Frank Sinatra, in full Francis Albert Sinatra, (born December 12, 1915, Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.—died May 14, 1998, Los Angeles, California), American singer and motion-picture actor who, through a long career and a very public personal life, became one of the most sought-after performers in the entertainment industry; he is often hailed as the greatest American singer of 20th-century popular music. Sinatra’s father, Martin, was a tavern owner and part-time prizefighter, and his mother, Natalie—known to all as “Dolly”—was a domineering influence both in local politics and in her son’s life and career. Upon hearing the recordings of Bing Crosby, Sinatra was inspired as a teenager to choose popular singing as a vocation.
