Authors: Adela Gregory
Crypt 33 (25 page)
The Justice Department report would detail Sinatra's relationship with gangsters in Nevada businesses, including his controlling interest in the Cal-Neva Lodge. Sam Giancana bragged to friends that he owned a piece of the place through Sinatra. While Sinatra ostensibly owned Cal-Neva, he employed Paul Emilio (Skinny) D'Amato, a New Jersey gangster who oversaw the operation on Giancana's behalf. The Nevada Gaming Commission would ultimately revoke Sinatra's license to operate the casino.
Prior to release of the report, Jack asked his brother-in-law, Peter Lawford, to spread the news that Sinatra was no longer welcome at the White House or any political functions. The “hero” of Jack's campaign had become persona non grata; he would have to forget about the planned Western White House in Palm Springs. The running joke would be that Sinatra had rebuilt his home entirely for a single visit by the President. He had added cottages for President Kennedy and the Secret Service and had installed over twenty telephone lines with a switchboard and a heliport, mimicking the one he had noticed in Hyannisport. The word came down that the President “wouldn't sleep in any bed that Giancana or any other hood slept in.” The irrevocable decision damaged Sinatra's relationship with the mob. And to add insult to injury, Chris Dumphy, a Republican from Florida, arranged for Jack to stay at Bing Crosby's home in Palm Springs instead, while the Secret Service was housed at the home of Sinatra's friend, Jimmy Van Heusen.
Giancana and Sinatra were enraged by this sudden reversal; Giancana had selected Sinatra as the mob's liaison with the President. The plan having failed, Giancana went so far as to consider a “hit” on Sinatra for his ignorance and inability to carry out his tasks. But Giancana's anger toward Sinatra eventually diminished and he instead blamed the “assholes,” the Kennedys.
By March 1961, the ongoing Giancana-Campbell-Kennedy sex triangle was in full swing, and Judith Campbell was regularly exchanging phone calls with the White House. To add more confusion and dissent, Joseph Kennedy would later deliver the message to Paul D'Amato that Bobby, despite the West Virginia primary promise, was not going to allow Joe Adonis back into the country. Then there was Carlos Marcello, who after trekking miserably through the jungles to deliver the “goods” and guns in Guatemala, had to sneak back into the country without protection. Suspicious rumors were circulating through the underworld that Marcello's refusal to back JFK in the primaries, instead throwing his weight behind Lyndon Johnson at the Democratic convention, was the cause of Bobby's anger. The truth remained that Marcello was aiding many branches of the United States government indirectly, including the administration, and it was believed that that alone should qualify for his protection. But Bobby Kennedy ignored his pleas and his formidable position. Giancana's lines of communication to the President were disintegrating. As Old Joe had advised him to do, the attorney general continued to prosecute mobsters at unprecedented rates. He enjoyed undermining the mobsters' agility and operations even while they were covertly helping the CIA.
The Bay of Pigs crisis became a debacle that defined Kennedy's shortcomings. Marcello's cries for help were completely ignored even by the CIA. Giancana offered his prize possession, Ricard Cain (formerly Ricardo Scalzitti), to “assist” the CIA. A superior marksman trained by the Chicago Police Department, a mathematical genius fluent in five languages, Cain made for a top-notch agent on loan. As the operation to promote the Cuban coup unfolded, Cain became a full-fledged operative planted to ensure success in the overthrow. With his cover as a Miami detective in place, Cain could maintain his front for the CIA. Even as the exiles trained, Giancana was planning various alternative methods for the Cuban leader's assassination. The mob enlisted the expertise of a University of Illinois chemist to devise lethal concoctions for the purpose of destroying the lives of those targeted for death by the outfit. Included in their extensive arsenal were poison-laced cigars, a lethal bacterial powder intended to be absorbed through the skin, toiletries intended to cause heart attacks, highly concentrated poisons, and injectible cancer-producing serum.
