The Strange (and Poorly Executed) Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Two weeks after US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, one of the late world leader's closest friends was caught up in another, mysterious mishap. On December 8, 1963, Frank Sinatra's only son, Frank Sinatra, Jr., was snatched at gunpoint and driven across California for a whopping 54 hours by a group of disorganized men, until the elder Sinatra paid them a healthy ransom.
The Brains Behind the Operation
The brains behind this kidnapping was 23-year-old Barry Keenan. At the time, he was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and had gone to school with Frank, Jr.'s sister, Nancy Sinatra.
Nancy hadn't attended the school for very long. After a year of studying voice, music and dance, she dropped out, later making her professional debut on her father's TV show, The Frank Sinatra Show.
Why Was Frank Sinatra, Jr. Chosen?
According to Keenan, he'd "decided upon Frank, Jr. because Frank ,Sr. was tough, and I had friends whose parents were in show business, and I knew Frank always got his way. It wouldn't be morally wrong to put him through a few hours of grief worrying about his son."
In Keenan's mind, he believed the kidnapping would actually help bring the estranged Sinatra family back together and strengthen the bond between father and son.
He Wasn't Keenan's First Target
Initially, Keenan had considered abducting Tony Hope, the adopted son of famed entertainer Bob Hope, but Bob was very active with the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining troops.
According to Keenan, the elder Hope seemed like an "all-around good guy. Kidnapping Tony didn't seem like a very American thing to do."
What Led Barry Keenan to Plan the Kidnapping?
Why did Barry Keenan have to kidnap anyone in the first place? Well, he'd been involved in a car accident that resulted in a serious back injury and chronic pain. This pain eventually had him addicted to different types of pain killers, muscle relaxers and even tranquilizers.
By September 1963, Keenan was an addict who'd run out of money entirely.
Keenan Recruited His Friends
There was no way Keenan could pull this stunt off alone. In the following weeks, he recruited his high school friend, Joe Amsler, and his mother's ex-boyfriend, John Irwin, to help him carry out the plan.
Keenan promised the two men $100 a week, which played a major role in their decision to help. Amsler was an amateur boxer who'd just gotten married and was in need of money, while Irwin thought the deal was simply too good to pass up.
Tailing Frank Sinatra, Jr.
The three men followed Frank Sinatra, Jr. around for several weeks before carrying out their plan. He was, at the time, just 19 years old and attempting to follow in his father's footsteps as a musician, so he was fairly mobile, playing at different venues.
The First Attempt Didn't Turn Out How They'd Hoped
The group first planned to carry out their kidnapping in Phoenix, where Frank, Jr. appeared at the state fair. However, a few mistakes were made, so this initial plan was abandoned.
What were the hiccups? Firstly, the men were inexperienced and nervous, which made them hesitant to follow through. They also ran into logistical challenges, including uncertainty about the hotel layout, timing and how to remove the younger Sinatra without attracting any attention.
Hatching a Second Plan
The second time the trio planned to kidnap Frank, Jr. was on November 22, 1963. The following day, there was a USC-UCLA football game, which would provide Keenan with a perfect alibi, as hundreds of fellow students would report seeing him at the game.
Keenan planned to get a motel room to use as their headquarters, and after Frank, Jr. was grabbed, he'd be brought down to a secluded house in suburban Canoga Park that Keenan had rented the house under the name "Frank A. Long."
Events in Dallas Interrupted the Second Attempt
However, when Barry Keenan called the motel on the morning of November 22, he was informed by the switchboard operator that John F. Kennedy had just been assassinated.
Not only was the planned grab called off, but the entire operation was in jeopardy. According to Keenan, his accomplices were so shaken up by the president's assassination that the deal was off, as far as they were concerned.
Barry Keenan Wasn't Deterred
However, Keenan wasn't to be deterred. He found out that Frank, Jr. would be heading to Nevada, then to Europe, so he roped his other two accomplices back into his plan.
They hoped their third kidnapping attempt would be the charm.
Setting the Date for the Third Attempt
The date for the third attempt was set for December 8, 1963. It was also slated to be the trio's final try at taking Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Keenan recalled, "It became, now we had to kidnap Frank Sinatra, Jr. just to get out of the hotel. As crazy as that sounds, that's what it boiled down to. I needed to get money from Junior because I didn't have enough gas in the car to get back to LA."
They Weren't Expecting a Second Person to Be There
On the night of December 8, Keenan and Joe Amsler grabbed Frank, Jr. from his Lake Tahoe hotel room. Sinatra and his friend, John Foss, a trumpet player in his band, had been eating chicken at the time of the abduction.
The kidnappers were anticipating Frank, Jr. to be alone, so they quickly tied up Foss with adhesive medical tape and blindfolded him before leading their intended target to their vehicle.
John Foss Alerted the Authorities
Foss was able to almost immediately free himself and within minutes had alerted the authorities to the kidnapping. Since Frank, Jr. was the son of such a high-profile entertainer, the FBI was brought onto the case.
Trying to Catch the Kidnappers Before They Left
Roadblocks were quickly set up on the main roads leading out of Lake Tahoe as authorities scrambled to contain the situation. Law enforcement officers began stopping vehicles, hoping to intercept the kidnappers before they could get far.
Despite these efforts, Keenan and Amsler managed to slip through the checkpoints and escape the area.
