His Way: Sinatra's Career

Here's a look at Frank Sinatra's career in music and film from Information Please, a partner of CBS.com.

Few stars have shone as brightly as Ol' Blue Eyes. Frank Sinatra left an indelible mark on generations who fell in love with his romantic voice, charismatic delivery, and his tough-guy image on and off the big screen.

Even fewer celebrities have enjoyed six decades of adoration from critics and fans alike. And critics are by no means quick to lavish praise, especially on artists revered as much for their bad-boy heartthrob status as for their talent. Sinatra's alleged mob ties and his turbulent personal life have always been rich tabloid fodder and, at times, have cast shadows on his career.

Sinatra packed auditoriums and movie theaters beginning in the late 1930s. He burst onto the scene as a big-band singer with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey bands and immediately won the hearts of swooning bobby-soxers with his smooth, romantic renditions of hits such as "I'll Never Smile Again" and "This Heart of Mine."

It wasn't long before he shifted gears and embarked on a solo career, becoming one of the most influential song stylists of the day. He's widely credited with bringing about the demise of the big band era and inspiring the dawn of the solo artist.

As his career blossomed, Sinatra matured as an artist and strove to make the popular song an art form that appealed to audiences beyond the teeny-bopper set. He incorporated elements of jazz, big band, and classical into his standards, and the transition was fabulously successful. His pop hits dominated the charts and spoke to each individual fan. Sinatra created some of the finest finger-snapping cocktail tunes (Songs for Swingin' Lovers), as well as potent, sentimental torch songs (Only the Lonely).

Sinatra continued to wow critics and fans when he made the leap to film and emerged as a serious actor. His role as doomed soldier Angelo Maggio in 1953's poignant portrait of military life, From Here to Eternity, earned him a best supporting actor Oscar.

The golden statue was not a fluke. Two years later, Sinatra was nominated again, this time in the best actor category, for his turn as a heroin addict in The Man With the Golden Arm (he lost to Marty's Ernest Borgnine).

From Here to Eternity was more than just the film that solidified Sinatra's credibility as an actor. It was the movie that saved his career. In the early 1950s, casting miscues, hemorrhaged vocal chords, and personal scandal had nearly devastated him professionally. On the Town, the 1949 hit co-starring Gene Kelly, was Sinatra's last successful film until From Here to Eternity.

With his popularity waning, Sinatra found it was no easy task securing a role in Eternity. He reportedly needed the influence of his then-wife, Ava Gardner, along with som help from his mob friends to strong-arm his way into the movie. He took only $8,000 for the part, far less than the $150,000 fee he had commanded in previous films.

The film resurrected Sinatra and propelled him back on top of Hollywood's A-list. Not to jeopardize his career again with breezy roles, Sinatra made judicious choices the next time around. He put his voice to the test in 1956's High Society and starred in 1962's powerful Cold War drama The Manchurian Candidate opposite Angela Lansbury.

Perhaps more important than his gold trophy were Sinatra's new friends in Tinseltown. He starred in 1958's Some Came Running with Dean Martin. The two became fast friends, and the Rat Pack was born, with other "members" Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.

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Sinatra's singing career benefited from his revitalized film career, too. In fact, some of his most memorable recordings followed. He released Young at Heart the next year. His Come Dance With Me earned him the 1959 Grammy Awards for best album and best vocal performance. Sinatra went on to win string of Grammy Awards in the 1960s, including several top honors for 1966's Sinatra: A Man and His Music and the album's hit Strangers in the Night.

Though there have been performers with more raw talent than Sinatra, his suave, larger-than-life personality has more than compensated for any artistic shortcomings. And this is what has set him apart from dozens of other singers and actors. Pure charisma and an uncanny ability to connect with his audience made the hairman of the Board a true luminary outshone by no one.

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Written by Beth Rowensize=-1>