Known for movies

Short Info

DiedFebruary 6, 2007, San Diego, California, United States
SpouseMarcia Ann Kline, Nan Grey, That Lucky Old Sun, Rawhide, High Moon
FactWas 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.


Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, was an American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned nearly 75 years. Often described as “one of the great voices of the 20th century”, Laine was a versatile singer who was successful in a wide range of genres, including pop, jazz, country, and western. His signature style was a mixture of smooth crooning and powerful belting, which he used to great effect on songs like “That’s My Desire”, “Mule Train”, and “Rawhide”.

Laine was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Italian immigrants. He began his singing career in the 1930s as a member of the Harmonicats, a popular harmonica-based group. He soon began working as a solo artist, and his first big hit came in 1945 with “That’s My Desire”. Over the next few years, Laine had a string of hits, including “Mule Train”, “Jezebel”, and “High Noon”. He also began appearing in films, most notably in the 1952 western classic High Noon.

In the late 1950s, Laine’s career began to slow down somewhat, but he made a comeback in the 1960s with a series of successful albums and singles, including “The Impossible Dream” and “Theme from Rawhide”. He continued to perform and record into the 21st century, and his final album, Frankie Laine: The Platinum Collection, was released in 2006.

Laine was married three times and had four children. His first marriage, to actress Nan Grey, ended in divorce. His second marriage, to actress Marjorie Lane, lasted until her death in 1974. His third marriage, to model Anita Ekberg, lasted from 1976 until her death in 1984.

Laine died on February 6, 2007, at the age of 93. At the time of his death, he was survived by his fourth wife, Peggy Lee.

Frankie Laine was one of the most popular and successful singers of the 20th century. He enjoyed a long and successful career that spanned nearly 75 years. He was a versatile singer who was equally at home singing pop, jazz, country, or western songs. He was known for his smooth crooning style and his powerful belting voice. Some of his most popular songs include “That’s My Desire”, “Mule Train”, “Jezebel”, and “High Noon”.

General Info

Full NameFrankie Laine
DiedFebruary 6, 2007, San Diego, California, United States
ProfessionActor, Singer, Songwriter, That Lucky Old Sun, Rawhide, High Moon
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseMarcia Ann Kline, Nan Grey, That Lucky Old Sun, Rawhide, High Moon
ChildrenJan Steiger
ParentsJohn Lo Vecchio, Anna Lo Vecchio, That Lucky Old Sun, Rawhide, High Moon
SiblingsPhil Lo Vecchio

Accomplishments

AwardsGrammy Hall of Fame
NominationsNME Award for World's Outstanding Popular Singer, NME Award for Favourite US Male Singer, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Male Singer, That Lucky Old Sun, Rawhide, High Moon
MoviesHe Laughed Last, Bring Your Smile Along, Sunny Side of the Street, When You're Smiling, Frankie Laine: European Concert, Moments to Remember: The Golden Hits of the '50s and '60s, Frankie Laine: Live at the Orleans

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1[(from an interview for the book "Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music"] . . . if I had it to do over again, there is one thing I would change. I would make it [success] happen maybe ten years sooner. Ten years is a good stretch of scuffling. But I scuffled for 17 years before it happened and 17 is a bit much.
2[in a 1987 interview] When people nowadays say that [Elvis Presley] was the first white guy to sound black, I have to shake my head; what can you do? At the time of "That's My Desire", they were saying that I was the only white guy around who sounded black.
3In my leaner days I failed many an audition because, I was told, I sounded "too black" . . . I'm certain the confusion was the direct result of the music that influenced me while I was developing my style. I guess I became the first of the so-called blue-eyed soul singers.

Facts

#Fact
1Was 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.
2A 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, now defunct.
3Sang the theme song for the TV series, Rawhide (1959), which ran on CBS-TV from 1959 to 1965.
4One of his dance partners during the Depression marathons was jazz vocalist Anita O'Day. Red Skelton was an M.C.
5He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6385 Hollywood Boulevard and for Television at 1645 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
6Tex Ritter sang the title song from High Noon (1952) but Laine's recording reached No. 5 in the Billboard charts, besting Ritter's version, which peaked at No. 12.
7Stepfather of Jan Steiger and Pam Donner.
8Brother of Phil Lo Vecchio.
9Earned a living as a marathon dancer before his big break.
10His musical influences included Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday.
11Earned more than 20 gold records, and sold over 100 million records.
12Son of Sicilian immigrants.
13His big breakthrough came when Hoagy Carmichael heard him sing in a Los Angeles nightclub.
14He had 2 stepchildren from Nan Grey's first marriage.
15When Mel Brooks advertised in the show business trade papers for a "Frankie Laine-type" voice to sing the title song for Blazing Saddles (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.

