Saddle River sculptor helps Frank Sinatra make a return to his native Hoboken

Marsha A. Stoltz, NorthJersey.com
·3 min read

Frank Sinatra is back in Hoboken, thanks to Saddle River sculptor Carolyn Palmer.

Her statue of the city's favorite son was dedicated on what would have been his 106th birthday, Dec. 12, in Frank Sinatra Park, off Frank Sinatra Drive between the Sinatra soccer field and the Sinatra amphitheater, near the Blue Eyes Restaurant.

No doubt, Hoboken loves its Sinatra.

"City officials saw my busts of the popes for St. Patrick's Cathedral and asked if they could commission a statue of Frank," Palmer said in a telephone interview.

There are ample movie and photo images of Sinatra, Palmer said, and she knew right away she wanted to pose Sinatra leaning against a lamppost, reminiscent of his 1954 "Songs for Young Lovers" album cover. She also found a photo of him exiting a plane grasping his hat that she particularly liked.

But as she found out when she was asked to redo the so-called "Scary Lucy" statue commissioned by Lucille Ball's hometown, creating images of well-known personalities is tricky, because everyone has an opinion of what those people should look like.

Saddle River sculptor Carolyn Palmer surveys her newly-installed Frank Sinatra bronze statue in Hoboken's Sinatra Park. The lamppost's light is orange because it was the singer's favorite color, she said.
Saddle River sculptor Carolyn Palmer surveys her newly-installed Frank Sinatra bronze statue in Hoboken's Sinatra Park. The lamppost's light is orange because it was the singer's favorite color, she said.

"I submitted a sketch, and one of the officials said I had made him real skinny, his pants too baggy, so I made him more like when he was 40 or 50," Palmer said.

The project also had to pass muster with Sinatra's daughter Tina, who maintains control over his legacy and images.

"She really didn't tell me how to do it, but she did mention her father had boxer's hands, and always wore a family crest ring on his pinky finger, which she offered to send so I could copy it," Palmer said.

Palmer said she maintained Sinatra's 5-foot-7 stature, enhanced by 2-inch lifts he often wore, topped by a jaunty hat. She tried to remain true to his physical features, but chose not to include a forceps scar behind his left ear.

Sculptor Carolyn Palmer completes clay model of Frank Sinatra statue which was then cast in bronze.
Sculptor Carolyn Palmer completes clay model of Frank Sinatra statue which was then cast in bronze.

"He was a 13-pound baby," Palmer said. "It was a difficult birth."

She also chose not to include Sinatra's ever-present cigarette and highball glass.

"This is a healthy Sinatra," Palmer said.

POPE BUSTS: Saddle River sculptor's bronze pope busts installed at St. Patrick's Cathedral

SCARY LUCY: Everyone loves this Lucy by Saddle River sculptor Carolyn Palmer

The project was begun in 2019 and took a year to complete. Palmer said working during the COVID pandemic made this commission "more fun" because she couldn't go out. She listened to Sinatra songs and movies for inspiration as she sculpted.

"Sometimes I had to turn it off," Palmer said. "I'd be sitting there watching the movie instead of working. It got distracting."

Carolyn Palmer applies finishing touches to the bronze cast of Sinatra's face and hand in her studio. The statue is cast in pieces, and then assembled.
Carolyn Palmer applies finishing touches to the bronze cast of Sinatra's face and hand in her studio. The statue is cast in pieces, and then assembled.

The completed clay figure was then cast in bronze sections that were later assembled. The most difficult part, Palmer said, was the lamppost. She wanted to make it hollow so it could be wired with an operational light once installed.

"The light bulb is orange, which was Frank's favorite color," Palmer said. "He always said it was a happy color."

The statue was installed on top of an 8,000-pound, 20-inch-tall granite pedestal. Palmer tilted Sinatra's head downward slightly so photographers can capture his full face from the ground rather than the underside of his chin. The statue is also enhanced by its position in front of Manhattan's midtown skyline, a tribute to one of his most popular songs, "New York, New York."

Palmer advises visiting the statue in the afternoon or on overcast days, when Sinatra's features can be photographed to best advantage.

"If you come in the morning, the sun is behind the statue and all you get is a black outline," she said. "In the afternoon the sun shines in Frank's face."

Palmer said working on a ladder with her arms upraised for long periods of time has left her with some aches and in need of physical therapy. But she remains happy with the outcome of her efforts.

"Mostly, I want to thank Frank Sinatra," she said.

Closeup of Frank Sinatra statue in Hoboken's Sinatra Park.
Closeup of Frank Sinatra statue in Hoboken's Sinatra Park.

Frank Sinatra's statue can be reached via Fourth Street, four blocks east of Hoboken's main retail section on Washington Street.

Marsha Stoltz is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: stoltz@northjersey.com

Twitter: @marsha_stoltz

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Frank Sinatra statue in Hoboken from Saddle River sculptor