Tina Sinatra: “One day, Dad took me out for ice cream sodas at Rumpelmayer’s near Central Park. As we were enjoying our drinks, we saw a mother and her little daughter looking at an expensive Madame Alexander doll. The little girl was begging, ‘Mommy, please.’ But the mom said, ‘I’m sorry, Sweetheart, but it’s too expensive.’
As they left the store, Dad smiled at me and said, ‘Come on.’ He paid for the doll and we walked out. When Dad caught up with them, he tapped the little girl on the shoulder and handed her the doll in its box. The little girl’s eyes got huge as she grabbed it. The mom was so surprised, she didn’t realize who it was at first.
Dad was like the Lone Ranger—he didn’t stick around to get thanked. We jumped into our car and left quickly, but not before I saw the mom’s shocked expression. And the look on that little girl’s face, I’ll never forget.”
Photo: Frank Sinatra and his daughter Tina backstage at The Frank Sinatra Show, 1958.