The Sinatra files_ the secret FBI Dossier Part 15

Another FBI memo picks up the story and provides a glimpse at the reaction of Giancana's hometown newspaper.

Information was received in October, 1963, from the Las Vegas Division that SINATRA had agreed to sell his interest in the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada to Sands, Inc. The arrangement was that SINATRA would resell his nine points at an agreed price of $43,500 per point. In this regard it is pointed out that information was received that SINATRA, when originally purchasing these points, had paid an estimated $5,000 per point. At this same time, it was learned that SINATRA was selling his interest in the Cal-Neva Lodge located at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. As noted previously, these sales were the direct result of an investigation conducted into SINATRA's a.s.sociation with SAM GIANCANA. In this regard the following editorial concerning GIANCANA's and SINATRA's relations.h.i.+p appeared in the "Chicago Tribune" of October 24, 1963: "THAT OLD GANG OF MINE"

"The narrow-minded, sanctimonious, and bigoted state Gaming commission of Nevada has dealt a cruel and unjust blow to Frank Sinatra, the warbler, by stripping him of his licenses to operate so-called games of chance for the visiting rubes. Frankie Boy has been held a peril to the high ethics of Nevada gambling because he provided a royal welcome at one of his joints to Momo Giancana, a Chicago gangster, who has a high rating in the hoodlum Cosa Nostra bluebook.

"Giancana was a guest at Sinatra's Lake Tahoe lodge, and his mere presence was deemed, under the bluenose standards prevailing in Nevada, to be a contamination of all that is pure and virtuous in the gambling racket. So now the revered Leader of the Hollywood Rat Pack will have to divest himself of a 3 million dollar interest in sucker traps at Tahoe and Las Vegas.

"Well, this is an hour when true friends will close ranks around Sinatra in his time of trouble, while phonies and fair weather fakers will suddenly remember they have dates elsewhere.

"Frankie has stood by Momo. Will Momo stand by Frankie? And will the Pack come running with the crying towel? When the roll is called out yonder, will Sammy Davis be there? Will Peter Lawford, the brother-in-law of President John F. Kennedy, rally round the Leader? How about Dean Martin, another member of The Clan? Anybody seen him? Will Frankie Boy's Hollywood tailor, Don Loper, who outfitted him for the J.F.K. inauguration, turn up to renew his fealty or will he retire to the cutting room with a mouthful of pins?

"Yea, these are the times when the sheep are separated from the goats, and the trueblue Rat Packers from the finks.

"We put it flatly: Will Frankie's princ.i.p.al patron stand up and be counted? We refer, of course, to J.F.K., who has been entertained by the disbarred gambler at Las Vegas and who permitted Frankie and Pack to take over provision of the entertainment at the Kennedy inauguration ball in Was.h.i.+ngton. There, in Mr. Loper's finery, Frankie cut such a resplendent figure that Joe E. Lewis wired, 'May I have the first dance?'

"The least we should expect of Mr. Kennedy is to rush word by ZIP code that, tho they may have padlocked Frankie's Nevada joints, the latchstring at the White House is out. Perhaps, by way of compensation, Frankie could be awarded the gaming concession at the state department, with a bank of one-armed bandits, dice tables, wheels, and fare boxes, the whole to be known, in memory of Nevada days, as 'The New Frontier,' which we find infinitely more tasteful than, say, 'The Last Chance Saloon.'

"Bobby Baker, the get-rich-quick operator, has little to occupy him since his resignation as secretary of the Democratic Senate majority because of a flyer in vending machines. He might be made an honorary member of the Rat Pack and allowed to team up with Frankie long enough to restore the Sinatra fortunes."

One of RFK's top mob prosecutors, Dougald D. MacMillan, arrived in Los Angeles in 1963 to mount the feds' most serious effort to nail Sinatra. He had a high-profile plan to interview well-known celebrities close to Sinatra, but it struck other law enforcement types as ill-considered. Hoover was told of their doubts in a memo but it struck other law enforcement types as ill-considered. Hoover was told of their doubts in a memo.

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI.

DATE: 8/28/63 DATE: 8/28/63.

FROM: SAC, LOS ANGELES.

SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA AR.

