The bizarre link between Frank Sinatra and the finale of ‘Seinfeld’
On the face of it, no one would ever think that crooning icon Frank Sinatra and the hit sitcom Seinfeld are linked. However, some of the most bizarre circumstances connect them in what is a surreal anecdote that is befitting of the Seinfeld episode itself.
Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Sinatra lived one of the most storied lives in music history, one brimming with soaring highs and crushing lows, complete with A-list friends, love interests and no end of capers that are unfathomable to the rest of society — and that is not considering the rumoured links to the mafia.
Interestingly, although many people have long believed Sinatra to be a student of music, he rarely devoted his time to the deconstruction of the craft. He was blessed with an extraordinary amount of natural ability and charm, a factor which allowed him to reach heights none had ever before attained. As America was making its ascendance on the world stage, Sinatra was providing the soundtrack.
The definitive hero of the swing era, his transition from the smokey New York clubs to the glittering auditoriums of Las Vegas is one of music’s greatest success stories, setting a precedent for all subsequent showmen such as Elvis Presley in future. Over his lengthy 54-year career, Sinatra released 59 studio albums. His output was so extensive that he released an unprecedented 297 singles, a feat which is likely to go unrivalled. This list features hits such as ‘New York, New York’, ‘That’s Life’, ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and ‘I’ve Got the World on a String’, and all did their bit to change popular culture for the better.
Given that Sinatra was so iconic, it is only suitable that he bowed out in an extraordinary way. The night the singer departed this mortal coil, on May 18th, 1998, the finale of Seinfeld was aired. Whilst many in America were hunkering down at home to say goodbye to Jerry and the gang with the episodes ‘The Chronicle’ and ‘The Finale’, Sinatra decided he was done with life on Earth and set off onto the astral plane.
What’s even more significant about the death of Sinatra is that on the West Coast of America, the feed was airing at the exact time the ambulance was on its way to the crooner’s house to pick him up and take him to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, a location in which he eventually passed away.
Traffic on the roads was also noticeably empty because everyone was at home watching Seinfeld bow out, meaning that the ambulance picked up Sinatra and dropped him off at the hospital in record time, reaching the destination around 9pm. Although the doctors attempted to save the singer for over an hour, they were unsuccessful, as the book closed on the final chapter of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ and Seinfeld.
