Frankie Laine(1913-2007)
- Music Department
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Singer, composer and author Frankie Laine was born March 30, 1913 in
Chicago. His real name was Francesco Paulo LoVecchio and he lived in
Chicago's Little Italy. Frankie was the oldest of eight children born
to Sicilian immigrants John and Anna Lo Vecchio, who had come from
Monreale, Sicily near Palermo. His father first worked as a water-boy
for the Chicago Railroad and he was eventually promoted to laying
rails. His father subsequently went to a Trade School and became a
barber. One of his most famous clients was gangster
Al Capone. Frankie made his first appearance
in a choir at the Immaculate Conception Church where he was an altar
boy. At 15, he performed at the Merry Garden Ballroom in Chicago while
attending Lane Technical School. He supported himself by working as a
car salesman, bouncer in a beer parlor and as a machinist. He also sang
at a weekly radio station (wins) for $5.00 per week. The program
director for wins convinced him to change his name to Frankie Laine
after he auditioned for the radio. His name was stretched out to
Frankie because opera singer Frances Lane
(Dorothy Kirsten) and Fanny Rose
(Dinah Shore) were singing at nearby radio
station WNEW. At 18, he went to Baltimore and participated in a
marathon dance contest after coming off the heels of winning ones in
Stamford, CT. and Chicago. Laine set an all-time marathon dance record
of 3501 hours in 145 consecutive days in 1932 at Wilson's Pier in
Atlantic City, New Jersey and his competition was an Olympic miler
named Joey Ray and included 101 other contestants. Altogether, he
participated in 14 marathons, winning three, second once and fifth
twice. His last contest was back in Chicago at the Arcadia where a
14-year-old girl was disqualified because the judges found out her age.
She later became successful singer,
Anita O'Day.
Laine moved to Los Angeles, California and worked at a defense plant. One day, he noticed a boy struggling in a neighborhood swimming pool and saved him from drowning. His name was Ronnie Como, son of singer Perry Como. Coincidentally, Laine replaced Como on the Frankie Carlone band. Laine was working at Hollywood and Vine in the Billy Berg Club when he was discovered by Hoagy Carmichael after Carmichael heard him sing his song "Old Rocking Chair". The house trio was led by none other than Nat 'King' Cole. Laine introduced the song "That's My Desire" at the Vine Street Club in Hollywood, California. He was also a first class jazz singer and, by 1952, he was among the top recording stars and had his own show at the London Palladium. He also made a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1950, he married Nan Grey, an actress, and raised her two children from a previous marriage. He joined ASCAP in 1952, and his chief musical collaborator was Carl Fischer. He toured Britain in 1988, singing as vigorously as ever. He has experienced open heart surgery (quad by-pass) and still performs. In the 1980s, he observed children in a park without shoes in the wintertime and petitioned radio stations across the United States to raise money to buy shoes at Christmas time for poor families with children. Thousands and thousands of dollars have been raised to benefit this effort. Some of Laine's finest hits include "That's My Desire" (1947), "Mule Train" (1949), "Jezebel, Cry of the Wild Goose" (1950), "On the Sunny Side Of The Street" (1951), "I Believe" (1953) and "Moonlight Gambler" in 1957. He sang the title song for the hit TV series, Rawhide (1959), that starred Clint Eastwood in the early 1960s. He co-wrote "We'll Be Together Again". His wife passed away in recent years and he makes his home in San Diego, California.
Laine moved to Los Angeles, California and worked at a defense plant. One day, he noticed a boy struggling in a neighborhood swimming pool and saved him from drowning. His name was Ronnie Como, son of singer Perry Como. Coincidentally, Laine replaced Como on the Frankie Carlone band. Laine was working at Hollywood and Vine in the Billy Berg Club when he was discovered by Hoagy Carmichael after Carmichael heard him sing his song "Old Rocking Chair". The house trio was led by none other than Nat 'King' Cole. Laine introduced the song "That's My Desire" at the Vine Street Club in Hollywood, California. He was also a first class jazz singer and, by 1952, he was among the top recording stars and had his own show at the London Palladium. He also made a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1950, he married Nan Grey, an actress, and raised her two children from a previous marriage. He joined ASCAP in 1952, and his chief musical collaborator was Carl Fischer. He toured Britain in 1988, singing as vigorously as ever. He has experienced open heart surgery (quad by-pass) and still performs. In the 1980s, he observed children in a park without shoes in the wintertime and petitioned radio stations across the United States to raise money to buy shoes at Christmas time for poor families with children. Thousands and thousands of dollars have been raised to benefit this effort. Some of Laine's finest hits include "That's My Desire" (1947), "Mule Train" (1949), "Jezebel, Cry of the Wild Goose" (1950), "On the Sunny Side Of The Street" (1951), "I Believe" (1953) and "Moonlight Gambler" in 1957. He sang the title song for the hit TV series, Rawhide (1959), that starred Clint Eastwood in the early 1960s. He co-wrote "We'll Be Together Again". His wife passed away in recent years and he makes his home in San Diego, California.
