http://www.life.com/images/logo.png http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/26652/rare-photos-frank-sinatra-at-40 http://www.life.com/image/87247222 To mark the 11th anniversary of Frank Sinatra's death (May 14), LIFE's editors dug into our archives and discovered a gem: a set of never-before-published photos that show the Chairman of the Board, then 40 years old, in a series of TV appearances (including on Steve Allen's show, pictured) on August 19, 1956. ]]> 87247222 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT To mark the 11th anniversary of Frank Sinatra's death (May 14), LIFE's editors dug into our archives and discovered a gem: a set of never-before-published photos that show the Chairman of the Board, then 40 years old, in a series of TV appearances (including on Steve Allen's show, pictured) on August 19, 1956. ]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247227 A fedora by his side, Ol' Blue Eyes laughs alongside his host, on what appears to be "Tonight." Besides the date and the file name "Frank Sinatra," LIFE photographer Carl Mydans left no notes on these photos, but what we do know is that 1956 was a busy year for Ol' Blue Eyes, and he had much to talk about: Earlier that year he released the Capitol LP "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!," packed with his popular takes on such standards as "You Make Me Feel So Young," "Pennies From Heaven," and "I've Got You Under My Skin." Also at the time of this appearance, he was in the midst of a tumultuous marriage with Ava Gardner, and had two movies in theaters: the MGM musical "High Society" and the Western "Johnny Concho."]]> 87247227 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT A fedora by his side, Ol' Blue Eyes laughs alongside his host, on what appears to be "Tonight." Besides the date and the file name "Frank Sinatra," LIFE photographer Carl Mydans left no notes on these photos, but what we do know is that 1956 was a busy year for Ol' Blue Eyes, and he had much to talk about: Earlier that year he released the Capitol LP "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!," packed with his popular takes on such standards as "You Make Me Feel So Young," "Pennies From Heaven," and "I've Got You Under My Skin." Also at the time of this appearance, he was in the midst of a tumultuous marriage with Ava Gardner, and had two movies in theaters: the MGM musical "High Society" and the Western "Johnny Concho."]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247217 Sinatra sits at attention while Steve Allen, a piano player and composer himself, studies a score. Both men were jazz aficionados, and very critical of rock & roll through their careers. Two years after this photo was taken, in fact, Sinatra told Western World magazine that rock was "sung, played, and written for the most part by cretinous goons. It manages to be the martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the earth." ]]> 87247217 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT Sinatra sits at attention while Steve Allen, a piano player and composer himself, studies a score. Both men were jazz aficionados, and very critical of rock & roll through their careers. Two years after this photo was taken, in fact, Sinatra told Western World magazine that rock was "sung, played, and written for the most part by cretinous goons. It manages to be the martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the earth." ]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247261 Backstage at a show with Allen (left), Sinatra holds a toy gun and is fitted for a cowboy hat, apparently in preparation for a skit. It's unclear what the skit may have been about, but Sinatra had just starred as a villain in the Western "Johnny Concho," and perhaps intended to play off that.]]> 87247261 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT Backstage at a show with Allen (left), Sinatra holds a toy gun and is fitted for a cowboy hat, apparently in preparation for a skit. It's unclear what the skit may have been about, but Sinatra had just starred as a villain in the Western "Johnny Concho," and perhaps intended to play off that.]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247268 Sinatra takes aim backstage.]]> 87247268 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT Sinatra takes aim backstage.]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247264 In his Western gear, Sinatra chats with an unidentified man backstage.]]> 87247264 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT In his Western gear, Sinatra chats with an unidentified man backstage.]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87247266 Saying hello to Frank: Gene Rayburn, Steve Allen's announcer on "Tonight." Rayburn was later more famous as the host of "The Match Game."]]> 87247266 Sun, 19 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT Saying hello to Frank: Gene Rayburn, Steve Allen's announcer on "Tonight." Rayburn was later more famous as the host of "The Match Game."]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87246414 On yet another show, Sinatra takes the stage with Red Skelton. ]]> 87246414 Sun, 12 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT On yet another show, Sinatra takes the stage with Red Skelton. ]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87246407 Sinatra plays it cool while Skelton takes a pratfall. The two would both appear two months later in "Around the World in 80 Days," Sinatra as a saloon player, and Skelton as a drunk there.]]> 87246407 Sun, 12 Aug 1956 03:00:00 EDT Sinatra plays it cool while Skelton takes a pratfall. The two would both appear two months later in "Around the World in 80 Days," Sinatra as a saloon player, and Skelton as a drunk there.]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87248188 Sinatra makes an appearance on ABC's short-lived "Famous Film Festival," a primetime movie series that aired for one season and showed classy British productions of "Great Expectations," "Hamlet," and more.]]> 87248188 Mon, 01 Jul 1957 03:00:00 EDT Sinatra makes an appearance on ABC's short-lived "Famous Film Festival," a primetime movie series that aired for one season and showed classy British productions of "Great Expectations," "Hamlet," and more.]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com http://www.life.com/image/87248193 Sinatra shakes an unidentified man's hand as he leaves the set of "Famous Film Festival."]]> 87248193 Mon, 01 Jul 1957 03:00:00 EDT Sinatra shakes an unidentified man's hand as he leaves the set of "Famous Film Festival."]]> Carl Mydans 2009 gettyImages.com