Sinatra Was Going Through a Rough Phase
It was a difficult moment for Sinatra, since public opinion of him was low and his career was stalled. In addition, suspicions circulated that he had mob links. The hardest aspect was that he didn’t have enough money. Fortunately, his wife was soaring high and supporting him, even purchasing a ticket for him to see her in Africa while she was filming Mogambo in 1963 because he couldn’t afford it himself. She also helped him find jobs by wielding her influence. Gardner fought for Sinatra’s casting in From Here to Eternity, which rejuvenated his career and earned him an Oscar. Given Sinatra’s image in popular culture, it’s difficult to believe he had to leverage his famous wife to acquire parts, but it was true at the time.
Sinatra Was Going Through A Rough Phase
Fear of a Communist Couple
It’s normal for people to gossip about celebrities, and the idea that Gardner was a femme fatale who ended Sinatra’s marriage was far more sensational back then than it is now. Another aspect of celebrity life back then was the dread of being labeled a communist, and Gardner and Sinatra were concerned that they might be reported to Senator McCarthy’s House of Un-American Activities. Gardner and Sinatra were concerned because Hedda Hopper, the gossip “journalist” who covered their romance, was reporting celebrities for communist sympathies, and they could have been targeted. They both supported Democrats, with Sinatra actively working for them and fiercely opposing racism. Artie Shaw had numerous communist pals with whom Gardner also interacted, and he had to go in and give one of them away. Fortunately, Gardner and Sinatra were spared the worst of it.
Fear Of A Communist Couple