Pictures

Movies

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo1979-1981TV Series singer - 38 episodes
Rango1967TV Series singer - 17 episodes
Rawhide1959-1965TV Series singer - 217 episodes
Gunslinger1961TV Series singer - 4 episodes
The Adventures of Champion1955TV Series vocalist - 4 episodes
Thunder in the East1951band: vocals - uncredited
The Kid from Brooklyn1946singing voice: "fatso" - uncredited

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Who's Doing the Dishes?2016TV Series writer - 1 episode
Pop Charts Britannia: 60 Years of the Top 102012TV Movie documentary performer: "I Believe"
The Footy Show2011TV Series performer - 1 episode
Mafia II2010Video Game performer: "JEZEBEL"
Banda sonora2009TV Series performer - 1 episode
That's Amore!: Italian-American Favorites2008TV Movie performer: "That's My Desire" - uncredited
Mad Men2007TV Series performer - 1 episode
Hollywoodland2006performer: "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
Cold Case2004TV Series performer - 1 episode
A Dirty Shame2004performer: "Tell Me A Story"
Chopper2000performer: "Don't Fence Me In"
Little Voice1998performer: "Rawhide"
The Beatles Anthology1995TV Mini-Series documentary performer: "Jezebel"
Bye Bye Love1995performer: "Rawhide"
Tohuwabohu1995TV Series performer - 1 episode
Jennifer 81992performer: "High Noon Do Not Forsake Me"
Mac1992performer: "MULE TRAIN"
Whore1991performer: "LOVE OF LOVES" / writer: "LOVE OF LOVES"
Men Don't Leave1990performer: "RAWHIDE"
Cannon and Ball1982TV Series performer - 1 episode
Raging Bull1980performer: "That's My Desire" 1947
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo1979TV Series performer: "The Ballad of Sheriff Lobo"
Going Steady1979performer: "My Little One"
House Calls1978performer: "On the sunny side of the street"
Lemon Popsicle1978performer: "My Little One"
All This and World War II1976Documentary performer: "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
The 47th Annual Academy Awards1975TV Special performer: "Benji's Theme I Feel Love", "Blazing Saddles", "We May Never Love Like This Again"
Blazing Saddles1974performer: "Blazing Saddles"
The Last Picture Show1971performer: "Rose, Rose, I Love You" - uncredited
Music Scene1969TV Series performer - 1 episode
Rango1967TV Series performer: "Rango"
The Mike Douglas Show1964TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Gunslinger1961TV Series performer: Theme song
The 32nd Annual Academy Awards1960TV Special performer: "The Hanging Tree"
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show1959TV Series performer - 1 episode
Make Room for Daddy1959TV Series performer - 1 episode
Rawhide1959TV Series "Rawhide Theme"
Bullwhip1958performer: "Bullwhip"
The Frank Sinatra Show1958TV Series writer - 1 episode
3:10 to Yuma1957performer: "3:10 to Yuma"
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957performer: "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" 1957
He Laughed Last1956performer: "Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow", "Danny Boy"
Meet Me in Las Vegas1956performer: "Hell Hath No Fury"
Bring Your Smile Along1955performer: "Bring Your Smile Along", "When A Girl Is Beautiful", "If Spring Never Comes", "Italian Mother Song Mama Mia", "Side By Side", "Mama Mia", "The Gandy Dancers' Ball"
Strange Lady in Town1955performer: "Strange Lady in Town"
Man Without a Star1955"Man Without A Star"
Blowing Wild1953performer: "Blowing Wild" The Ballad of Black Gold
Castle in the Air1952performer: "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams", "The Girl In The Wood", "Wonderful Wasn't It", "There's A Rainbow Round My Shoulder"
Sunny Side of the Street1951performer: "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die", "I May Be Wrong But I Think You're Wonderful"
The Frank Sinatra Show1951TV Series performer - 1 episode
When You're Smiling1950performer: "When You're Smiling", "Georgia On My Mind"
Make Believe Ballroom1949performer: "On The Sunny Side Of The Street"
The Kid from Brooklyn1946performer: "Hey! What's Your Name?" 1946