After the first mob attempt on his life failed, Castro tripled his security, but since the Americans nevertheless believed falsely that Castro lacked sufficient internal support, plans for the invasion went forward. The plans called for the initial bombardment of Cuba's coastline with a fourteen-hundred-man army of Cuban-exile soldiers, mercenaries, and undercover agents who hoped that the unhappy civilian populace would join forces to overthrow the government. Kennedy's approval of military air support would also provide cover for the operation should the invaders need it.
The fiasco began on April 14, with only half the bombers from Nicaragua originally thought necessary for cover. It was rumored that the President had canceled the order for air support. The brigade of fourteen hundred men on the Bay of Pigs beachhead was remarkably vulnerable. The Cuban army of two hundred thousand soldiers were ready and waiting to overpower the outmanned resistance fighters. Castro had known about the possible invasion and had prepared his army well. On April 16, another plea for cover was sent to the President, but again the request was denied. The mission was a complete disaster: one hundred men were killed, and the remaining rebels were easily captured, interrogated, and tortured, further compromising the American government. For years to come, national and global security would precariously hinge on Kennedy's failure to consummate the operation's objectives.
By April 24, Kennedy had released a statement taking responsibility for the invasion. Not only had it upset world security, but Castro was able to use the upper hand to negotiate a trade of 1,113 captured soldiers and 922 of their relatives for $53 million in medical supplies and baby food.
Jack Kennedy would later blame the “medication for his back pain” for his mistaken judgment. Perhaps as another excuse for his poor performance under pressure, Kennedy would also claim to Marilyn that he left the decision making during the invasion to his brother Bobby. Or perhaps he had been “coming down” from a Dr. Feelgood high. Or perhaps the drugs had caused such a euphoria that Kennedy grandiosely believed he could “do no wrong” and the invasion couldn't possibly go awry.
Caught off guard, Sam Giancana could not understand how Jack Kennedy had failed the CIA, the mob, and his country so miserably. Whatever faith he once had in Joseph Kennedy was gone. Battle lines between the Kennedys and the mob were irreversibly drawn.
16
Ol' Blue Eyes
M
arilyn's on-again, off-again relationship with Joe DiMaggio wasn't helping to stabilize her life. After enjoying another long night of lovemaking, Joe was still gone in the morning, without a word or promise of when they would see each other again. Each departure sent pangs of remorse through her body. There was no question she needed his strength and comforting. But at last she grew tired of this unfulfilling arrangement and turned her attention elsewhere.
arilyn's on-again, off-again relationship with Joe DiMaggio wasn't helping to stabilize her life. After enjoying another long night of lovemaking, Joe was still gone in the morning, without a word or promise of when they would see each other again. Each departure sent pangs of remorse through her body. There was no question she needed his strength and comforting. But at last she grew tired of this unfulfilling arrangement and turned her attention elsewhere.
Resuming lessons with Strasberg at his private workshop, Marilyn pressed forward in her quest to develop her acting talent. Knowing that the public enjoyed her most in comedy, and finally aware that she was a terrific comedienne, she began looking for a fresh, well-written comedy and the perfect director. Nearing the end of her Fox contract and eying the huge increase in salary Elizabeth Taylor had secured, Marilyn was inspired to peruse the inexhaustible supply of scripts sent her for that one treasure.
Her romantic interest in Frank Sinatra continued to bloom. Whether he was sincerely interested in her nobody would know. They shared intense lovemaking. She confessed to her maid that Sinatra knocked her out sexually and that he seemed more excited by her body than any other lover had been. He continued to send champagne and beluga caviar. Marilyn was more than happy to travel to Los Angeles to see him. She enjoyed the beauty of Beverly Hills and Malibu; the extravagant homes, the palm trees, the mountains, and the perfect weather. But her painful Los Angeles past made New York seem a more attractive residence. New Yorkers treated her with more respect than she got in Los Angeles. When Marilyn strolled down the busy streets of Manhattan, those who recognized her would often give her a gracious nod, respecting her privacy. Not so in Los Angeles.
