Frank Sinatra at Paramount Theater, how did it start?
After leaving Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra on September 1942, Frank Sinatra started looking for jobs as a singer at various places. He wasn’t a member of a band anymore, he was on his own. For two months, he had not been able to find a serious place. Many band vocals that left couldn’t make it, and Sinatra was to be one of them. Things were just like the times before he joined Harry James’ band. But in December 1942, things changed.
In December, the phone in Frank Sinatra’s house rang. It was Bob Weitman, the director of the famous Paramount Theater.
That night, when he was on stage after Benny Goodman in Paramount Theater, suddenly people started to yell and scream. People were like crazy. Jack Benny remembers that day as “I introduced Sinatra and I thought the goddamned building was going to cave in. I never heard such a commotion with people running down to the stage, screaming and nearly knocking me off the ramp. All this for a fellow I never heard of.”
Frank Sinatra: “The sound that greeted me was absolutely deafening. It was a tremendous roar. Five thousand kids, stamping, yelling, screaming, applauding. I was scared stiff. I couldn’t move a muscle. Benny Goodman froze, too. He was so scared he turned around, looked at the audience, and said, “What the hell was that?”
That night was so good that Paramount Theater extended his show first to a month, then to two months. And it was not like some regular show. They used to do 6-7 shows a day. One Saturday, Frank Sinatra did eleven shows, starting at 8:10 am and finishing at 2:30 am next day.
Nick Sevano: This time, they threw more than roses. They threw their panties and their brassieres. They were nuts, absolutely nuts. (When Sinatra returned to Paramount Theater)
On June 7 1943, he was going to sing in the studio of Columbia Records for the very first time, and his years known as “Columbia Years” was to start, slowly bringing an end to the big band era…
I WAS AT THE PARAMOUNT THEN. FRANKIE WAS WONDERFUL. I GOT THERE AT 6 A.M., AND HD IN THE LADIES ROOM TILL 4 P.M. I GOT TO THE 3RD ROW. I SCREAMED AND PULLED MY HAIR SAYING “I LOVE YOU FRANKIE”. HE GAVE ME A LOOK THAT SAID -“GO HOME KID”
P.S. HE DIDN’T HAVE BLUE EYES THEN. THEY WERE HAZEL.
I STILL LOVE HIM.
Josep Montaner
Sant Carles, 4
08700 Igualada (Barcelona.Spain)
josep.montaner @ yahoo.es
Dear:
They are a fan of Frank Sinatra for many years and have had the opportunity to attend his seven concerts. Glad that you were in the historic concert at the Paramount Theatre,
There are several documentaries on the life of Mr. Sinatra containing images of Paramount, but always the same in all of them, and the song you hear him sing is “Night and Day”, but does not match the movement of his lips.
Please let me say if you remember the songs we sang and if you know if there is any possibility to get the concert DVD. On YouTube there is a short documentary, but only images being accessed without sound audio.
Thank you in advance for your attention
transmitting my cordial greetings.
Josep.
Hello can we chat??
Following my morning classes at Peter Stuyvesant High Scool on 14 th Street, I took the subway to 42 nd Street for my usual attendance at the Paramount. The bobby soxers were lined up to attend. I tought, ” who is this person, Frank Sinatra” ?. When I entered the theatre I immediately went up the fire exit staiway, across the top and down to the fire exit door, allowing me to get front row…my usual way to avoid standing in line. Following Frank’s performance he looked down at the soxers and said ” you have been here all day, Aren’t your families concerned and aren’t you hungry? The unified response was that he was loved and they wanted to stay. Frank sang some more songs and came back with a tray of milk and sandwiches . As he reached down from the stage I picked a container of milk and a sandwich. This has been one of the most memorable moments of my life.
I have an 87 yr old friend that wishes to know the name of the female opening singer at frank sinatras concerts at the paramount. She was one of the bobbysoxers and has many happy memories of going to his concerts. I have tried to do searches for her to find out names but have been unsuccessful.
THE SINGER WAS EILEEN BARTON – I SAW MANY, MANY SHOWS…THEY WERE ALL SENSATIONAL….
I’m 89 yrs old & remember seeing Frank & Eileen at the Paramount. Think it was 1944.
Wonderful read. Did Frank ever sing at our Brooklyn Paramount? Have searched in vain to answer this question always asked me as the archivist of the theatre now about to restored. I read he sang with Dorsey at the Rosemount, our borough’s Roseland. HELP, Thanks in advance.
[…] Before “Beatlemania,” before Elvis, on December 30, 1942 “Sinatramania” was born here, in what is now the Hard Rock in Times Square, when it was called the Paramount Theater. You can still see the word “Paramount” in lights above the arched window. The Paramount was also where big band leader Harry James had discovered Sinatra during a June, 1939 show. His return to the Paramount as a solo act caused a near riot, you can relive here. […]
Does anyone know if Frank Sinatra sang for the silent film “It” starring Clara Bow at The Paramount Theater? My great aunt was a dancer for the show and I am looking for more info. Thank you!
I was eleven years old when my two sisters took me to the Paramount to see Sinatra.I remember the movie was Star Spangled Rhythm with Bob Hope. I remember a lot of screaming when Sinatra appeared .I remember he sang”You Would Be So Nice To Come Home To “to a group of females sitting in a semi circle. It sticks in my brain like “Groundhog Day”
Does anyone else remember that?
Frank won a radio contest and a contract resulted. Does any one know who the contestants were?
Did Frank Sinatra sing at the Paramount Theartre on Mothers day, in the year 1945 or 1946
My mom and dad wad there that evening. Dad said it was Frank Sinatra birthday. Mom gave a painting done in pastel, full length to frank with a special request to sponsor my father, in art school, Art students League. Frank gave the letter taped to the backup Walter Winchell of New York Post. FRANK WAS LIVID THAT PEOPLE STOP ASKING HIM FOR MONEY. Dad was destroyed, the art school was expensive and he needed a sponsor. The letter on the back explained this was a sample of his quality art.
Years Later by accident dads boss was in Las Vegas, in a back office arranging gambling credit when he saw the Frank Sinatra painting hanging on a wall with dad’s signature on it. He told the guy in the Sands that guy works for me. It wasn’t till 2014, I went hunting for the painting. The Sands is gone but the owner of the Bagglio has it in his art collection. I tried to contact the corporation Sands, but they never responded. I been told he was one of the richest men in the USA. The painting was a sample, not a gift and was never returned to the artists as requested. Dad hated Frank Sinatra all his life. Dads estate wants the painting back!
My mother and her parents stood in line all day to see Frank perform, she was 12 years old, For her 50th birthday I took her to the Meadowlands in NJ to see Frank again and it was like she was reliving her youth all over. She was so excited when he walked on stage because she had no idea why we were there it was the best surprise ever. I’m so happy to see her that happy. Sadly we lost her to cancer just 5 years later.
Say, the link to the Paramount Theater goes to the Paramount in Seattle. I’m pretty sure Sinatra got the bobby-soxers going in NYÇ.
I have an Hermes tie signed by him from the Paramount Theater. 1955 ish. My mother was at the show and he gave her the tie.
i was 14 years old and my parents and and i drove from Danbury Ct to see Frank at the paramount with the dorseys. the comic was Joey Bishop ,the special guest visit was Red Skelton. The ticket price was $1.05. We sat through the show twice which meant we had to sit through the johnny concho film twice as well ,but my parents knew how much i loved Frank ,so we were there for several hours. and at the end of the set when Frank walked offstage ,it was a moment i will never forget it was beautiful in a way i cannot explain. His performance was flawless and now at 81 i can honestly say it was the happiest day of my life. No shit.