Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra has always done it his way. But which way did the producers of the upcoming "Sinatra" TV miniseries do it? Did they tell the real story of the performer's long, legendary career, or did they create a sanitized version, minus the Mafia associations, the marital infidelities and the ties to various politicos? With the imprimatur given the project by Sinatra--he cooperated in its production and has sanctioned it as an "official" biography, in lieu of a book--and with the presence of his youngest daughter, Tina, as executive producer, skeptics could be excused for expecting a fawning tale, a whitewashed rendering of the controversial entertainer's life story.

It's hard to fathom that Tony Bennett hasn't been here forever, smiling broadly in a tux and singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco. " But not only was there a world before Tony Bennett, there was a Tony Bennett before Tony Bennett: Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Queens in 1926, he broke in the early '50s with "Because of You" and a series of elegant albums on Columbia. He struggled at times with the dominance of rock music, but he's been on an upswing since the mid-'80s. Between a popular MTV Unplugged album with guest spots for Elvis Costello andk.d.

The Chairman of the Board was easily bored. Frank Sinatra didn't like to dwell on things. Keeping things moving was his credo. Working in television was anything but quick, so it wasn't a medium he embraced. "I love the fact that he was very impatient," says Bill Zehme, author of 1997's "The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'. " "That was the drawback of him doing TV. Thank God, he was uncomfortable with TV. If he had taken to it like a fish takes to water, it wouldn't have been as literally as special when he did do TV. " In the mid-'60s, Sinatra found a format on television that fit his larger-than-life persona and captured his artistry.

The once-famed Steel Pier on the long-faded Atlantic City Boardwalk will invest more than $100 million on new amusement rides and entertainment venues after scrapping plans to revive its centerpiece diving horse act amid an outcry by animal rights activists. PHOTOS: New rides at Steel Pier in Atlantic City Located across from Donald Trump's Taj Mahal casino on the New Jersey shore, the 1,000-foot-long amusement pier will add 11 rides, an arcade, nightclub, museum and ballroom during a four-year expansion project.

Frank Sinatra has received many fabulous and deserved tributes for his extraordinary gifts as a singer from his rich and famous friends. And now a few words from his "poorest of the poor" friends on skid row. The Chairman of the Board quietly and without any publicity or fanfare sent me large amounts of money to distribute among the poor and homeless here in Los Angeles. I asked over 1,500 people on skid row (whom I see each Sunday) their reaction to Sinatra's passing. The tribute I liked the most was from a "long-timer" who said from the heart, "Of all Sinatra's songs, my favorite was his rendition of the song 'High Hopes,' because I have high hopes of getting off of skid row!"

The Times has received 221 letters commenting on its decision not to print all of Garry Trudeau's Doon e sbury strips on Frank Sinatra; 206 criticized The Times' decision and/or praised Trudeau; 15 criticized Trudeau and/or praised Sinatra. I commend you for canceling the Doonesbury cartoons. I'm surprised that your editors allowed the first panel to be published. Now, as to the qualifications for Frank Sinatra to receive the medal from the President. Sinatra has probably done more for charitable organizations than Trudeau by 10 times, maybe 100 times.

What actor-crooner gave Marlon Brando the nickname Mr. Mumbles? Frank Sinatra

There's one upside to rising gas prices: Some hotels are bringing back the gas card as a perk. The Riviera Palm Springs offers a $50 gas card with your stay this spring. And with gasoline prices hovering around $4.40 a gallon in the L.A. area, who doesn't need a little extra gas money? The deal: The Riviera opened in the late 1950s and still has its historic, Midcentury glamour, although it was updated in 2008. Frank Sinatra performed here, and Elvis Presley visited with his band.

Singer Nancy Sinatra has sold her home in Beverly Hills for $5.3 million. The 8,085-square-foot house, built in 1990, features an open floor plan in which a main living area, a den/media room and a lounge with a bar flow into one another. There are five bedrooms and 61/2 bathrooms. The one-third-acre site includes a swimming pool, a cabana and a two-story guesthouse. Sinatra, 71, is the daughter of entertainer Frank Sinatra and his first wife, Nancy. Among her 1960s hit songs were "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," "Sugar Town" and "Somethin' Stupid," which she sang with her father.

Beryl Davis, a British-born singer who became a star in America performing with Frank Sinatra and Benny Goodman during the big-band era, died Friday in Los Angeles. She was 87. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer's disease, according to family spokesman Greg Purdy. The daughter of English band leader Harry Davis, she was born in Plymouth, England, on March 16, 1924, and began performing with her father at the age of 3. At 12 she was appearing with Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt in their all-string jazz band, Quintette du Hot Club de France.

I'm the girl in the blue dress dancing on Frank Sinatra's hat. I'm also on a key chain and a magnet. I'm not in the production of Twyla Tharp's musical "Come Fly Away" that's reaching the Pantages Theatre this week, but I'm proud my image is being used for publicity. There we are, my trusty partner and I, locked in a cameo dance embrace. My knee is wrapped faithfully around his waist. We are staring at each other's noses. I've seen this pose replicated over and over during the credits for "Dancing With the Stars.

An estate in Holmby Hills once owned by Frank Sinatra is on the market at $23.5 million. On more than two acres, the gated house is surrounded by expanses of lawn and mature trees. A large courtyard sits at the center of the hacienda-style home, built in 1936. There are seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms and 8,631 square feet of living space. Sinatra, who died in 1998 at 82, won an Oscar for his supporting role in "From Here to Eternity" (1953) and entertained generations of music fans with hits including "My Way" and "Come Fly With Me. " Public records show the property sold last year for $18.5 million.

Fairmont Newport Beach has adopted seven goats in an attempt to promote fresh local produce and ingredients.  The interesting initiative (stunt?) is in collaboration with Drake Farms Goat Dairy, where the female goats reside. The farm uses the goats' milk to produce organic and sustainable goat cheese . . . . The historic London Bridge , relocated in part to Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and dedicated into service 40 years ago this October, is being updated with energy-saving LED lamps.

The Hollywood Bowl has long been a favorite place to shoot movie and TV scenes. One of the first major films to shoot at the Bowl was 1937's iconic tale of Hollywood, "A Star Is Born" — that's where fledgling actress Janet Gaynor encounters drunk superstar Norman Maine (Fredric March). Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly sneak into the Bowl in 1945's "Anchors Aweigh. " Other films using the Cahuenga Pass landmark are 1944's "Double Indemnity" and 1980's "Xanadu. " TV series that have filmed there include "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Seinfeld" and "Melrose Place.