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Published by Published by Michael Joseph Ltd., 26 Bloomsbury Street, London First Edition . 1962., 1962
Seller: Little Stour Books PBFA Member, Canterbury, United Kingdom
Association Member: PBFA
First Edition
First edition hard back binding in publisher's original black cloth covers, white lettering to spine and upper panel. Quarto 10" x 7½" 64 pp. Monochrome photographic illustrations on glossy silk art paper. In very near Fine condition, no dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. CINEMA, SCREEN & FILMS.
Published by Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1962
Seller: dC&A Books, Crockett, CA, U.S.A.
Book Signed
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 64 p. sm. 4to. Publisher's black paper hardcover, white stamped title on spine and front board, black/white photo illustrated endpapers with text interspersed with black/white plates, matte black/white dust jacket. Blue ink gift inscription on the dedication page reads, "Mel - Meet me in Las Vegas - your job of a lifetime awaits you, dear. Frankie Baby." Measures: .31 W x 7.5 D x 10 H inches. Provenance: Northern California Estate. In 1943, Mel Tormé (1925-1999) made his movie debut in Frank Sinatra's (1915-1998) first film, the musical Higher and Higher. Both their stars were on the rise. But once the 1960s hit, Tormé's career (at least on records) started to quickly decline as Sinatra became an uber celebrity. Part of how Sinatra used his celebrity power was by promoting other artists, notably Black performers in the 1960s in Las Vegas such as Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990), one of his Rat Pack. After Frank Sinatra left his 1950s residency at the Desert Inn, he began performing at the Copa Room, Sands Hotel in the 1960s. The book's gift inscription suggests a probable reference to Las Vegas residency opportunities, such as Mel Tormé's opening act for Rich Little's (1938- ) residency at the Sands Hotel, among others. For instance, Sammy Davis, Jr., once allowed Mel Tormé to open for his Las Vegas act, but he soon discovered that Mel's show was too hard to follow. The audience was totally spent by the time Sammy got on stage. Anyway, that was the story told by a Vegas gambler. (Wiki, Mel Tormé: Best Male Jazz Vocalist) Content: An intimate portrait of Sinatra the entertainer, Sinatra the millionaire entrepreneur, Sinatra the pal - every facet of an enigmatic personality is explored. About the author: Robin Douglas-Home (1932-1968) was a British aristocrat, jazz pianist, journalist and leading society figure during the 1950s and 1960s. Douglas-Home met Sinatra in London and was struck by how far the public image missed the mark. He and Sinatra hit it off. Sinatra invited him back to the US where he tagged along for two whole months. The outcome is this provocative study, an analysis of a latterday phenomenon - the one, the only, Frank Sinatra. CONDITION NOTES: Book condition: Very good; light age-toned text pages, strong square spine/tight binding, clean cover. Dust jacket: Good -; wear commensurate with age and use; e.g. tears and loss at extremities, price clipped front flap, rubbed covers. See images. A nice copy. Inscribed by Author(s).