Sinatra: Frank and Friendly

After he saw my blog post on the photography of Terry O’Neill, my husband surprised me with this book: Sinatra: Frank and Friendly – A Unique Photographic Memoir of a Legend. Terry O’Neill spent more than 30 years photographing Frank Sinatra, being one of the very few who were invited “inside”, behind the limelight of his celebrity, and who were granted this trust. This book gathers some of these moments captured on film, which are reproduced in a glossy, photograph-style, giving you the impression that you are leafing through a photo album. This is a photography volume, not heavy on words, but the brief description and occasional quotes from Sinatra and O’Neill that accompany each picture are exactly what enhances the feeling that this is indeed an intimate view on a legend. Being the admirer that I am of both Frank Sinatra and Terry O’Neill, this is a very welcome addition to my collection.

I wish you a wonderful weekend!

“He judged his audience every night. He’d stand in the wings during the warm-up and watch them, analyse their mood and then tailor the act to their needs, knowing what they’d want the second he stepped in front of them.” Terry O’Neill

“I’m not old enough to understand adults, but I know enough to understand kids.” Frank Sinatra

“People would run down the aisles, to hand him flowers, bottles of scotch, to kiss his hand, or just touch his shoe. He never shirked from them. He hugged them, he kissed them, it was intimate, like a love affair between Frank and his fans.” Terry O’Neill

“He adored women. They were all ladies to Frank. He said ‘I’m supposed to have a Ph.D on the subject; I admire them. But like all men, I don’t understand them.” Terry O’Neill

“It couldn’t happen today – a photographer wouldn’t be allowed the access and the freedom to be around a star as big as Frank Sinatra. But he knew my job was as important to me as his music was to him and he respected that, allowed me the same environment to work in that he would demand for himself.” Terry O’Neill

“You only live once and the way I live once is enough.” Frank Sinatra

photos by me from the book Sinatra: Frank and Friendly – A Unique Photographic Memoir of a Legend

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8 Responses to Sinatra: Frank and Friendly

LatteLisa wrote on
--> 13 June 2014 at 2:15 pm

Love this book preview (so beautifully styled and photographed by you)! My husband and I were just talking about Sinatra over dinner a few days ago, it all started when I mentioned this performance by Chris Botti + John Mayer that I keep in my bookmarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be-DwvGr3cA

Have a wonderful weekend!
- classiq wrote on
  --> 13 June 2014 at 2:36 pm
  
  Lisa, I had NOT heard that Chris Botti-John Mayer performance, so thank you. Sinatra is a favourite of both my husband’s and mine, we have a few of his albums, and also quite a few of his films (we love him as an actor, too). But this book was also my husband’s subtle way of saying that he highly regards Terry O’Neill’s photography and that this is a book worth having in your home. 🙂
  - LatteLisa wrote on
    --> 13 June 2014 at 10:25 pm
    
    Sinatra is one of the first CDs I bought as a teenager. That Botti-Mayer performance is pure joy. Look up on YouTube some live performances with Botti and Sting and you will not be disappointed, e.g. The Shape of my Heart featuring Josh Groban. It’s beautiful.
    
    PS. Glad I opened the post again (I was showing A the images from the book).
    
    classiq wrote on
    --> 13 June 2014 at 11:47 pm
    
    Sinatra was such a talent. It’s always been a wonder for me how Sinatra, being the great singer that he was, could be such a good actor too. Thank you for your suggestions, Lisa. I will look them up.
Helen@TheStyleSchedule wrote on
--> 14 June 2014 at 5:37 am

That’s a lovely gift. I’m a fan! Loved him as an actor, from Anchors Aweigh to From Here To Eternity; I think he was a star and they don’t make them like they used to! Maybe that’s just nostalgia, but the style and talent is real. Loved those quotes too; particularly the one about women… someone who wined and dined and romanced so many beautiful women, and even he didn’t understand them! Too cute:) Have a good weekend Ada.
- classiq wrote on
  --> 14 June 2014 at 12:15 pm
  
  Yes, Helen, he was what we can truly call a star. Larger than life, as a musician, as an actor, as a man of style, and probably as a person.
design elements wrote on
--> 14 June 2014 at 10:50 am

Hello Ada, the preview is beautiful! I’ve never seen the photo with the boy before. Happy weekend
- classiq wrote on
  --> 14 June 2014 at 2:56 pm
  
  Hi, Maria. When the book was first published, in 2007, many of the photos included here had never been published before. Now, some of them are more familiar.