[Anti-Racketeering]

On 8/27/63, Departmental Attorney DOUGALD MACMILLAN, Organized Crime Section, arrived in Los Angeles and immediately contacted THOMAS R. SHERIDAN, Chief, Criminal Division, U. S. Attorney's Office at Los Angeles. Mr. SHERIDAN said MACMILLAN was here to discuss data which the Department has available on FRANK SINATRA and a number of his a.s.sociates. SHERIDAN requested Bureau Agents to be present.

On 8/28/63 Mr. MACMILLAN advised that he, over a long period of time, has been building up a file from excerpts taken from reports of the FBI and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other agencies concerning SINATRA. He advised that it appears there is some connection existing between the Fontainebleau Hotel, JOSEPH FISCHETTI and SINATRA and The Villa Venice, SAM GIANCANA and SINATRA and the purpose of his inquiry in this area was to solicit suggestions and organize a starting point in the possible interviewing of persons close to SINATRA. Such persons include DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY DAVIS, JR., DINAH Sh.o.r.e and EDDIE FISHER and also the interviewing of RED SKELTON in connection with moneys that SKELTON allegedly lost while flying in a commercial aircraft last year[image] Las Vegas. Las Vegas.

Mr. MACMILLAN said he did not have authority to conduct any interviews directly with SINATRA or with persons directly connected with SINATRA in any of SINATRA's enterprises, such as SINATRA's attorney, accountants, or immediate staff. He did say he had authority to interview the others mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Mr. SHERIDAN advised MACMILLAN that the proper starting point for this type of investigation would be to secure all doc.u.mentary evidence such as the contracts existing between SINATRA and others who appeared at the Fontainebleau Hotel, allegedly at the request of JOE FISCHETTI. The purpose of securing the doc.u.ments would be that the person interviewing any of those named above would be in a position to intelligently discuss specific instances without being referred to booking agents, managers or attorneys.

Mr. MACMILLAN also observed that he was sure that in compiling his file he had missed many references concerning SINATRA and was considering the possibility of making inquiry of the Bureau of Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., for a complete run down on SINATRA. No commitments were made by Bureau representatives present.

For a portion of the time, representatives of IRS were present and Mr. MACMILLAN repeated essentially the same material that appears above. ROBERT LUND, Chief of the Intelligence Division of IRS, told MACMILLAN that as far as he knew, IRS was not conducting any investigation of SINATRA other than the usual audit of returns of persons in high revenue brackets.

It would appear that Mr. MACMILLAN, at the present time, does not have any organized plan of approach nor is he quite certain as to the goal he is attempting to achieve with the information which he has acc.u.mulated.

Days later, somebody scrawled on a related FBI memo, "MacMillan is a boy on a man's errand." On September 4, 1963, Hoover undercut MacMillan with a memo to the special agent in charge of Los Angeles, and MacMillan went home to formulate a "more productive" plan.

TO: SAC, Los Angeles FROM: Director, FBI SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA AR.

[Anti-Racketeering]

Los Angeles should take no action whatever which could be interpreted as investigation of Frank Sinatra. Any requests for investigation should be brought immediately to the Bureau's attention and no action taken in the absence of specific authorization from the Bureau.

Keep the Bureau closely advised of any information coming to your attention relating to any inquiry being conducted concerning Sinatra.

TO: Director, FBI DATE: 9/10/63 DATE: 9/10/63.

FROM: SAC, Los Angeles

RE: FRANK SINATRA ANTI-RACKETEERING.

Re Los Angeles airtel dated 8/28/63 and Bureau airtel dated 9/4/63.

For the information of the Bureau, it was ascertained on a confidential basis from THOMAS R. SHERIDAN, Chief, Criminal Division, United States Attorney's Office, Los Angeles, California, that DOUGALD MAC MILLAN, Departmental Attorney, who was in the Los Angeles area regarding certain aspects of FRANK SINATRA, has now returned to the Department of Justice following the Labor Day Weekend.

According to SHERIDAN, MAC MILLAN, who originally had come to Los Angeles with an idea of interviewing certain prominent personalities, did not conduct any interviews and has returned to the Was.h.i.+ngton area to further study the material he has on hand in order to formulate some plan of action that might be more productive than the one that he originally proposed, that is interviewing persons such as DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY DAVIS, Jr., DINAH Sh.o.r.e, and EDDIE FISHER regarding the a.s.sociation of FRANK SINATRA with persons such as SAMUEL M. GIANCANA and JOSEPH FISCHETTI.

