Symphonic Sinatra

Los Angeles last week faced the biggest problem of U.S. outdoor-summer-symphony boosters: how to use Frank Sinatra, the King of Swoon, to bolster a sagging summer-symphony budget, while holding one's nose and dignity.

In Washington and Cleveland Sinatra appeared on summer programs with only temporary damage to symphonic dignity and considerable benefit to the box office. In Manhattan the Philharmonic hired him and held its nose all for nothing--he scarcely half-filled the bleachers of Lewisohn Stadium

The announcement of Frankie's appearance in the Hollywood Bowl had thrown Los Angeles high-brow music lovers into a self-righteous williwaw, Sinatra's fans at Pasadena, where he got off the train, into a squealing ecstasy (see cut). But Frankie's Los Angeles symphonic debut was like the calm after the storm.

As he led into Dancing in the Dark, only a self-conscious handful of female fans whinnied "Oh Frankie!" Halfheartedly, the press photographers posed a couple of shots of Hollywood babes "rushing" an accommodating cop or two. But when the box-office take was added the orchestra management found that Sinatra had drawn a $12,500 house, biggest of the season. Said Sinatra in a speech:

"I understand there has been a controversy out here over whether I should appear at the bowl at all. Those few people who thought I shouldn't lost out in a very big way."

A tough army sergeant cracked gloomily: "After this, I hope they won't forget to flush the bowl."

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