Frank Sinatra’s Deep Love For Fourth Wife Barbara Marx Was Strikingly Different To His Previous Turbulent Marriages

Feb 10, 2022 by apost team

Frank Sinatra was one of the most famous and influential singers of the 20th century. He has also been recognized as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide. Sinatra was also a highly successful film actor, and even had his own television series called “The Frank Sinatra Show.”

Sinatra was born on Dec. 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Developing a love for music at a young age, Sinatra was heavily influenced by big band jazz. The singer’s parents owned a tavern in Hoboken, and Sinatra would often play the piano and sing for customers when he wasn’t working on his homework. When he was 15, his uncle gave him a ukulele and Sinatra performed at family gatherings. 

After dropping out of school and working odd jobs, Sinatra performed at clubs around Hoboken and sang for free on local radio stations. He learned music by ear and never learned how to read sheet music. The singer got his first big break in the 1930s and was a huge star by the 1940s. He went on to win 11 Grammy Awards, further cementing his musical career and legacy.

The singer was known for having beautiful songs – most about the topic of love. He went on to have a very complex personal life, marrying four times. His second marriage to actress Ava Gardner was filled with tumultuous arguments and was highly publicized. Although it took a few years, Sinatra fortunately was able to mend his broken heart from his failed marriages and find love once again with Barbara Marx.

As an incredibly successful singer and actor, Sinatra was a well-known figure in the public eye. Some of his most notable songs include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Luck Be a Lady” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” However, Sinatra had his fill of heartache over the years. He was married three times before finding love with Marx. 

He was married to Nancy Sinatra from 1939 to 1951, having three children with her. However, his extramarital affairs were made public, with women including the likes of Marilyn Monroe. Sinatra’s next marriage was to Hollywood actress Gardner, which lasted from 1951 to 1957.

However, his relationship with Gardner was highly publicized and was filled with faults, including many fights and altercations. According to the New York Post, their relationship was “famously tempestuous.” After Gardner filed for divorce and began to move on, Sinatra still felt love for the actress. He ultimately ended up moving on as well, marrying Mia Farrow in 1966 before divorcing just two summers later. However, they remained close friends throughout the rest of their lives.

Marx was a fan of the crooner, and even used to sneak into her local drive-in to listen to his music, according to Sotheby’s. She opened a modeling school and launched her own cosmetics line, along with becoming a consultant to the first Miss Universe pageant. After her first marriage ended, Marx worked as a showgirl on the Las Vegas strip, eventually catching the eye of Zeppo Marx of the Marx Brothers, whom she married in 1959.

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After marrying Zeppo, Marx started meeting what she called “Hollywood-type people.” However, the age difference between herself and her then-husband ultimately drove a wedge between them. Fortunately, a new love was extremely close by.

It turned out that Sinatra was Marx’s next-door neighbor, and the two would socialize very often, according to Sotheby’s. Eventually, Marx found herself head over heels for Sinatra. “I’d always been a fan of his singing,” Marx told the Los Angeles Times in 1998. “I'd always had all his records.”

However, she admitted that she was cautious about getting to really know him because of the bad press he received, but she soon came to learn what his real personality was like – and she adored him. “I fell so hard for him that I didn’t really have a choice,” she explained.

The couple got married at Sunnylands in Palm Springs in 1976; Sinatra was 60 at the time while Marx was 49. “I think anyone who met Frank Sinatra would have to have sparks,” Marx said. “Because he is a flirt. That’s just part of his make-up. And there’s no way to avoid that flirtation. No way.”

It was evident that Sinatra and Marx were good for each other and good together. Marx supported Sinatra’s career, often front row at his concerts, and also had a passion for non-profit organizations. According to Sotheby’s, the couple enjoyed domestic life, as they loved doing activities together like playing tennis or spending time with their dogs, or even just doing the morning crossword puzzles. They also retook their vows on their 20th wedding anniversary.

What do you think about Frank Sinatra and Barbara Marx’s love story? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any Frank Sinatra fan you know.