The Bureau will be kept advised of any information coming to the attention of this division regarding Mr. MAC MILLAN.

After MacMillan backed off, a further review by FBI agents of the old Sinatra files he had compiled turned up the possibly false statement that Sinatra had made in his interview with the IRS in 1959 (see chapter 4 chapter 4). In the memos excerpted below, the authorities considered whether to prosecute and detailed the evidence, the most significant of which was the recollections of a dancer and another witness who apparently had seen Giancana at the party in question.

TO: Mr. Belmont DATE:October9,1963 DATE:October9,1963 FROM: C. A. Evans

SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA.

ANTI-RACKETEERING.

Based on information which we have supplied the Department concerning Sinatra's connection with the underworld, the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the Department a.s.signed Departmental Attorney Dougald D. MacMillan to review all available information on Sinatra to determine whether prosecution could be initiated against Sinatra.

MacMillan has been in contact with Thomas R. Sheridan, Chief of the Criminal Division, United States Attorney's Office, Los Angeles, and also a special a.s.sistant to the Attorney General. MacMillan left his file on Sinatra with Sheridan in which he had apparently compiled all available data on Sinatra from FBI, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Federal Bureau of Narcotics reports. Sheridan, on an extremely confidential basis, made this file available to our Los Angeles Office for reviewing, indicating that he did not desire that the Department or MacMillan become aware of this.

In reviewing this file, Los Angeles noted a possible Fraud Against the Government violation in connection with apparently false statements made by Sinatra in an affidavit given to IRS, Los Angeles, in 1959. In this statement Sinatra denied the presence of Sam Giancana at a party in the Claridge Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, in July, 1959. However, in our investigation of Sam Giancana we interviewed a professional dancer who advised that she was present at this party[image] She also identified several other hoodlums in attendance including Rocco and Joseph Fischetti. She also identified several other hoodlums in attendance including Rocco and Joseph Fischetti.

RECOMMENDATION OF SAC, LOS ANGELES.

SAC, Los Angeles recommends that this possible violation be brought to the attention of Mr. Sheridan and his opinion as to prosecution secured. SAC, Los Angeles points out if investigation is warranted a grand jury could possibly be convened at Los Angeles and Giancana, Joseph Fischetti and other personalities present at the 1959 meeting could be brought before the grand jury.

ACTION.

Los Angeles is being authorized to bring this possible violation to the attention of the United States Attorney's Office at Los Angeles but to point out that any request for investigation should be channeled through the Department.

To substantiate the information of the violation are the following excerpts from FBI reports: Pages 89-90 of September 12, 1960, FBI report ent.i.tled "Samuel M. Giancana" prepared by SA [Special Agent][image] reflected that reflected that[image] advised on September 16, 1959 that he had recently been to the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in order to see Frank Sinatra and was told SINATRA had reserved the entire first floor of the hotel. The informant stated when they got off the elevator on the first floor they were approached by two "tough looking men" and asked for identification and purpose of their visit. The informant stated one individual in SINATRA's suite at this hotel was identified to him as JOSEPH FISCHETTI, described as the "well known hoodlum from Miami." advised on September 16, 1959 that he had recently been to the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in order to see Frank Sinatra and was told SINATRA had reserved the entire first floor of the hotel. The informant stated when they got off the elevator on the first floor they were approached by two "tough looking men" and asked for identification and purpose of their visit. The informant stated one individual in SINATRA's suite at this hotel was identified to him as JOSEPH FISCHETTI, described as the "well known hoodlum from Miami."

Of July 13, 1962, FBI report ent.i.tled "Samuel M. Giancana" prepared by SA [Special Agent][image] Chicago Office, reported that Chicago Office, reported that[image][image] She stated that at the age of approximately eighteen she became employed as a professional dancer, appearing in chorus lines at various hotels, night clubs and casinos around the country. She stated that at the age of approximately eighteen she became employed as a professional dancer, appearing in chorus lines at various hotels, night clubs and casinos around the country.[image] she became acquainted with FRANK SINATRA during approximately 1958. During this period she traveled throughout the country and worked for some time at the Tropicana and Riviera Hotels in Las Vegas. she became acquainted with FRANK SINATRA during approximately 1958. During this period she traveled throughout the country and worked for some time at the Tropicana and Riviera Hotels in Las Vegas.

