The Night Frank Sinatra And Dean Martin Made Headlines

Let me take you back to June 8, 1966, in the heart of glamorous Beverly Hills. It was in the early hours of the morning when an ambulance rolled up to the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. Its mission? To transport an unconscious man to the hospital. The patient, who ended up needing surgery for a skull fracture the following day, wasn’t just some random guy—this situation sparked a full-blown investigation into the people who put his life in danger.

A New Book Unveils the Secrets

Now, here's where things get juicy. The new book, Beverly Hills Noir: Crime, Sin & Scandal in 90210, which hits shelves on October 1, dives deep into the untold stories of Hollywood’s wild side. One of the tales shared involves Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin being questioned by the police about an incident at the Polo Lounge that left businessman Frederick Weisman in the ICU. “Frank and Dean were at the top of their game,” author Scott Huver told Closer. “They were as famous and beloved as anyone could ever be.” But with that fame came risks—risks they weren’t willing to gamble with.

The Birthday Bash That Turned Sour

It all began as a celebration. Dean Martin was marking his 49th birthday, and who better to celebrate with than his best friend, Frank Sinatra? They were seated in a booth at the Polo Lounge with a few friends, including Frank’s pal Jilly Rizzo and three women, two of whom were African American. Enter Frederick Weisman, stopping by for a nightcap. Seated at the adjacent table, Weisman wasn’t having it. He was offended by the loud laughter and rough language coming from the entertainers’ table. He leaned over and politely asked them to tone it down. But as you might imagine, politeness wasn’t on the menu that night. “Ethnic slurs were thrown around,” recounts Huver, “and before anyone knew it, chaos erupted.”

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The Fallout

Here’s where the story gets murky. No one could recall who threw the first punch. “Someone hit Weisman,” says Huver. “And not just with a fist—these booths had phones attached to them for agents and producers to make deals. Someone grabbed one of those phones and smashed Weisman across the head. He went down hard, crashing into a glass table.”

Dean Martin, the family man who once called the cops on his own party so he could get some rest, wasn’t accustomed to being in the middle of a criminal investigation. “Dean didn’t want any trouble,” Huver explains. “He hated all the drama that came with being Frank’s friend.” But Dean wasn’t about to snitch. When questioned by the police the following day, he claimed he didn’t witness what happened.

Privately, though, Dean confided in his daughter that “Frank lost his temper,” Huver reveals. “But he didn’t say Frank was the one who cracked the guy over the head.”

Frank's Reaction

Frank’s anger might have been justified. “Hearing ethnic slurs directed at him or the women at their table wasn’t just a personal insult—it deeply offended him on principle,” Huver elaborates. Some people have speculated that Weisman was the one who gave Frank the black eye he sported after the brawl, but that wasn’t the case. It was Jilly Rizzo, Frank’s unofficial bodyguard, who inflicted the damage on Weisman. “Paul Anka, who hung out with them, said Jilly did it,” Huver confirms. “But Frank never pointed fingers.”

The Investigation's Conclusion

In the end, the victim himself didn’t press charges. Weisman survived the ordeal and told the police he couldn’t recall the events of that night. “Further investigation into whether he was hit, pushed, or fell isn’t necessary,” Weisman’s lawyer announced to the press. By the end of the month, the police dropped the case, leaving the details of that fateful night shrouded in mystery.