The Sinatra Files (12 page)

Recently, Confidential Informant
advised that while attending
that FRANK SINATRA, well known radio and movie star, is a member of the Communist Party. He was told that SINATRA formerly held membership in the American Youth for Democracy organization of New Jersey but has recently been admitted to the New York branch of the Communist Party.

advised that the reason SINATRA was discussed was because of the recent article which appeared on him in “Life” magazine, setting forth his position on racial hatred and showing SINATRA talking before a Gary, Indiana, high school group.

On November 25, 1945 a full page article appeared in the Sunday “Worker” on FRANK SINATRA. This article was written by WALTER LOWENFELS, Philadelphia correspondent for the “Worker”.

In the Sunday “Worker” dated December 2, 1945 under “Pennsylvania News” the following item appeared: “FRANK SINATRA is going to get a gold medal and a silver plaque at the Broadwood Hotel, December 10. He will receive the first annual Golden Slipper Square Club Unity Award for his contribution to racial and religious tolerance.”

This information is being furnished for whatever action is deemed advisable.

    
Hoover months later asked for the first full report on what the FBI had in its files on Sinatra. It was forwarded to Hoover by a top bureau official, Edward A. Tamm, later a federal judge. It contained information about his draft and alleged mob ties, but the bulk was an extraordinarily detailed accounting of his political activities. (The excerpts here have been compiled from two drafts of the same memo; some entries have been deleted to avoid duplication with material elsewhere in this book.)

The attached memorandum concerning Frank Sinatra is obviously most poorly and improperly arranged and I am again having it done over.

In view of the length of time since you requested it, however, I thought it might be of some current value to you in its present form.

Attachment

ASSOCIATION WITH COMMUNISTS AND COMMUNIST FRONT GROUPS

Bureau files contain numerous references which allege that Sinatra has made speeches for, written articles for, or attended or supported rallies sponsored by organizations dominated by Communist groups. Information in this regard which is of particular interest follows.

It has been ascertained that William Dieterle, a motion picture director in Hollywood and reliably reported to be a strong supporter of the Communist party and the Soviet Union, was in receipt of a letter from Frank Sinatra postmarked at New York City June 26, 1945. On the evening of September 2, 1946, Frank Sinatra was a guest artist at a concert held at Los Angeles, California by the Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Science, and Professions which has been reliably reported to have been one of the main Communist political pressure and propaganda groups existing. It has been reliably reported that an unknown person conferred with Lionel Berman, Communist party member and celebrity contact man for the Communist party in New York City, relative to the possibility of getting Frank Sinatra to speak at an inter-racial meeting to be held at Corona, Long Island. It has been reliably reported that Frank Sinatra was scheduled for appearance on a program sponsored by the Paramount Studio Club in Los Angeles, California, held on February 12, 1946. One of the scheduled speakers at this meeting was identified as Earl Robinson, a member of the Communist party in that area.

Gerald L. K. Smith, who was called before the Congressional Committee investigating un-American activities, petitioned the Committee to investigate the activities of Frank Sinatra who, he stated, seems to be a highly paid, emaciated crooner but who recently gave support to a meeting of the American Youth for Democracy which held an elaborate banquet at the Hotel Ambassador in Los Angeles, December 16, 1945.

The Daily Worker under date of September 15, 1945 reported that Frank Sinatra would be a sponsor of the World Youth Conference to be held in London October 31 to November 9, 1945.

An unusually reliable source informed that a yearbook to be published by the American Youth Division of the Communist Party will reportedly contain contributions by Frank Sinatra.

In the September 6, 1945 issue of “The Witness,” an article written by Edward Harrison entitled “The Church’s Joint Support of Republican Spain” reflected that the Church League for Industrial Democracy has joined with a large number of organizations in sponsoring a rally on behalf of Republican Spain which rally would be held in Madison Square Garden the evening of September 24, 1945 and speakers would include Frank Sinatra.

In the Daily Worker dated January 2, 1945 an article headed “Yugoslav Relief Opens 1946 Drive” sets out that the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief opened its activities for 1946 with a Town Hall Benefit Concert organized by the Greenwich Village Chapter. The concert was sponsored by individuals including Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra.