In July, 1959, she attended a party given by FRANK SINATRA in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at the Claridge Hotel. SINATRA at that time was appearing at the 500 Club as the featured entertainer. The party referred to lasted approximately two weeks and normally started at about 8:00 PM and lasted until about 4:00 or 5:00 AM the following morning.[image] She mentioned other persons in attendance at this affair, in addition to the ones mentioned above, as actress NATALIE WOOD, actor ROBERT WAGNER, then the husband of NATALIE WOOD, ROCCO FISCHETTI, his brother, JOSEPH FISCHETTI, JOHN FOREMAN (true name JOHN FORMOSA) and PAUL "SKINNY" D'AMATO. She mentioned other persons in attendance at this affair, in addition to the ones mentioned above, as actress NATALIE WOOD, actor ROBERT WAGNER, then the husband of NATALIE WOOD, ROCCO FISCHETTI, his brother, JOSEPH FISCHETTI, JOHN FOREMAN (true name JOHN FORMOSA) and PAUL "SKINNY" D'AMATO.

Also in connection with this matter, the Newark Division in October, 1959, by airtel dated 10/28/59, TOP HOODLUM PROGRAM, Chicago Division, AR., advised that[image] at the Claridge Hotel, had been a.s.signed to the SINATRA party from 7/25-8/2/59 and had identified the photograph of SAM GIANCANA as closely resembling an individual visiting the SINATRA party on two or three occasions. at the Claridge Hotel, had been a.s.signed to the SINATRA party from 7/25-8/2/59 and had identified the photograph of SAM GIANCANA as closely resembling an individual visiting the SINATRA party on two or three occasions.

But in the end, Sinatra was let off the hook, according to this Novembe 4, 1963, memo 4, 1963, memo.

TO: Director, FBI FROM: SAC, Los Angeles RE: FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA,.

aka. ANTI-RACKETEERING Re Los Angeles airtel to Bureau dated 10/7/63 and Bureau airtel to Los Angeles dated 10/10/63.

The material relating to the possible violation of t.i.tle 18, Section 1001 was brought to the attention of Special a.s.sistant to the Attorney General, THOMAS R. SHERIDAN at Los Angeles on 10/29/63 and Mr. SHERIDAN advised that in his opinion this was an apparent, though a minor violation of t.i.tle 18, Section 1001, and of itself, in his opinion, was not sufficient to warrant a prosecutive effort. He added that this, of course, could be added to other charges of a more substantial nature if and when such charges were ever developed in the future.

He advised that this matter is now known to DOUGALD MAC MILLAN of the Department and he concurs in this opinion.

Two and half weeks later, on November 22, 1963, the president was a.s.sa.s.sinated. Sinatra was told the news while filming a scene for Robin and the Seven Hoods Robin and the Seven Hoods in a Burbank cemetery, according to Nancy Sinatra's biography. After a brief talk with a White House staffer, he told the crew, "Let's shoot this thing, 'cause I don't want to come back here anymore." Roselli, meanwhile, went to Judith Campbell's hotel room in Los Angeles to console her in the aftermath of the murder of her former lover in a Burbank cemetery, according to Nancy Sinatra's biography. After a brief talk with a White House staffer, he told the crew, "Let's shoot this thing, 'cause I don't want to come back here anymore." Roselli, meanwhile, went to Judith Campbell's hotel room in Los Angeles to console her in the aftermath of the murder of her former lover.

Ever since Jack Kennedy's murder, there have been suspicions that the mob was behind the crime. Though no one has ever come close to substantiating such conjecture, some of the coincidences are extraordinary, as demonstrated by these excerpts from the FBI's files on what the Warren Commission had to say about Sinatra. (Reprise Records was Sinatra's record company, which employed Mike Sh.o.r.e.) Volume 14 of The Report Of The President's Commission On The a.s.sa.s.sination of President Kennedy, contains the following information concerning Frank Sinatra: On 4/14/64, Robert Carl Patterson, a musician and singer of Dallas, Texas, testified in the office of the US Attorney, Dallas, that in approximately November (year not stated) Jack Ruby was interested in promoting a "rock 'n roll" record for Patterson. Ruby told Patterson that he had connections with Reprise, with which Sinatra had something to do, and that the record could be promoted by Reprise.

