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| Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner |
Frank Sinatra and the gorgeous actress Ava Gardner were here to get married.
Romance between this glamorous pair had been the stuff of gossip columns for quite some time - despite the fact that Frank was still married to Nancy Barbato, the mother of his three kids.
Now, Sinatra had obtained a Nevada divorce. Ava had already been married and divorced from Mickey Rooney and band leader Artie Shaw.
The pair arrived at City Hall on November 2, to get a marriage license. They avoided the press with the help of two city detectives. Five days later, the couple was back in Philly for the wedding.
Why would such famous stars choose Philly for their wedding ceremony?
Apparently, they wanted a quiet ceremony with just a few close friends and family. They wanted no press or publicity.
Sinatra had two close friends here who could provide privacy in their homes. Emanuel “Manie” Sacks, a recording executive with Columbia, RCA and NBC was a father figure to many singers and musicians, especially Sinatra.
Then there was another close friend. Isaac “Ike” Levy, was the owner of WCAU radio and television stations and was part-owner of Columbia records. Also Levy lived in a large, impressive East Falls mansion, which is now part of Philadelphia University. (Oh excuse us; it’s now Jefferson University.) Photographers and reporters staked-out the Levy mansion when correct rumors said the pair would tie the knot here on November 7.
Now the fun began. All kinds of tricks were employed to confuse the press.
Notably, a chauffeur-driven limousine roared out of the Levy driveway with a man and woman seated in the back wearing sunglasses. Another limo followed the first. It was all a decoy.
Other limousines left the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, carrying food and staff for the wedding. About half-way to the affair, cars and cargo were switched. Frank and Ava made it to the secret wedding location undetected.
It wasn’t the Levy or the Sack’s homes. The night before, Sacks called his brother, Lester, to ask him to host the wedding at his rather modest house at 506 W. Springer Street in West Mount Airy.
Somehow, word leaked. A dozen members of the press arrived at the house where curious neighbors had also gathered.
Before the ceremony Frank stepped outside and asked, “How did you creeps know I was here?” Then the crooner got into a heated argument when he said a hired photographer would shoot the wedding photos, not the press photographers.
Some say about 75 guests, including Frank’s parents, crammed into the house. The house blinds were drawn. A local judge presided.
In the end, a man and woman – their heads down, trying to cover their faces - rushed from the house into a waiting limo while guests came out to throw rice and shout good wishes.
This time the ruse did work.
Later the two stars were driven to a airport in Montgomery County and flew off in a private plane for their honeymoon in Florida.
Both stars had fiery, temperamental personalities. They separated after two years and later got a Mexican divorce in 1957.
We don’t know how often Sinatra visited Philadelphia after the wedding. We know he was here in 1958 for Manie Sacks’ funeral. Many Sinatra biographers claim Sacks saved the singer from committing suicide during a low point in his life.