Sinatra was making a big play for the actress. He had fun with Monroe and genuinely enjoyed her company. But he had ulterior motives. Competing with the President over the same lover, Sinatra may have wanted to upstage Kennedy by making Marilyn fall for him. JFK was thoroughly fascinated by Hollywood, subscribing to and avidly reading the trade paper,
Daily Variety,
just to keep up on the latest gossip. And then there was Sinatra's former lover, Judith Campbell, who was still seeing both Kennedy and Giancana. Sinatra and Campbell had met at Puccini's near Westwood, a Mafia hangout in which Sinatra was rumored to have an interest. Several days after their introduction, Sinatra invited the socialite to Hawaii with Peter and Pat Kennedy Lawford. Campbell found Sinatra charming at first, but his moody and promiscuous behavior was repulsive to the lady who did not want to indulge in his menage á trois. She had cried hysterically after he introduced her to group sex. But several weeks later he was inviting her to a Las Vegas opening. And it was there, in early February 1960, that Miss Campbell had been passed on to Jack Kennedy.
Daily Variety,
just to keep up on the latest gossip. And then there was Sinatra's former lover, Judith Campbell, who was still seeing both Kennedy and Giancana. Sinatra and Campbell had met at Puccini's near Westwood, a Mafia hangout in which Sinatra was rumored to have an interest. Several days after their introduction, Sinatra invited the socialite to Hawaii with Peter and Pat Kennedy Lawford. Campbell found Sinatra charming at first, but his moody and promiscuous behavior was repulsive to the lady who did not want to indulge in his menage á trois. She had cried hysterically after he introduced her to group sex. But several weeks later he was inviting her to a Las Vegas opening. And it was there, in early February 1960, that Miss Campbell had been passed on to Jack Kennedy.
No doubt Kennedy, who was extremely possessive and jealous, got vicarious thrills hearing about the Sinatra/Monroe liaison. The excitement of being with Marilyn provided the additional “perk” of possibly upstaging the singing superstar. The President, with his drug-induced hyperconfidence, loved the challenge.
Meanwhile Marilyn was taunting DiMaggio by publicly seeing Sinatra, the Yankee Clipper's archenemy since the Wrong-Door Raid. Angry at DiMaggio for his failure and resistance to commitment, Miss Monroe used Sinatra's advances to make Joe jealous. She was sure that “Joe's Italian blood would boil.”
And so the web of intrigue unreeled with each powerful player using the other to get back at the other. Marilyn's own sense of power was enhanced by the influential company she kept. After the quiet Miller, Sinatra was a breath of fresh air, providing fun and laughs galore. Arthur and Joe were both homebodies who loathed the night life; Sinatra was just the right party animal to escort her around town. Even the President himself was envious of Frank for his freewheeling single life of high style and sophistication. JFK emulated Sinatra at every turn. And Marilyn appreciated the depth and breadth of Sinatra's panache. The actress felt more comfortable with a man who understood her profession and all its obligations. And then the French poodle Maf meant more to her than “any mink coat or diamond bracelet.”
Frank didn't seem to want any more children (he had threeâTina, Nancy, and Frank, Jr.). In fact, Marilyn believed that he still loved his ex-wife, Nancy, and that after all his playing around he would someday return to her. Meantime, any man who made her feel as though “she didn't have to take sleeping pills or see a psychiatrist” was good for her.
Though Sinatra was socially smooth and had many admirers, on the inside he never had much personal confidence, and when he felt dejected he often went into wild rages. His inferiority complex would rear its ugly head many times. Numerous friends and associates, including Joe DiMaggio, disgusted and embarrassed by his tirades, refused to continue relationships with the man who made women swoon.
All the attention Sinatra showered on Monroe instilled confidence in her. She made more effort to take care of herself, losing weight off her hips and derriere, bathing more often and grooming and restoring her dry bleached tresses to their original youthful-looking luster. Frank helped her forget her personal problems. As much as she tried to dismiss Miller and the rage she held from her memory, at times she still missed him.
