Tony Danza is opening up about a moment with Frank Sinatra that has stayed with him for three decades.
In a new interview with The New York Post, the 74-year-old actor shared that he once sang in front of Sinatra during the star’s 1995 televised 80th birthday tribute.
Tony Danza Remembers Singing for Frank Sinatra For 80th Birthday
“I was singing to him,” Danza said. “Back then, I didn’t really sing — except for in the shower. But Frank liked my performance.”
Danza recalled that after his performance, Sinatra appeared unsteady on the high steps where he was seated. Concerned, Danza reached out to help him regain balance. That’s when Sinatra turned sharply.
“He threw his elbow back and almost got me in the chin,” Danza remembered. Sinatra then looked at him and said, “Back off! What’s your problem?”
The unexpected response rattled Danza in the moment. But he later learned it was a sign of approval. Sinatra’s confidante, Jilly Rizzo, quickly reassured him.
“He pulls me aside and said, ‘Don’t worry about it, Tony. That’s how you know Frank likes you,’” Danza recalled.
Tony Danza & Frank Sinatra’s Lasting Bond
Danza, who has long been a fan of the “My Way” singer, said his love for Sinatra began at home. “My mother, when I was a young kid, turned me onto Frank and got me excited about him. And throughout high school and college, I sang along with his records like the rest of us,” he told The New York Post.
His Hollywood career brought him closer to Sinatra in unexpected ways. A producer first noticed Danza while he was boxing at Gleason’s Gym in New York, which led him into acting and eventually into Sinatra’s circle.
“By some miracle, when I got out to Hollywood, I ended up being in Frank’s circle,” he said. “It was really kind of crazy.”
The two even shared a movie connection. Danza’s big-screen debut came in the 1983 comedy “Cannonball Run II,” which also marked Sinatra’s final film credit, an experience that helped solidify their friendship.
Sinatra later made a rare guest appearance on Danza’s hit 1980s sitcom “Who’s the Boss?”
Tony Danza on Keeping Frank Sinatra’s Legacy Alive
Today, Danza honors Sinatra through a sold-out cabaret show in New York City titled “Sinatra and Stories.” In the show, he performs some of the legendary singer’s greatest hits while weaving in personal anecdotes from his career and his time with Sinatra.
“The obvious answer is that he’s great,” Danza told The Two River Times earlier this year. “He really touched people with his singing and acting.”
The actor’s reflections show just how much Sinatra influenced his life and career. What began with a sharp remark and an elbow at a birthday celebration has become one of Danza’s favorite stories to share, a moment that revealed not rejection, but acceptance from one of music’s greatest icons.
