Frank Sinatra could be charming, loyal, and a good friend, but when he was angry, he could also be quick-tempered. One story during the filming of Young at Heart in 1954 shows a little bit of both sides of him.
The movie starred Frank, Doris Day, and the older Ethel Barrymore. During the filming, Ethel had to spend her free time in a wheelchair because of her health, as she was getting older. It was also her 75th birthday, so Frank threw a surprise party for her.
Doris later shared that shortly after the party, Ethel started feeling emotional. Looking at her frail colleague, she feared it might be her last birthday. Suddenly, she couldn’t hold back the tears. Someone shouted, “Doris is crying, get her a Kleenex!” But instead of handing her one, someone threw a whole box, hitting Doris in the head. Frank quickly ran over, grabbed the man by the collar, and yelled at him for treating a lady like that. He forced the man to apologize and give Doris a Kleenex. Doris said from then on, whenever she saw a Kleenex, she thought of Frank.
By the way, Ethel still had a few birthdays left and passed away in 1959.
Frank also looked out for her in other ways. He didn’t like Ethel’s husband, Martin Melcher, who was also her manager. Frank warned Doris that Melcher was only after her money. Doris didn’t believe him, but Frank still made sure Melcher was kept off the set.
When Melcher died in 1968, Doris found out that he had spent all of her money, which forced her to keep working long after she should have been able to retire comfortably.