1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: You know how some people just seem untouchable. Take Frank Sinatra, 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: idolized around the world, the ultimate cool insider in Hollywood 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: and Washington, DC for that matter, and even an insider 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: with the mob. So what genius came up with the 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: idea to kidnap his son was the ransom paid? I'm 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: Patty Steele stealing Frank Sinatra Junior. Next on the backstory. 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: We're back with the backstory. Late nineteen sixty three was 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: kind of the end of the innocence in America. We 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: were months away from the arrival of the Beatles, but 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: we had just lost our young, incredibly popular President John F. 11 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Kennedy to an assassin in Dallas, Texas. Nobody could wrap 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: their head around that emergence from the feel good nineteen 13 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: fifties and the thrill of the Camelot story and into 14 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: the JFK murder and the ramping up of the war 15 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: in Vietnam. What else could happen? It was December eighth, 16 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty three, just a little over two weeks after 17 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: the JFK assassination, the world still reeling as the holidays approached. 18 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: But in one Nevada motel room, things turn even more chaotic. 19 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: A nineteen year old singer is about to be snatched 20 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: in a bizarre kidnapping plot that seems straight out of 21 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: an episode of Law and Order. Here's the thing, this 22 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: kid isn't just any teenage singer. We're talking Frank Sinatra Junior. 23 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: His dad was and is iconic, definitely one of the 24 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: most famous entertainers in the world. And Frank Sinatra Senior 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: was incredibly powerful. He was still at the height of 26 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,839 Speaker 1: his fame after years of selling tens of millions of records. 27 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: He'd just started his own label, Riprise Records, and it 28 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: was wildly successful. Plus, his flourishing acting career had won 29 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: him an Academy Award in a Golden Globe. He was 30 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: the leader of the rat Pack at this point in 31 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: his career. Folks claimed that every woman wants to have 32 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: him and every man wants to be him. On top 33 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: of that, this guy hung with presidents, and he was 34 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: worshiped even by Hollywood's elite. And one more thing, he 35 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: was an insider with the mob, with powerful friends, including 36 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: mafia chieftains like Chicago mob boss Sam g and Kanna. 37 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: Sinatra's FBI files show he hung with mob bosses in Philadelphia, Detroit, 38 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: and in New Jersey in addition to Chicago. And he 39 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 1: famously introduced Gancanna to John Kennedy's campaign in nineteen sixty 40 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: in an attempt to deliver Union votes for his presidential election. 41 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: So here's the question. With that kind of power in play, 42 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: who in the heck would be stupid enough or genius 43 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: enough to kidnap Frank Sinatra's kid This is a crime 44 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: that completely captivated the nation. It also embarrassed the FBI, 45 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: and it could have ended in tragedy. Here's who Frank 46 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 1: Sinatra Junior was in those days and how the whole 47 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: thing came down. As you can imagine, Frank Junior, Sinatra's 48 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: only son, grew up in the shadow of his legendary dad. 49 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: He was born in nineteen forty four, when Frank Sinatra 50 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: Senior was red hot already a huge star, but that 51 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: had made his personal life really complex. Just like his father, 52 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: Frank Junior's world revolved around music, movies, and fame. By 53 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: his late teens, his singing career was under way, but 54 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: he was trying to make a name for himself outside 55 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: of his father's enormous shadow. Frank Junior was performing in nightclubs, 56 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: working hard, trying to prove he wasn't just a Nepo baby. 57 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: So in December of nineteen sixty three, he was in 58 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side, performing at Hara's Club Lodge. 59 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: Frank Junior was staying at the motel at the lodge 60 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: along with a friend and his trumpet player named John Foss. 61 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: The two were relaxing by the fire and eating dinner 62 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: in the room room on the night of December eighth, 63 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: when there was a knock at the door. They asked 64 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: who was there. The guy outside the door said he 65 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: was delivering a package, so John Foss opened it. As 66 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: soon as he did, two guys with guns forced their 67 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: way in. They were Barry Keenan and Joe Ampseller, two 68 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: twenty one year olds who thought they had set up 69 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: the perfect crime. Keenan was the mastermind of sorts. He'd 70 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: grown up in La gone to grade school with Sinatra 71 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: Senior's daughter Nancy, and had been a pretty good student 72 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: at UCLA. At twenty one, he was the youngest member 73 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: of the Los Angeles Stock Exchange ever. But as happens, 74 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: he made a bunch of bad business decisions. On top 75 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,799 Speaker 1: of that, he became addicted to painkillers like Perkinden after 76 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 1: a car accident. His mounting debts left him desperate and 77 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: he needed money. Aha, why not kidnap a rich guy's son, 78 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 1: and not just any rich guy. Frank Sinatra all powerful. 79 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: Of course, he'd pay anything to get his kid back, 80 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: And Barry said, as soon as he got on his feet, 81 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: he'd pay back any ransom he got. He said he 82 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: knew Sinatra Senior was tough enough to get through the 83 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 1: ordeal and get his son back. But Keenan had a 84 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: problem due to a psychiatric issue. He heard voices, he 85 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: later claimed the voices called themselves the Committee. They told 86 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: him his plan was blessed by God since he was 87 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: going to pay back the ransom, and that it would 88 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: somehow bring the Sinatra family closer together. Okay, Back to 89 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: the motel in Tahoe, Barry Keenan and Joe Amsler tie 90 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: up John Foss and, after blindfolding Frank Junior, force him 91 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: out of the room and into the trunk of their car. 92 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: They speed off into the night, leaving Foss tied up 93 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: and gagged, but pretty quickly Foss is able to free himself. 