Francis Wayne Sinatra was born on 10 January 1944, in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA, and was a conductor, singer and songwriter, but perhaps best known for being the son of the famous singer and actor, Frank Sinatra. He was able to establish himself with a music career even carrying his father’s name, which helped raise his net worth to where it was.
How rich was Frank Sinatra Jr.? As of early-2016, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $50 million, mostly earned through a successful music career. He spent a lot of time on the road and was really passionate about his career, which helped raise his wealth to where it was prior to his death.
Frank Sinatra, Jr. Net Worth $50 Million
During his childhood, Frank Jr. barely saw his father as the popular singer would often be working or on the road. Even so, in his early years Frank Jr. wanted to become a songwriter and pianist. During December 1963, at the age of 19, Frank Jr was kidnapped by three criminals who demanded a ransom of $240,000. Frank Jr was released two days later when Frank Sinatra Sr. paid the ransom. The three kidnappers were soon caught and were given long prison sentences, but were all released early. During this period, many speculated on whether or not the events were just a publicity stunt to promote the popular singer’s son, as Sinatra Sr. was filming “Robin and the Seven Hoods” at the time the kidnapping happened. While shooting he also received news of President Kennedy’s assassination, which made him almost cancel the film altogether. The kidnapping event also made Francis’ father always carry dimes around him, which was how he communicated with the kidnappers via payphone. He was even buried with a few dimes in his pocket.
During this period, Sinatra Jr. was already performing in clubs and venues as a part of Sam Donahue’s band, and was also learning about the music industry through Duke Ellington. Sinatra Jr. played throughout the year, travelling to various locations and performing there. Soon, he earned opportunities to become a part of several shows, including “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”, and “The Dean Martin Show”. Like his father, he was also given acting opportunities, in shows like “A Man Called Adam” and “Clinic on 18th Street”. By 1988, Frank Jr. took a break from his career to become his father’s musical director and conductor, as according to Sinatra Sr. he was the only person he could trust with the role.
In 1989, Francis continued to perform and act, usually singing in the television opportunities that were given to him. He performed in “Late Night with David Letterman” and was given a chance to become part of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, which he declined. In an episode of “Family Guy”, he sang the theme song alongside the series’ characters Stewie and Brian. One of his later album releases was entitled “That Face!”
For his personal life, Frank Jr. was married to Cynthia McMurray during 1998 but divorced by the year 2000. He has two children, one of whom he first declined that he was the father of, but eventually declared before the court that he was. He’s had a few paternity suits and also battled with prostate cancer during 2006. He unexpectedly passed away in March 2016, and reports state that he had cardiac arrest while on tour in Florida.
Spice (1971), His Way! (1972), It's Alright (1977), As I Remember I (1996), “That Face!” (2006)
Music Groups
Sam Donahue,
Movies
A Man Called Adam (1966)" (1966), “Family Guy” (1999), "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing" (2008)
TV Shows
“The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”, “The Dean Martin Show”, “A Man Called Adam” , “Clinic on 18th Street”
#
Quote
1
You would be amazed at how little demand there is for Frank Sinatra Jr. records. [The Arizona Republic, Jan. 11, 2004]
#
Fact
1
Sinatra Jr. followed his father into music as a teenager, eventually working for the senior Sinatra as his musical director and conductor. His father, the elder Sinatra, died of a heart attack May 14, 1998, at 82. Sinatra Jr. was able to provide a link to his father's music after his death, performing his father's songs and arrangements on tours and especially in Las Vegas. "Since my father's death, a lot of people have made it clear that they're not ready to give up his music," Sinatra Jr. told the AP interviewer. "For me, it's a big, fat gift to perform my dad's material. I get to sing with a big orchestra and get to sing orchestrations that will never be old." Sinatra Jr. was married in 1998, but divorced in 2000. He is survived by a son, Michael.
2
(April 30, 1967) Nancy Sinatra performed "Somethin' Stupid" with brother Frank Sinatra Jr. on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (1967). Nancy and father Frank Sinatra had just had a number 1 hit with the song in the United States and the United Kingdom, the only father-daughter duet ever to top the charts.
3
The younger Frank Sinatra Jr. died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest while on tour in Daytona Beach, Florida, (March 16, 2016, age 72). His real name was Francis Wayne Sinatra -- his father's full name was Francis Albert Sinatra -- but he went professionally by Frank Sinatra Jr. -- Francis Wayne Sinatra Junior, was the middle child of Frank Albert Sinatra and Nancy Barbara Sinatra, who was the elder Sinatra's first wife and the mother of all three of his children. Sinatra Jr.'s older sister was Nancy Sandra Sinatra, born June 8, 1940 in Jersey City, N.J., who had a successful musical career career of her own, and his younger sister was TV producer Christina - "Tina" - Sinatra born in Los Angeles, California on June 20th, 1948. Sinatra Jr. was born in Jersey City, N.J. in 1943, just as his father's career was getting started, and he would watch his dad become one of the most famous successful popular singers of all time. But he usually watched from a distance, as Sinatra was constantly away on tour engagements and was becoming a movie film star in Hollywood's feature film industry. Junior did, however, sometimes get to see him from the off side stage wings, especially when his father performed for long stints in Las Vegas. Sinatra Jr. was able to meet and see many other storied performers, too, such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Count Basie. "I saw all the top stars perform," Sinatra Jr. told the AP in 2002. Junior said one of his favorite memories of his father was a show in the late 1960s at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. "He was sitting on a little stool, and he sang the Beatles song 'Yesterday' and 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' and 'Didn't We,' " Sinatra Jr. related. "We were all crying and singing.".
4
Francis Wayne Sinatra Jr. had nearly two dozen television and feature film credits as an actor, including appearances on "The Love Boat" and "Marcus Welby, M.D.." Most recently Sinatra Jr. provided his own voice for two television series episodes of "Family Guy.".
5
Frank Sinatra Jr., who carried on his famous father's legacy with his own music career and whose kidnapping as a young man added a bizarre chapter to his father's legendary life. When Sinatra Jr. was 19 in 1963, three men kidnapped him at gunpoint from a Lake Tahoe hotel. He was returned safely after two days when his family paid $240,000 for his release. Barry Keenan, a high school friend of Nancy Sinatra, was arrested with the other two suspects, Johnny Irwin and Joe Amsler, and convicted of conspiracy and kidnapping. Keenan masterminded the kidnapping, prosecution said. Keenan was sentenced to life plus 75 years in prison, but was declared legally insane at the time of the crime, had his sentence reduced and was paroled in 1968 after serving 4-1/2 years.
$50 Million
