Explore Palm Springs: Frank Sinatra & Friends Valentine’s Love-In II

Fundraiser attracts Hollywood stars, former President Gerald Ford, and former Vice President Spiro Agnew

Renee Brown History

 

On February 12, 1983, the Frank Sinatra & Friends Valentine’s Love-In II was held at the Convention Center at the Canyon Hotel to raise funds for Desert Hospital.

As the guests arrived and strolled up the red carpet, a crowd of celebrity watchers lined each side of the red velvet velour ropes. The celebrity watchers had a good night as actors, politicians, studio heads and entertainers made their way to the ballroom at the Convention Center.

Tickets were $1,000 each and more than 900 tickets were sold raising in excess of $900,000.

Former President Gerald Ford and his wife, Betty, former Vice-President Spiro T. Agnew and his wife, Judy, former Ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife, Leonore, and former Ambassador Leonard Firestone all attended the event along with the an entourage of secret service men.

Actor Jimmy Stewart, Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, Kirk Douglas as well as Angie Dickinson, Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon, Gregory Peck, movie producer Hal Wallis and his wife Martha, and the owner of 20th Century Fox, Marvin Davis, were among those to walk the red carpet as. Columnists James Bacon and Jody Jacobs from Los Angeles were there to cover the event. 

Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis and many other "friends" entertained the crowd.

There is a multitude of ways to learn more about Palm Springs, which turned 75 in 2013.

One of the more intriguing methods is by exploring the city’s history.

The Palm Springs Historical Society will share a weekly story whose time and place corresponds with today.

The Palm Springs Historical Society is located at 221 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Visit www.pshistoricalsociety.org for more information.

 

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