November 20, 2011 14:20

Frank Sinatra starred in porn film, claims biography author

Author Darwin Porter claims Ol' Blue Eyes made movie when he was 19 and broke

Photo: PA Photos

Frank Sinatra starred in a porn film when he was 19-years-old because he was broke, claims the author of his biography.

Darwin Porter, has who spent decades researching the tome Frank Sinatra: The Boudoir Singer, told the Daily Mail that the singer had featured in a flick called The Masked Bandit in 1934.

He claims that Sinatra was paid $100 (£63) for his role in the movie, and made sure his involvement in the film was kept quiet during his lifetime, adding:

A lot of stars do a porno loop when they are struggling. So many have this little dark period.

According to Porter, Sinatra made his Rat Pack friend Sammy Davis Jr delete his copy of the tape, and was furious when the British actor Peter Lawford screened the film to an audience of the singer's friends and acquaintances.

Sinatra is also said to have "called his friends in the mob" to stop the tape from surfacing again, after it was considered for use in a documentary about stars who had appeared in pornographic material before they were famous.

Frank Sinatra died in 1998 after suffering a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles. Over the course of his career, he became one of entertainment's most notable figures, releasing both a slew of critically-acclaimed albums and featuring in several award-winning films.