An article in the Daily Worker dated May 21, 1946 quoted Frank Sinatra as denying charges that he was crooning American bobby soxers into the hands of the Comunists. The article states that a representative of the Knights of Columbus alleged that Sinatra, a Catholic, had aligned himself with Communists when he spoke at a Red Rally of 16,000 left wingers in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Sinatra stated it was a rally sponsored by the Veterans Committee of the Independent Citizens Committee of Arts, Science and Professions urging the passage of legislation to provide housing for veterans. Sinatra was quoted as saying, “The minute anyone tries to help the little guy he is called a Communist.”

It is reliably reported that Frank Sinatra sent $100 to the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee in response to a telegraphic request for a donation. In addition a request was made of Sinatra to appear as a guest at a dinner given by the organization on December 4, 1944 in honor of William Gropper, a contributor to the Daily Worker.

The Daily Worker for January 16, 1946 reported that Sinatra received an award at the “New Masses” dinner held at the Hotel Commodore, New York for his courageous fight on behalf of all minorities.

It has been reliably reported that Frank Sinatra was selected as a vice chairman of the Board of Directors Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Science and Professions, Incorporated at a meeting held February 10, 1946. This group has been reported to be a Communist Party front group and several of its officers are reported Communists or fellow travelers.

An article appearing in the Baltimore Afro-American dated April 10, 1945 reflected that Frank Sinatra was to give a talk on racial harmony. It stated that Sinatra was reported to have beaten several southern cafe owners who refused to serve negro musicians in his party.

On May 3, 1946 Phil Schatz, a reported Communist and member of the National Executive Board and Executive Secretary of the American Youth Division, Detroit, Michigan, made arrangements for an affair for Sinatra to be held at the Jewish Community Center in Detroit on May 13, 1946. It is reported that this rally was held to combat Anti-Semitism and all religions were invited to participate. The American Youth Division was among the sponsoring groups.

On March 13, 1945 Francis Damon of the American Youth for a Free World contacted Captain Orest Shevtzov, a Red Army officer and representative in the United States for the Youth Fascist Committee in Moscow, at which time he was advised that a picture would be taken of him in his uniform along with Frank Sinatra.

A technical surveillance on the National Maritime Union, Baltimore, Maryland revealed that Florence Schwartz, chairman of the finance committee of the Communist Political Association of Baltimore endeavored to get Sinatra, Orson Welles, and several others to appear in behalf of the committee on November 3, 1944.

The Baltimore Afro-American on April 10, 1945 reported that Sinatra was to give a talk on racial harmony.

The same paper also reported that Sinatra allegedly beat several southern cafe owners who refused to serve negro musicians in his party.

According to the weekly intelligence summary submitted by the New York Division on May 16, 1946, Sinatra was one of the speakers
at the Veterans American Rally, a Communist infiltrated group which held a meeting at Madison Square Garden on that date. Other speakers included Senator Claude Pepper and Ralph Ingersoll, who was editor of the newspaper PM.

On May 20, 1946, according to a technical surveillance, the Russian Consulate at Los Angeles was advised that Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sinatra could not attend the Consulate party on that date.

An article appeared in the Narodni Glasnik (National Herald), an organ of the Croatian Communists in the United States, which reflected that an open letter was sent to the lodges of the Croatian Beneficial Brotherhood of the IWO concerning “I Am An American Day.” The article announced that a publication entitled “The Idea of Americans,” by Frank Sinatra, could be purchased at the rate of sixty cents for one hundred copies. In the same publication, for October 18, 1944, an article stated that Sinatra gave $7,500 to the Political Action Committee at a banquet held in the Women’s Department of the Political Action Committee. It also stated that Sinatra donated $5,000 for himself and $2,500 for his wife.

    
Intrigued, Hoover asked for additional information on three seemingly innocuous items in the memo
.

PURPOSE

To set out the information available relative to three allegations concerning Sinatra’s activities in reply to the Director’s query: “Are the paragraphs marked with ink provable?”

ANALYSIS

1—The AYD Year Book will contain a contribution by Frank Sinatra.

Facts: ASAC [Assistant Special Agent in Charge] A. H. Belmont of the New York Division advised that Bureau Agents had obtained a copy of the AYD Year Book published in the fall of 1946 and also the first issue of “Youth” magazine, a bimonthly publication of the American Youth for Democracy, 150 Nassau Street, New York City, dated April 19, 1947, and neither of these books make any mention of Frank Sinatra. Mr. Belmont advised that Sinatra’s name is not mentioned in either of the books and he did not contribute any article.