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Burke's Law1963TV SeriesKelly Rogers
Bachelor Father1961TV Series
Rawhide1960TV SeriesRalph Bartlet
Make Room for Daddy1959TV SeriesFrankie Laine
Perry Mason1959TV SeriesDanny Ross
Rock 'Em Cowboy1958ShortFrankie Laine
He Laughed Last1956Gino Lupo
Meet Me in Las Vegas1956Frankie Laine
Bring Your Smile Along1955Jerry Dennis
Castle in the Air1952Frankie Laine
All Star Revue1952TV SeriesGuest Vocalist
Sunny Side of the Street1951Singer Frankie Laine
When You're Smiling1950Frankie Laine
Make Believe Ballroom1949Singer Frankie Laine

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Adventures of Champion1955TV Series vocalist - 1 episode

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Last Picture Show1971for their music we thank: courtesy of Columbia Records

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
That's Amore!: Italian-American Favorites2008TV MovieHimself
Moments to Remember: My Music2006TV Movie documentaryHimself
Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer2006Video documentaryHimself
Walk on By: The Story of Popular Song2001TV Series documentaryHimself
E! True Hollywood Story1996TV Series documentaryHimself
Looks Familiar1982TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Cannon and Ball1982TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
London Night Out1981TV SeriesHimself
American Bandstand's 30th Anniversary Special1981TV MovieHimself
The People's Command Performance1978TV SpecialHimself
Celebrity Bowling1973-1977TV SeriesHimself
The Hollywood Squares1977TV SeriesGuest Appearance
The Lynne Gordon Show1977TV SeriesHimself
Dinah!1975TV SeriesHimself
The 47th Annual Academy Awards1975TV SpecialHimself - Performer: Blazing Saddles and Performer: We May Never Love Like This Again & Benji's Theme (I Feel Love)
The Mike Douglas Show1964-1974TV SeriesHimself - Vocalist / Himself - Co-Host / Himself
Hee Haw1973TV SeriesHimself - Special Guest
The Hollywood Palace1970TV SeriesHimself - Singer
Music Scene1969TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
The David Frost Show1969TV SeriesHimself
Della1969TV SeriesHimself
The Joey Bishop Show1967-1969TV SeriesHimself
The Ed Sullivan Show1950-1968TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Singer
The Pat Boone Show1967TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962-1966TV SeriesHimself - Guest / Himself
The Merv Griffin Show1965TV SeriesHimself
That Regis Philbin Show1965TV SeriesHimself
What's My Line?1952-1960TV SeriesHimself - Mystery Guest
The 32nd Annual Academy Awards1960TV SpecialHimself - Presenter
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show1957-1959TV SeriesHimself - Singer / Himself - Vocalist
The Garry Moore Show1958-1959TV SeriesHimself - Guest Host / Himself
The All-Star Christmas Show1958TV MovieHimself
The Milton Berle Show1958TV SeriesHimself
The Big Record1958TV SeriesHimself
Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium1957TV SeriesHimself
The Nat King Cole Show1957TV SeriesHimself - Singer
Person to Person1957TV Series documentaryHimself
The Walter Winchell Show1956TV SeriesHimself
Frankie Laine Time1955-1956TV SeriesHimself - Host
Shower of Stars1955-1956TV SeriesHimself, Frankie Laine / Himself - Singer / Himself - Guest Vocalist / ...
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall1955TV SeriesHimself
Music 551955TV Series documentaryHimself
The Frankie Laine Show1954TV SeriesHimself - Singer
The Colgate Comedy Hour1953TV SeriesHimself
All Star Revue1952TV SeriesHimself - Guest Vocalist
Screen Snapshots: Meet Mr. Rhythm, Frankie Laine1952Documentary shortHimself
The Frank Sinatra Show1951TV SeriesHimself - Singer / Himself - Comedian
The Jerry Colonna Show1951TV SeriesHimself
Texaco Star Theatre1950TV SeriesHimself - Singer

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Screen Snapshots: Mr. Rhythm's Holiday1956Documentary shortHimself

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1998Golden BootGolden Boot Awards
1960Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameTelevisionOn 8 February 1960. At 1645 Vine Street
1960Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameRecordingOn 8 February 1960. At 6385 Hollywood Blvd.

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1955Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsBest Male Singer

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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