Frank. In Palm Springs that one name says it all.

It's been almost three decades since Ol' Blue Eyes passed away. But his presence here in the Valley is as strong as when he lived and entertained here. In this episode, I take a look at when Frank came to Palm Springs and his impact as a celebrity and philanthropist in the Valley.

This episode of A Bert’s Eye View is brought to you by Modernism Week— the celebration of midcentury and modern architecture, design, and culture in sunny Palm Springs, California. Join the fun in October and February with tours, talks, parties, and more—tickets and details at ⁠modernismweek.com⁠.

The information presented in this podcast is for general knowledge and entertainment purposes only. All research that was done and opinions expressed are our own and not necessarily those of Modernism Week.

Episode Transcript

(00:06):
Hey there and welcome to Upper'siview.
My name is Bert and I'm the Buster Operations Manager for
Modernism Week in Palm Springs, CA.
I coordinate all of our double Decker bus tours during our
Modernism Week festivals in February and October.
Many of you have been our guestsand we hope that you'll return.
If you haven't joined us yet, please do.

(00:28):
It's a great introduction to ourcity and its architecture.
While doing research for the bustours, I come across a lot of
information that we just don't have time to share.
This series of podcasts will highlight some of those
interesting details that we cannot cover during your short
time with us. So TuneIn and enjoy a bird's eye

(00:49):
view. More than 25 years after his
death, the name Frank Sinatra still has a remarkable allure in
Palm Springs. Last year we started the Sinatra
Rat Pack Homes and Hangouts Bus Tour and it's been immensely
popular with our guests selling out every tour.

(01:12):
Modernism Week events featuring Sinatra book up early and fast.
Why does the Sultan of Swoon still have this incredible draw
nearly 3 decades after his passing?
It's believed that Sinatra's songwriting buddy Jimmy Van
Heusen first introduced him to Palm Springs.
Van Heusen piloted a small planeand had to stop for fuel in Palm

(01:34):
Springs on his way to Los Angeles from New York in 1940.
Van Heusen liked the climate here and urged Sinatra to check
it out for himself. Sinatra was soon seen at the
Chichi Club downtown dancing with Lana Turner and flirting
with Ava Gardner. In May 1947, he walked into
architect E Stewart Williams office and asked him to design A

(01:56):
mansion that had to be ready by New Year's Eve.
Instead of the Georgian plantation house that Sinatra
envisioned, Williams came up with a modern single story home
that fit the desert environment.Sinatra gave the go ahead and
construction on what would become his Twin Palms estate
began in order to meet Sinatra'smove in deadline.

(02:17):
Construction proceeded around the clock with workers putting
in a lot of overtime. The deadline was met and Frank
had spent $150,000 to have his house built.
That's about 2.3 million in 2025dollars.
He moved in with wife Nancy and their children Frank Junior and
Nancy. Daughter Tina, while not born in
Palm Springs, came along a year later in 1948.

(02:41):
Here's his daughter Nancy, with a fond memory of a drive in Palm
Springs with her dad. Jerry's Market, Frankie and I
would get in the Jeep with dad. We had to have a Jeep because
the roads were not paved still except for the main drag.
Palm Canyon Indian Ave. was evena dirt Rd. in those days.

(03:02):
Anyway, we'd get in the Jeep andwe'd drive over to Jerry's
Market and we would do our Frankie and I would do our
little shopping for the penny candies and stuff.
There was not much out here backin the late 40s, but Jerry's was
a great little market. While Jerry's Market is long
gone, the building now houses the Heyday Restaurant.

(03:25):
After divorcing Nancy, Frank kept the house at Twin Palms and
a Cadillac, and actress Ava Gardner moved in.
Their marriage was volatile, andit's rumored that Frank threw a
champagne bottle at Ava, missed,and cracked the sink in the
bathroom. We're not sure if that's true.
We do know that during one argument, when Ava was mad at
him, she threw all his belongings outside the gate,

(03:47):
whereupon Frank called the Palm Springs police.
Frank and Ava separated in 1953,and the divorce was finalized in
1957, the same year that Frank sold Twin Palms.
He'd been living in a small cottage in Rancho Mirage since
1954, which he expanded over theyears until it became a 2 1/2
acre compound with a main house,movie theater and five guest

(04:10):
cottages. The compound is still there on
Frank Sinatra Drive. Sinatra and his Rat Pack, Dean
Martin, Sammy Davis Junior and Peter Lawford's homes and
Hangouts are still here. You can have dinner at his table
at Melvin's Restaurant, stand onthe stage where he stood at the
Purple Room, have a drink at theLobby bar at the Riviera, eat at

(04:33):
Johnny Costa's who was once his private chef, or play golf at
the Indian Canyon Country Club where he participated in
numerous charity tournaments. Old Blue eyes may not be alive
anymore, but Palm Springs remember his presence and
philanthropy with fondness. He will always remain a part of
this valley. Francis Albert Sinatra is buried

(04:55):
at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, along with a
bottle of Jack Daniels and a roll of Lifesavers.
His grave is not far from the songwriter friend that brought
him out here. Jimmy Van Heusen thanks the two
of our bus tour guides, Lori Anderson and Mike Veneer, who
developed the Sinatra Rat Pack Homes and Hangouts Bus Tours,

(05:15):
for making sure my information here is accurate.
The three of us hope to see you on a tour soon.
Support for a bird's eye view comes from Modernism Week,
celebrating global modernism andPalm Springs design each October
and February. [e-mail].