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There have been many articles written about Frank Sinatra who was perhaps one of the most important and influential singers of the 20th century. At times he would be vilified in the press for his short fuse and angry outbursts. At other times though people showed their respect for the man who fought for Equal Rights for African Americans. He played a major role in the desegregation of the Las Vegas, Nevada hotels and casinos. He also got the Rat Pack members and Reprise label artists to boycott hotels and casinos that refused entry to black patrons and performing artists. His official Recording career started in 1943 when Frank Sinatra signed with Columbia Records. He then signed with Capitol Records in 1953 and in 1961 formed his own record label called Reprise Records. Depending on who you believe he recorded close to 1,000 songs including such hits as "All of Me," "The Birth of the Blues," "Come Fly with Me," "Fools Rush In," "The Lady is a Tramp," "My Way," and "Strangers in the Night." Memorable Movies were "On the Town," "Guys and Dolls," "From Here to Eternity" for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, "Pal Joey," "The Manchurian Candidate," "Oceans Eleven" and "Robin and the Seven Hoods." One of Frank's awards that I am proud to have witnessed him receive is the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The award is given periodically to someone in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture business as a whole. The award is named after Mr. Jean Hersholt who through his acting and movie career was always working for the betterment of all. He was President of the Motion Picture Relief Fund for several years and also served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Certain parts of Frank's acceptance speech have stuck with me for all these years. It resonated with me because it showed that Frank never forgot where he came from and his humble beginnings in Hoboken, New Jersey.
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