Sinatra: Frank & Friendly

by Terry O'Neill

This book contains images capturing a relationship that spanned three decades, and takes us behind the scenes of Sinatra's incredible journey. The superstar of music and movies allowed O'Neill's camera to follow his every move, on the road, at home and backstage. In the age of paparazzi, doorstep photography, and big-budget publicity shoots, O'Neill's fascinating archive of his relationship with Sinatra reminds us there was once a golden age, when the stars and their audience were intimate and inseparable. Most of the photographs in "Sinatra: Frank and Friendly" have never been published before. Together with O'Neill's personal memories of the times they spent together, "Sinatra: Frank and Friendly" is O'Neill's personal homage to the man and his music.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[GoldGato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terry O’Neill was one of the photographers who flourished during the 1960s, where his photos of celebrities made him that “blow-up” guy. Although he is better known for his work with rock stars, he spent some time tracking the legendary Frank Sinatra throughout a film shoot and some live performances, resulting in this book full of up-close-and-personal shots. It would seem to be an odd combination, the hip image-maker and the elder statesman of popular songs, but it really does work.

This coffee-table book is quite gorgeous. The prints are not just paper, but seem to be plates, full of gloss as though the reader could peel them off the page. The pictures are black-and-white and they look terrific. The movie that Sinatra allowed O’Neill to be present was The Lady In Cement, filmed in Miami. We get Sinatra but we also get that East Coast sixties style, where older men still wore hats and shoes were shined. Raquel Welch was Frank’s co-star and she gets several behind-the-scenes photographs, also.

Additionally, the book features the photographs of Sinatra performing live, which meant O’Neill was able to get backstage shots. The text provides Terry O’Neill’s descriptions, explaining a roll of film or how a particular shot was done. Finally, the photographer, who was married to Faye Dunaway for a while, provides on-the-set images of her and Sinatra during the filming of 1980’s The First Deadly Sin, a little bonus for the Frankie fan.

It really is a beautiful book, mainly because of the way it was produced (slipcased). Given the type of print reproduction, there weren’t too many copies published, so if you know of someone who loves them some Sinatra, this would be a fairly nice gift.

Book Season = Year Round (time capsule)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, another Frank book!