On 5/28/64, Mrs. Eva Grant, sister of Ruby, also testified before the US Attorney in Dallas, concerning the selection of attorneys to defend Ruby. She stated that her brother Earl Ruby made a trip (date not stated) to the West Coast to see Mike Sh.o.r.e (not identified), who knew Sinatra there, and "they" figured they would know somebody and that was how Melvin Belli came into the picture as a defense lawyer for Ruby.

This reference indicated that Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald, who allegedly killed President Kennedy.

There certainly is ample evidence in the files that the mob did bear a grudge against the Kennedy family.

[image]advised he had heard that LCN [La Cosa Nostra] members had allegedly planned to attack the characters of U.S. Senators Edward and Robert Kennedy, as well as their brother-in-law, Peter Lawford. This was to be accomplished through a.s.sociates of Frank Sinatra, who were to get the victims in compromising situations with women.

In 1975, Giancana and Roselli both met violent deaths themselves, in the midst of the Senate investigation of the CIA plot to kill Castro. Giancana got a .22-caliber bullet in the back of the head while cooking up a midnight snack of sausages in June, just before he was to testify. In July, just after he testified, Roselli wound up asphyxiated in a 55-gallon drum floating off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida.

SEVEN.

SINATRA TURNS RIGHT.

"Don't go overboard in praise."

Politically, Frank Sinatra changed with his times, but what didn't change was his desire to be close to people in power. Early on, he was a prominent supporter of left-leaning causes. He sipped tea in the White House with FDR and named his son after the president-Franklin-rather than Francis, his own given name.

In the 1950s and early '60s, when Sinatra and Hugh Hefner were the defining American male ideals of sophisticated virility, the swinging singer had cultivated a kins.h.i.+p with the suave Jack Kennedy. Later Sinatra campaigned for Hubert Humphrey, shunning the slain president's brother Robert, whose anti-mob crusade had targeted Giancana and other Sinatra a.s.sociates. But once the Republican Richard M. Nixon won the White House, Sinatra drew close to Vice President Spiro Agnew and supported the Republican ticket's reelection.

Sinatra's rightward s.h.i.+ft reflected the political climate of the times and the increasingly conservative views of some other Hollywood Democrats who switched to the GOP, notably Ronald Reagan. Not surprisingly, Sinatra stumped for Reagan's reelection as California's governor in 1970. In 1981, the transformation was completed when Sinatra produced the gala for Reagan's presidential inauguration.

But the mellowed entertainer had little opportunity to come to terms with the ultraconservative Hoover, who died in 1972. In any case, the FBI was still watching-and warning each successive politician who befriended Sinatra that he was trouble.

After President Kennedy's death, the Johnson White House requested the lowdown on a number of celebrities, including Sinatra. Hoover's reply was sent to President Lyndon B. Johnson's a.s.sistant, Bill Moyers (who would later become a noted broadcast journalist). The reason for the request isn't clear, for Sinatra wasn't all that close to Johnson and didn't become friendly with Vice President Hubert Humphrey until later.

THE WHITE HOUSE.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

November 16, 1964 Memo to Mildred Stegall From Barbara Keehn At Mrs. Carpenter's request-I would like to have FBI reports on the following entertainers-as quickly as possible.

Carol Channing (Mrs. Charles Lowe)-NYC Frank Sinatra-9229 Sunset Boulevard, L.A., Calif.

Lena Horne-NYC Debbie Reynolds-Beverly Hills, Calif.

Carol Burnett-NYC Dame Margot Fonteyn Rudolf Nureyev Peter Gennaro-NYC Danny Kaye-1103 San Ysidro, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Mike Nichols Elaine May November 20, 1964 BY SPECIAL MESSENGER.

Honorable Bill D. Moyers Special a.s.sistant to the President The White House Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.

Dear Mr. Moyers: Reference is made to the memorandum dated November 16, 1964, from Mrs. Barbara Keehn to Mrs. Mildred Stegall requesting name checks concerning Carol Channing and ten other individuals who were described as entertainers.

The FBI has not investigated the following individuals and our files contain no derogatory information identifiable with them.

Carol Channing Peter Gennaro Debbie Reynolds Mike Nichols Carol Burnett Elaine May