Trivia

When Mel Brooks advertised in the show business trade papers for a "Frankie Laine-type" voice to sing the title song for Le shérif est en prison (1974), he expected a good imitation of the real Laine. Instead, Laine himself showed at Brooks' office two days later, ready to do the job. He got the job and sang the Oscar-nominated title song again at the Academy Awards the following year.

Sang the theme song for the TV series, Rawhide (1959), which ran on CBS-TV from 1959 to 1965.

One of his dance partners during the Depression marathons was jazz vocalist Anita O'Day. Red Skelton was an M.C.

His big breakthrough came when Hoagy Carmichael heard him sing in a Los Angeles nightclub.

Tex Ritter sang the title song from Le train sifflera trois fois (1952) but Laine's recording reached No. 5 in the Billboard charts, besting Ritter's version, which peaked at #12.

Earned a living as a marathon dancer before his big break.

Brother of Phil Lo Vecchio.

He was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6385 Hollywood Blvd. and for Television at 1645 Vine St.

A businessman as well as a singer, Laine owned the Frankie Laine Rambler auto dealership in the Los Angeles area in the 1960s. Rambler was a model manufactured by Nash Motors, which eventually changed its name to American Motors Corporation, and manufactured the Gremlin, the Pacer and the Javelin. The company went out of business in 1988.

Son of Sicilian immigrants.

Earned more than 20 gold records, and sold over 100 million records.

Was first and primarily a popular singer. With songs on the charts as late as the 1970s he was most popular during the late 1940s and early 1950s when he had several top 20 hits.

His musical influences included Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday.

He had 2 stepchildren from Nan Grey's first marriage.

Stepfather of Jan Steiger and Pam Donner.