personal look at his screen legend. Laced throughout with Sinatra's own observations on his film work, Santopietro deals head-on with the tumultuous marriages to Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow, and directly addresses the rumours of Mob involvement in Sinatra's career. He traces the arc of an astonishing 60-year run as an actor, from his rise in musicals through legendary flops to his near-mythic comeback. Ranging from iconic Rat Pack film "Ocean's Eleven" to his ground-breaking performance in "The Manchurian Candidate", the long-standing myths are stripped away and the focus placed squarely on the work.

About the Author :
Tom Santopietro has worked for the past twenty years in New York theater as a manager of more than two dozen Broadway shows, including "A Few Good Men, The""Tale of the Allergist's Wife, ""A Doll's House, ""Master Class, ""Tru, ""The Iceman Cometh, " and "Noises Off." He is also author of "The Importance of Being Barbra "and "Considering Doris Day."

Review :
*Starred Review* Countless books have been written about Frank Sinatra, though they typically focus on his music or broad biography. Santopietro (Considering Doris Day) directs his attention to Sinatra's film career with great success. This work is both highly readable and extensively researched, providing an absorbing look at Sinatra's part-time career. Santopietro has crafted a straightforward appreciation of Sinatra's roles, his growth as an actor, and his personal and professional relationships with the men and women he worked on-screen with, thus producing a book that should guarantee a wide readership. This is the second book to be released this year about Sinatra's film work; Karen McNally's When Frankie Went to Hollywood more specifically counterpoints Sinatra's film roles with his influence on male identity in the 1940s and 1950s, and she presents a more academic approach both in content and in writing style. Taking a thorough interest in all of Sinatra's films, successful and--Peter Thornell "Library Journal " The king of the saloon singers was a top-notch actor.when he cared to be. So argues Santopietro (Considering Doris Day, 2007, etc.), who proves an ideal guide to Ol' Blue Eyes' spotty career as a screen actor. Combining a fan's ardor and enthusiasm with keen critical insight, he convincingly makes the case for Sinatra as a major acting talent while taking the famously mercurial entertainer to task for wasting his prodigious gifts on frivolous projects. In conversational prose, Santopietro covers Sinatra's family life, romances and recording career as they relate to his picture making, demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of every theatrical and television film's production details. The author analyzes each movie, often scene-by-scene, wittily explaining what works, what doesn't and why. Clunkers like The Kissing Bandit receive the same close attention as triumphs like On the Town and The Man with the Golden Arm, the better to fully explicate the evolution of Sinatra's craft and attitude toward the medium. Santopietro is engagingly thoughtful about the sources of the Sinatra mystique. He draws intriguing parallels between the singer's storied insistence on "one take" and his neurotic drive to banish boredom and loneliness. The author relates Sinatra's distinctively snappy way with a line of dialogue to his masterly phrasing of lyrics as a singer. Readers less inclined to this sort of Actors Studio musing will content themselves with irresistible gossip about Sinatra and various Hollywood legends, plus an authoritative accounts of the glory days of the MGM musicals that cemented Sinatra's screen stardom. Film buffs will find much to savor as well. The section on The ManchurianCandidate, for example, illuminates the greatness of that strange film and of Sinatra's performance. The Rat Pack, the Mafia, the washouts and comebacks.every aspect of the legend is intelligently addressed, but Santopietro's interest is in Sinatra's work. In the final analysis, that's what fascinates. A terrifically lucid and entertaining look at an undervalued area of Sinatra's achievement. Advance Praise for "Sinatra in Hollywood: " " ""It's high time someone wrote a serious book about Frank Sinatra's significant movie career. With his knowledge of both movies and music, Tom Santopietro has put one of the biggest careers in Hollywood film history in full perspective. Sinatra's acting talent should be discussed alongside his amazing achievements in music, and this book lays a solid foundation for that process." ---Jeanine Basinger, author of "The Star Machine" Praise for "Considering Doris Day: ""This book offers serious insight into a relatively neglected life. The observations are apt---and often bold." ---"The Atlantic" "Santopietro proves himself a serious and insightful critic." ---"Library Journal" "Extremely acute in his critiques, Santopietro is also devastatingly witty." ---"The Globe and Mail" "This highly readable book follows her remarkable career and offers readers an intimate glimpse of this extraordinary woman." ---"Tucson"" Citizen" "A vibrant portrait of the artist and the woman." --"Publishers Weekly" "Santopietro concentrates on her multifaceted career. He is sympathetic to women and knowledgeable about his subject, and his respect for her is refreshing." ---"The New York Times Book Review" (Editor's Choice) Advance Praise for "Sinatra in Hollywood: ""It's high time someone wrote a serious book about Frank Sinatra's significant movie career. With his knowledge of both movies and music, Tom Santopietro has put one of the biggest careers in Hollywood film history in full perspective. Sinatra's acting talent should be discussed alongside his amazing achievements in music, and this book lays a solid foundation for that process." ---Jeanine Basinger, author of "The Star Machine" Praise for "Considering Doris Day: ""This book offers serious insight into a relatively neglected life. The observations are apt---and often bold." ---"The Atlantic" "Santopietro proves himself a serious and insightful critic." ---"Library Journal" "Extremely acute in his critiques, Santopietro is also devastatingly witty." ---"The Globe and Mail" "This highly readable book follows her remarkable career and offers readers an intimate glimpse of this extraordinary woman." ---"Tucson"" Citizen" "A vibrant portrait of the artist and the woman." --"Publishers Weekly" "Santopietro concentrates on her multifaceted career. He is sympathetic to women and knowledgeable about his subject, and his respect for her is refreshing." ---"The New York Times Book Review" (Editor's Choice)