Contacting Frank Sinatra, Sr.
On December 10, after Barry Keenan and Joe Amsler arrived back in Los Angeles, they contacted Irwin, who came to the outpost and called Frank Sinatra, Sr., who'd set up camp at Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada. When Irwin got through to the crooner, the elder Sinatra told the kidnappers that he'd give them a million dollars to let his son go.
Interestingly enough, Irwin only asked for $240,000.
Outlining the Ransom Drop
According to the instructions given by John Irwin, the ransom was to be delivered in the following way: an FBI courier should follow a trail of pay phones, where he'd receive directions. He'd finally make the drop with the bills in a black satchel between two parked school buses located at a gas station on Sunset Boulevard.
Nerves Got the Better of John Irwin
Keenan and Amsler went together to pick up the money. While they were gone, Irwin became extremely nervous and released Sinatra, Jr., who walked around LA for a while.
He eventually ended up in Bel Air, where he got a security guard to drive him to his mother's house.
Nancy Sinatra Was Relieved to See Her Son
Nancy Sinatra embraced her son when he arrived on her doorstep, relieved that, after nearly three days of uncertainty, he was safe. The family had been under enormous strain during the ransom negotiations, and his return was a moment of visible relief.
Making Sure Frank Sinatra, Jr. Was Medically OK
Doctors examined Frank, Jr. shortly after he arrived home. While he'd been blindfolded and tied up during the kidnapping, he wasn't physically harmed. He was described as tired, but composed, and he was allowed to rest.
A Media Frenzy
Unexpectedly, news reporters and photographers gathered outside of Nancy's house in large numbers following her son's return. The kidnapping had become a national obsession, especially as it had come just weeks after JFK's assassination.
The family kept Frank, Jr. largely out of sight after an initial brief glimpse, limiting exposure.
Turned Into the FBI
Almost immediately, federal agents began interviewing Frank Sinatra, Jr. While the initial belief was the kidnappers had gotten away with their crime, as the money had been collected and Frank, Jr. was home, that turned out to not be the case.
Irwin spilled the beans to his brother, who called the FBI office in San Diego. Within a few hours, all three of the kidnappers had been arrested.
Almost All of the Ransom Money Was Returned
The aftermath of the kidnapping was just as odd as the crime itself. Virtually all the ransom money was returned to Frank Sinatra, Sr., except for a small portion Barry Keenan had given to his ex-wife to buy furniture.
When the FBI informed the elder Sinatra about this missing money, he waved his hand and declared, "Christ, let her keep the furniture."
'I Hope You Guys Get Away With This'
The trial over Frank, Jr.'s kidnapping began on February 10, 1964. Perhaps the most interesting part of the entire trial was when he was put on the stand. Calm and composed, he recounted the details of his abduction. He told the court that, at one point, during the kidnapping, he'd said to the trio, “I hope you guys get away with this.”
Frank, Jr. later explained he made the remark out of fear and instinct, as an attempt to ingratiate himself with the kidnappers and keep the situation from escalating.
The Defense Didn't Deny a Kidnapping Had Occurred
The defense didn't dispute that the kidnapping had occurred, as the evidence was more than overwhelming. Instead, their strategy focused on shaping how the jury viewed Barry Keenan. His attorneys portrayed him as emotionally unstable and under severe financial pressure, arguing that desperation, not cruelty, drove his actions.
They emphasized that no physical harm had been intended and suggested the crime was poorly executed and impulsive, rather than maliciously planned.
The Verdict Is...
On February 14, 1964, the jury returned guilty verdicts against all three defendants. Each man was convicted on federal charges, and the judge sentenced all three to life imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of the crime.
They Didn't Actually Serve Life Sentences
Although the sentences were severe, none of the three men ultimately served life behind bars; all three were paroled after serving roughly a decade or slightly more in prison.
Barry Keenan served roughly 11 years before being granted parole in 1975. Joe Amsler and John Irwin were also paroled in the 1970s.
Frank Sinatra, Jr. Continued to Pursue Music
After the kidnapping, Frank Sinatra, Jr. returned to his music career. He worked steadily as a singer, conductor and musical director, and toured internationally. Though he sometimes struggled to step out of his father’s shadow, he built a respected career in his own right and later served for many years as musical director for Frank Sinatra, Sr.
As for the kidnapping, he occasionally spoke about it in interviews, describing it as frightening but formative. He passed away in 2016.
Barry Keenan Turned Things Around
After being paroled, Barry Keenan worked to rebuild his life and eventually found success in Southern California as a real estate developer. He became involved in commercial and residential property projects, carving out a legitimate business career.
Over time, Keenan was reportedly able to achieve a measure of financial stability. In later interviews, he expressed remorse for the crime and acknowledged the damage it caused, describing his actions as the result of poor judgment and personal turmoil.
Joe Amsler Kept a Low Profile
Joe Amsler kept a low public profile following his parole. There are few widely publicized interviews or statements from him in later years, and he largely stayed out of the spotlight. Unlike some high-profile criminals who seek notoriety, Amsler appeared to retreat into private life following his time in prison.
Little is Known About John Irwin's Post-Prison Life
John Irwin also avoided significant public attention and largely disappeared from headlines. Like Amsler, he didn't become a public commentator on the crime and kept his post-prison life private. Little is known of his life following his release.
Madeline Hiltz
