Frank Diamond, late 1950s/early 1960s. Shown here at the home of Herbert W. Zoozman. Diamond was a frequent guest at the Zoozman residence, "especially if I was throwing a big party and there were lots of chicks laying around the pool and a buffet of free food." said Zoozman in an interview in 1965 about Diamond. "If there's free food, that would always bring out the talent, especially Frank." [SEE ZOOZMAN FILMOGRAPHY FOR DIAMOND APPEARANCES IN ZOOZMAN FILMS]	FRANK "FLING-A-DING" DIAMOND... even now that name conjures up images of smoke-filled Vegas lounges, watered down doublemartinis, and a trademark red-velour tux polka-dotted with cigarette burns. Here are the "highlights" of this...ah..."remarkable" career. FRANK DIAMOND...born Francis Alowishis Diamond, February 29, 1932, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. His mother, "Gravel Gertie" Diamond, was known as the "Texas Guinan of Pawtucket." She was a two-fisted owner of Pawtucket's #1 Speakeasy, "The Club Whoopee"..which went legit right after Frank's birth (and, of course, with the end of Prohibition, busines dropped off 80%). Gertie was also the club's piano player. From her, Frank learned to love the classics of Tin Pan Alley. He also learned to love Scotch, unfiltered Camels, gambling, and "red-hot mamas."
Frank's father, according to Gertie, was Artie "Trombone" MacGillicuddy, an itinerant musician in Pawtucket on a one-night stand for "Fred Flanagan And His Fox-Trot Fellers." Little more is known. FRANK DIAMOND TIME LINE 1949 -- Frank leaves R.I. for California. Tells mom hešs going to "make it big" like his idols, Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes. 1951 -- Frank meets, hires long-time accompaniest Chet "Bugsy" Miller, "Clown Prince of the Ivory-Ticklers." 1955 -- Frank meets Herbert W. Zoozman when Zoozman decks a heckler at "Nick's Bucket O' Fluff", a small "after-hours" club in Palm Springs. Frank and Zoozman become fast friends. 1957 -- Zoozman gets FD his first record deal, "THIS IS FRANK DIAMOND!" (peaks for one week at #196 on Billboard album charts) 1959 -- Zoozman produces next FD disc, "FRANK DIAMOND -- FLING-A-DING DIAMOND!" Album sinks like a stone, along with single release, "(Gotta Have) Chicks & Kicks" 1959 -- Zoozman tries to make FD into a rock and roll star with "DESTROY ALL TEENAGERS!", demented rock epic about Martians coming to earth to destroy rock. Movie breaks even, but no one buys soundtrack album.
1960 -- FD invited to sing at Presidential Inaugural...by Richard Nixon. When the Nix loses, FD left out in the cold. 1962 -- FD makes one last bid for movie stardom as "Elvis's long-lost twin brother Malvin Parsley" in "THE SWINGIN' ASTRONAUT!" Ruse uncovered. Only Zoozman movie in history to lose money (film goes 1200 dollars over budget after extras riot when they're not served lunch). 1962 -- Frank marries Trixie Lafoon, an extra on "Swingin' Astronaut." Records "HAVIN' A VEGAS HONEYMOON!" -- Live recording from "Spud & Elma's Blastoffe Lounge." Never released (bootleg available)	Frank and his "wife" Doris Borwinkle flank Zoozman at another poolside party in the mid 1960s. Doris had just recently retired from modeling as a pin-up girl in this photo. No one is exactly certain if Frank and Doris are married in this pic. In fact, no one is exactly certain if Frank and Doris were ever married. At least, to each other. For more information, consult a book -- which has unfortunately been out of print since 1989 -- called "Multi-Faceted; the Secret of Life of Frank Diamond". It mentions, among other things, Diamond's probable involvement in an international spy ring, art forgeries, land snatching, and of course, his skills as quite the gourmet chef. If you can find it, it makes for a quick, but intriguing read.
1962 -- Marriage ends after 3 months. Bride laments, "He's married to his music." Demands, gets custody of his battery-powered swizzle stick. 1963 -- Zoozman makes one last try to goose FD's career. Records "FRANK DIAMOND -- KINDA NOW, KINDA "WOW!" Includes notorious "fling-a-ding" cover version of 'Oh Holy Night." Bombs. 1964 -- To move stalled career forward, FD announces "Fling-A-Ding World Charity Tour to Cure GalBloots." Press discovers disease is a phony. Scandal. Frank takes a year off, gets work as a bartender at the "Pair-O-Dice Motel," Las Vegas. 1965 -- FD spends own cash ($350) to record "Frank Diamond's Beatles Bag!", fling-a-ding remakes of Beatles tunes. Presses 500 copies, sells 45 out of the trunk of his '59 Caddy convertible. (copies now go for $3000 apiece) 1965: FD appears on Zoozman Christmas Special. Duet with Doris Borwinkle on "Something Stupid." 1967: FD makes headlines in Las Vegas newspaper when Velvet Paisley punches him out at the climax of "Stars Fell On Alabama." Headlines reads, "Fading Crooner Decked By Heckler: You Stink!" 1967: Frank uses brief fame to duet with Paisley on "Whatever Happened to Christmas?" Some airplay, no sales. 1968: Frank gets Zoozman's personal assistant Mona pregnant. 9 months later, Frank Diamond, Jr. is born. 1969: FD travels to Philippines for discount hair transplant/weave. 1970: Frank takes a $500 slots jackpot and makes "Frank Diamond -- The BOSS of Bossa Nova!" with Bandleader Manuel Lopez Machado. No airplay, despite clumsy attempt by FD to bribe local disc jockey at a junior college radio station. 1971: "Lucy In the Sky with DIAMOND!" -- One last attempt to be "with-it" for Frank Diamond. Despite "fling-a-ding" arrangements of "Purple Haze," "Light My Fire" and the title track, album is a stiff. FD, discouraged, goes to Nevada Plumbing College.
1972: One final Zoozman Christmas Special, "Christmas In L.A." Frank retires on the air. Trade papers don't pick up story. 1973: Frank hired by G. Gordon Liddy as a plumber. Massive mis-understanding. FD quits hours before Watergate break-in. 1974: FD reduced to working the Salad Bar at Hollywood "Sizzler." 1975: First FD comeback -- San Diego American Legion Post #457 hires Frank to entertain as they re-paint the facility. Planned two-record "live" set "FD In Concert: Did Anyone Miss Me?" never released.	The Diamond-Zoozman connection continues to this day. Pictured here are Frank Diamond's son Frank Diamond Jr. and Herbert W. Zoozman's grandson Herbert W. Zoozman III, aka Herbie Z. The two are nightclub entertainers in and around the Los Angeles area and sometimes Las Vegas. Diamond Jr.'s singing is very similar to his father's, but according to the artist himself, "if you want to take it as a tribute, then that's what it is. I'm not purposely trying to imitate the old man, but at the same time, I sing the way I sing." As for Herbie Z, he's happy to be working with Frank Jr., and hopes that the release of his grandfather's film classic, They Came in Outer Space, goes on to cement his place in film history. As far as we can tell...mission accomplished!
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