The Wallis Celebrates the Frank Sinatra Centennial With Film Screenings and More

Frank Sinatra's 100th Birthday will be commemorated worldwide with concerts, exhibitions, recordings, books and numerous other festivities. To celebrate Sinatra's Hollywood connection, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts will screen three of Sinatra's finest films-On the Town, From Here to Eternity and Ocean's 11. In addition, The Wallis will host a panel discussion featuring daughters Nancy and Tina Sinatra and granddaughter AJ Lambert plus Sinatra 100 author Charles Pignone who will focus on Frank Sinatra as an actor and his relationship to Hollywood and the film business. Terry Teachout will moderate. From Here to Eternity will be screened Fri, Nov 13 at 7pm; On the Town, Sat, Nov 14 at 3pm;Ocean's 11, Sat, Nov 14 at 7pm. The panel discussion will take place at The Wallis in the Bram Goldsmith Theater, Sat, Nov 14 at 4:00pm.

While his smooth baritone voice rocketed him into fame, Frank Sinatra's wide range as an actor in over 60 films was equally extraordinary, earning him the nickname, "One Take Charlie," for his spontaneous, instinctive acting style. These films, deeply cherished by the public, also tell the story of not just his Hollywood career, but of his overall impact as an American icon.

Sinatra made three films with Gene Kelly - Anchors Aweigh (1945), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) andOn the Town (1949) that became classic MGM musicals. On the Town co-directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen became Donen's first directorial credit, was the first time a major studio filmed its musical numbers on location (in New York) and was ranked as one of the top twenty musicals by the American Film Institute.

Tickets ($15.00 per film; panel is free to all ticketholders) are available at www.thewallis.org, by calling 310-746-4000, or in person at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Ticket Services located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

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