th
# 74 •nECEMBER 14 , 2015
cal Center; Eisenhower
Medical Center; Reiss-Davis Clinic; International
Red Cross; American Red
Cross; March of Dimes;
American and International Heart Associations;
Multiple Sclerosis Society; Muscular Dystrophy
Association; United Cerebral Palsy; Easter Seals; City of Hope Cancer
Center; Myasthenia Gravis Foundation; Jules Styne Eye Institute; Retinitis
Pigmentosa Foundation;
Prevention of Blindness
Society of Metropolitan
Washington; Boys Town;
Child Abuse Foundation;
National Society For the
Prevention of Cruelty To
Children; Barbara Sinatra
Center for Abused Children (founded by Frank
Sinatra, it is located at the
internationally acclaimed
Eisenhower Medical Center); Villa Scalabrini Retirement Center; Foster Grandparent’s Plan; Dismas
House St. Martin’s Hospitality Center; The State of
Israel; Hebrew University; Jewish Welfare Fund;
B’nai B’rith International;
NAACP; SCLC; Neighbors
of Watts; Variety Clubs International; The Society
10 | WE THE ITALIANS
www.wetheitalians.com
of Singers; NosOstros;
Musician’s Unions; Loyola Marymount University;
USC; UCLA; ACLU.
Sinatra also helped untold
numbers of individuals
who needed financial or
medical assistance. Actors
George Raft (he owed the
IRS hundreds of thousands
$$) and Lee. J. Cobb (out
of work for years because he “named names” to
House Un-American Activities Committee) are just
two examples of Sinatra’s
financial generosity. He
is reported to have sent
them signed blank checks
with instructions to fill in
the amount they needed.
Countless others benefitted from anonymous donations, often through intermediaries. Again, there
was no fanfare, press coverage, or desire for public adulation.
Boxing immortal Joe
Louis’ story was an especially tragic one. An American hero, who defeated
the German heavyweight
champion Max Schmelling in one of the greatest
fights ever held, Louis was
treated shabbily by the US
government, which used
him for patriotic “propaganda” films, events, and
US bond campaigns during WWII. After his first
retirement in 1949, the
IRS was still completing its
investigation of Louis’ prior tax returns, which had
always been handled by
his manager’s personal
accountant. In May 1950,
the IRS announced that,
with interest and penalties, he owed the government more than $500,000.
Louis had no choice but to
return to the ring and turn
over his winnings to the
IRS until his debt was satisfied. Louis, now past his