During the hot summer month of July in Los Angeles, Marilyn ran a high fever and chills. After examination, she was diagnosed as having gallstones, sometimes caused by anemia or diabetes. Monroe had to have her gallbladder removed, and she checked into Cedars of Lebanon Hospital for surgery. Marilyn initially resisted the operation, fearing that the resulting scar across her waistline would forever mar her body. But the doctors refused other means of treatment since her health was in immediate danger. Her physician suggested the gallstones might have been disturbing her health for months or even years. Knowing that all her fevers in the past were real and not just a product of her imagination, as the studio bosses and directors insisted, gave her some consolation.
Sufficiently recovered from the surgery by August, Marilyn accompanied Sinatra with Dean Martin and his wife, Jeanne, on a private cruise. Sinatra quickly grew frustrated with Marilyn's disorganized planning for the trip. Without her usual staff, she couldn't get going in the mornings. Monroe wasn't finding the enjoyment in Sinatra that she had anticipated. She hadn't brought along her trusty sleeping pills, and without them she found herself unable to sleep. By early morning she was walking the deck asking if anyone happened to have any. Barbiturates were popular at the time, and doctors prescribed them loosely, ignorant of their addictive qualities.
Whether Sinatra continued seeing the actress to goad the President into competing further for her or simply for raw sexual pleasure or the high-profile publicity of being involved with the famous sex symbol is open to speculation. It is known that the gossip-starved Kennedy was intrigued by Sinatra's every escapade. As JFK's interest grew, Sinatra invited Marilyn to a public affair in Hollywood in January 1961, so everyone would know they were intimate.
Marilyn called Lena in New York to bring out an emerald sequined gown especially designed to fit her newly sensational curves. Still hoping she might solidify her relationship with Frank, she worked diligently to look more gorgeous than she ever imagined she could. Appreciating her best physical form, Sinatra encouraged Marilyn in her quest to look great enough to be his “girl.”
Efficient Pat Newcomb arranged the transportation. The chauffeur waited for the dress, and for Lena, who would stay in the luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel instead of at Marilyn's Doheny apartment, in order to give the lovers their privacy. After trying on the dress, Marilyn was literally glowing, sure that Frank would love it. She had starved herself the entire day to “be thin for Frank.” Whitey Snyder was on call and George Masters was set to do the actress's hair. But Masters was in a salon at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills and by four thirty still hadn't arrived. Anxious, Whitey finally called the salon at six and insisted on speaking to George to remind him of his commitment. Masters rushed directly to the apartment while Marilyn drank champagne and tried to relax for the auspicious occasion at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The arrogant Masters enjoyed keeping “his actresses” waiting and waiting.
The couple looked sensational, despite Sinatra's paunch and balding head. Wearing the dazzling diamond-and-emerald earrings Sinatra had given to her, she instantly lit up. Sure that the singer was about to propose to her, Marilyn left with Frank in their limo, followed by Lena in another car. Monroe was easily the belle of the ball. Although Sinatra failed to propose on that memorable evening, the couple continued seeing each other regularly. Monroe's daily routine was similar to the one in New York, sleeping late, Sinatra records, champagne, psychiatrist visits, and fantasizing about a future with one man.
Temporarily content with her life with Sinatra and her obvious desirability, Marilyn stopped taking her sleeping pills for a short time. But within a few weeks she returned to New York depressed that she had not found a new film project and that Sinatra had not proposed. She was devastated when she soon learned of his relationship with Juliet Prowse, the South African dancer.
Sinatra was very occupied with a trip to Washington, D.C., in April 1961, to meet with the President in the Oval Office for a personal thank-you for all he had done for the Kennedys and the Democratic Party. Sinatra's lavish inauguration party had raised well over one million dollars for the party and featured the remarkable talents of Ethel Merman, Nat “King” Cole, Jimmy Durante, George Jessel, Gene Kelly, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Joey Bishop, and Milton Berle. The “Million-Dollar Gala” had been among the most spectacular in the nation's history. Kennedy owed it to Sinatra's two months of tireless planning of each and every minute detail. Sinatra hired Hollywood couturier Don Loper to tailor a flashy tailcoat and an Inverness cape for himself. He started believing he was royalty.