94 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: He immediately sounds the alarm, and law enforcement and the 95 00:05:55,839 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: FBI go on high alert. Frank Sinatra Junior has been kidnapped. 96 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: The FBI gets involved almost immediately, but Sinatra Senior is 97 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: all about action. He's not waiting for the cops or 98 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: the FBI to act. He's flipped out now. His pal, 99 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: mob boss samgian Kanna even offers two air quotes take 100 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: care of things. Sinatra says, no, thanks, no violence, he 101 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: just wants his son back. Hours later, the ransom demand 102 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: comes in. Barry Keenan calls the Sinatra home and demands 103 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: two hundred and forty thousand dollars that's close to two 104 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: and a half million in today's money. At first, Frank 105 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: Senior offers the kidnappers way more than they ask for. 106 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: He offers a million bucks almost ten million today, but 107 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: Keenan weirdly doesn't feel he needs that much and he 108 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: sticks to his original demand. Sinatra Senior immediately tells his 109 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: lawyer to get the money together and follow the kidnappers instructions. Meantime, 110 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: the FBI is trailing them. The pair had made stupid mistakes. 111 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: Keenan u a payphone to make the ransom call, so 112 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: agents were able to track the location. Now the FBI 113 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: is closing in for Frank Junior. The ordeal lasts about 114 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: fifty four hours, with the kidnappers moving him from one 115 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: hideout to another. He's blindfolded most of the time, but 116 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: he stays calm. He later said it was obvious the 117 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: kidnappers were in over their heads. Then suddenly they set 118 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: him free. On December tenth. They'd drive Frank Junior to 119 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: bel Air and tell him to walk around until he 120 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: finds help. Frank Senior had paid the ransom, but ultimately 121 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: Keenan and Amseller's amateur moves left a trail right back 122 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: to them. Within days, the FBI arrested them, along with 123 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: a third conspirator, John Irwin. They confess almost immediately Frank's 124 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: not for Junior is safe, but there's more to the story. 125 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: The trial that followed was wild. Keenan and his crew 126 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: were convicted and sentenced to prison. Keenan, as the ringleader, 127 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: was set life, but he was later released after serving 128 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: less than five years because the courts agreed he was 129 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: legally insane at the time, and there were rumors, some 130 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: from the press that suggested the whole thing had been staged, 131 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: that maybe Frank Junior had been in on the kidnapping 132 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: to publicize his struggling singing career. Never any proof of that, 133 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: which shows you what it's like to be stuck in 134 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: your father's massive shadow. Even in court, the kidnappers testified 135 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: that Frank Junior was not involved in the scheme, but 136 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: the stories kept making the rounds, which drove Sinatra Senior crazy. 137 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: In the end, it was pretty clear his son was 138 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: just an innocent victim. Afterward, Sinatra Junior continued his music career, 139 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: although he never quite got out of his father's shadow. 140 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: He was a conductor and musical director for his dad 141 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: and focused on preserving his father's legacy rather than trying 142 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: to go it alone. What happened to Barry Keenan Well 143 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: After his four and a half year prison stin he 144 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: went on to become a really successful real estate developer. 145 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: He did TV and podcast interviews about the kidnapping and 146 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: became good friends with some show biz hotshots. Only in Hollywood, right, 147 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: It definitely wasn't the perfect crime. It was a messy, 148 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: amateurish attempt at a ransom scheme orchestrated by young guys 149 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: who needed money and who underestimated the cops and the 150 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: power of the Sinatra name, but it did captivate the world. 151 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: The son of an American icon kidnapped at gunpoint, held 152 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: for ransom, and sent home unharmed, a Hollywood thriller in 153 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: real life, Sadly, Frank Sinatra Junior died of cardiac arrest 154 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen at just seventy two years old while 155 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: on tour in Daytona Beach. His kidnapper, Barry Keenan, committed 156 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: suicide at the age of eighty two just three years ago. 157 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: On Instagram, his friend TV star John Stamos said, he's 158 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: free now. Maybe wherever he is, he sitt being pretty 159 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: at the big table with a white Russian in one 160 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: hand and a Cuban cigar in the other. But Barry, 161 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: if you see Sinatra Senior at that table, run he's 162 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: still pissed at you. Hope you like the backstory with 163 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: Patty Steele. I would love it if you'd subscribe or 164 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: follow for free to get new episodes delivered automatically, and 165 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: feel free to DM me if you have a story 166 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: you'd like me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele 167 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: and on Instagram, Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. The 168 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: Backstory is a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis 169 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: Duran Group, and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. 170 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: Our writer Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday 171 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: and Friday. Feel free to reach out to me with 172 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: comments and even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty 173 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: Steele and on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening 174 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: to the Backstory with Patty Steele. The pieces of history 175 00:10:58,240 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: you didn't know you needed to know.