Sinatra's screen test for From Here To Eternity-Nov. 20, 1952

November 20, 9:50 AMFrank Sinatra ExaminerRick Busciglio

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FROM HERE TO ETERNITY DVD COVER

November 20 1952 was one of the most important dates in Frank Sinatra's career. Frank Sinatra was given a screen-test for the role of Maggio in the Columbia Picture's "From Here To Eternity" on this date. "Legend has it that Frank Sinatra got the role in the movie because of his alleged Mafia connections, and that this was the basis for a similar subplot in The Godfather, although this has been dismissed on several occasions by the cast and crew of the film. Director Fred Zinneman commented that "The legend about a horse's head having been cut off is pure invention, a poetic license on the part of Mario Puzo who wrote The Godfather." More plausible is the notion that Sinatra's then-wife Ava Gardner persuaded studio head Harry Cohn's wife to use her influence with him; this version is related by Kitty Kelley in her Sinatra biography,( and also  in Tina Sinatra's book). Sinatra himself had been bombarding Cohn with letters and telegrams asking to play the ill-fated Maggio, even signing some of the letters "Maggio". Sinatra benefited when Eli Wallach, who was originally cast as Maggio, dropped out to appear on Broadway instead. Sinatra gained the role, ultimately taking a pay cut in the process (earning $8,000, a huge drop from his $130,000 salary for Anchors Aweigh) to star in the film.

Sinatra's screen-test was used in the final cut of the film; the scene included Sinatra improvising with a handful of olives, pretending they were a pair of dice." (Source Wiki)

Frank, of course, won the "Best Supporting Actor" award. He credited co-star Montgomery Clift with helping him with his performance in the film. We should note that Frank Sinatra won a special Oscar for his short film against anti-semitism "The House I Live In" 1946, and was nominated for "Best Actor" for the powerful anti-drug film "The Man With A Golden Arm."

 View his acceptance speech by CLICKING HERE.

View the theatrical trailer;