At long last Sinatra, as a VIP White House guest, was hosted by the President with a tour of the family quarters and the grand receiving rooms. While drinking Bloody Marys on the Truman balcony, the singer was flabbergasted when the President presented an autographed glamour photo of himself with the inscription: “For Frankâwith warm regards and best wishes from his friend, John F. Kennedy.” He told presidential aide Dave Powers that that was the moment all his hard work had paid off.
The next day, Frank, Peter Lawford, Teddy Kennedy, Porfirio Rubirosa, and his wife Odile boarded the Kennedy plane
Caroline
for Hyannis. Champagne glass in hand, Sinatra stepped off the plane with a couple of cases of expensive wine, champagne, and Italian bread for Joseph Kennedy The next day, while the group was sailing on the
Honey Fritz,
the singer entertained his host with amusing stories about Hollywood and the pope. Through emissary Lawford, the casual play with the Kennedy inner circle gave Frank a chance to plead Sam Giancana's case. Later the trip would be criticized by the press. One administration press secretary, Pierre Salinger, deployed his best smoke screen by explaining that Sinatra was visiting solely to confer with Joe about an album to be used as a souvenir of the inauguration.
Caroline
for Hyannis. Champagne glass in hand, Sinatra stepped off the plane with a couple of cases of expensive wine, champagne, and Italian bread for Joseph Kennedy The next day, while the group was sailing on the
Honey Fritz,
the singer entertained his host with amusing stories about Hollywood and the pope. Through emissary Lawford, the casual play with the Kennedy inner circle gave Frank a chance to plead Sam Giancana's case. Later the trip would be criticized by the press. One administration press secretary, Pierre Salinger, deployed his best smoke screen by explaining that Sinatra was visiting solely to confer with Joe about an album to be used as a souvenir of the inauguration.
Immersed in affairs of state, Kennedy continued to depend on his father's advice and dictums regarding public policy, supplied during weekend visits. Acting more as an adversary and encouraged by their father, Bobby was forever investigating John's personal habits, his whereabouts, his physical treatments (including Dr. Feelgood's), and especially the President's continued relationship with Sam Giancana and Johnny Roselli. There is much evidence that the two brothers often operated secretly without each other's full knowledge.
Their competition included not only books but films. Envious over JFK's Pulitzer Prize, Bobby wrote
The Enemy Within,
a book that detailed his investigation of Jimmy Hoffa, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and its infamous pension fund, the “biggest slush fund in history.” In the volume Kennedy called the Teamsters Union the most powerful institution in the countryâand described its operation as a “conspiracy of evil.”
The Enemy Within,
a book that detailed his investigation of Jimmy Hoffa, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and its infamous pension fund, the “biggest slush fund in history.” In the volume Kennedy called the Teamsters Union the most powerful institution in the countryâand described its operation as a “conspiracy of evil.”
Hoffa was indeed responsible for an aggregate torrent of alleged crimes, including setting up phony Teamster locals, murder, bombing raids, bribery, and a host of other illegal activities, and Bobby was especially mindful that Hoffa had more power than he had. Hoffa claimed that in their initial encounter, Robert Kennedy had barged into his office interrupting a meeting and demanding to review his organization's files. The union boss promptly threw Bobby and his companionsâPierre Salinger and McClellan Committee chief accountant Carmine Bellinoâout of his office. They returned with a subpoena the following day, but after Hoffa's attorney, George Fitzgerald, carefully reviewed the document, the three were again escorted out of the office. Attorney Fitzgerald met with the judge, who agreed that the subpoena had been written too loosely, commenting that the “greenhorn” needed to specify exactly what he was looking for and that each paper to be reviewed had to be individually signed. Bobby refused and the judge refused the order. The prideful young lawyer ultimately reconsidered and signed each and every document. Kennedy and Hoffa would lock horns many times to come, the next during a break when Hoffa was appearing as a witness at the McClellan Committee hearings.
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