Frank Sinatra would have turned 100 on December 12, so it’s about time we resurrect some of his most memorable moments. Though a lot of the iconic singer’s life was made public, there are still some things about him that most people do not know. Here, we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Frank Sinatra. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Hated the Nickname “Chairman of the Board.” Sinatra earned the nickname while he was president at Reprise Records. However, according to his third wife, he hated the nickname.
Number Fourteen: He Was Not a Fan of “Strangers in the Night.” He recorded the song despite the fact that he thought it was “a piece of sh*t” and “the worst f**king song I’ve ever heard.” He was also not a fan of “My Way.”
Number Thirteen: He Helped Name Scooby-Doo. According to former CBS executive Fred Silverman, he found inspiration to name Scooby-Doo from Frank’s lyrical “Scoo-Be-Do-Be-Do” line.
Number Twelve: He Had a Soft Spot for Bono. Bono had to introduce Sinatra at the 1994 Grammys, and he introduced him as “the chairman of the bad attitude…”. Sinatra liked it because he was so sick of being called “Chairman of the Board.”
Number Eleven: His Mug Shot Has an Interesting Backstory. Frank was initially charged with “seduction,” which was then reduced to “adultery.” It was later dropped, but he still had his mugshot taken. Looking seductive as ever, of course.
Number Ten: He Had His Own Pasta Sauce. In 1990, Sinatra released his own line of jarred pasta sauces. He was inspired by his mother’s recipe he grew up with, but the sauce tanked. However, for interested readers, the actual recipe of his mother’s pasta sauce has been made available online.
Number Nine: He Did Two Notable Concept Records. In 1965, Sinatra released September of My Years, and in 1970, he released Watertown, which was the closest to rock and roll he would ever get. Unfortunately, the two concept records did not do very well on the charts. Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!