Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
Frank Sinatra was back on the movie set today after narrowly escaping drowning yesterday when he was swept seaward in a strong undertow on Kauai.
Sinatra was exhausted, but unharmed.
He resumed production about 8 a.m. today on the movie, "None But the Brave," which is being filmed on Kauai.
Associates said Sinatra, although weakened, insisted on going ahead with production today as scheduled.
Following his rescue yesterday in the choppy waters near the Coco Palms Hotel, Sinatra said: "I’m about the luckiest man in the world."
He said if help hadn’t come, he knew he probably wouldn’t have made it.
"Another couple of minutes out there and I would have had it," he said.
Harold Freedman, the movie company’s publicist, said Sinatra didn’t swallow too much salt water and "kept his head" but that he was completely exhausted when rescued.
Mrs. Howard Koch, the wife of Sinatra’s executive producer, also had to be rescued.
Sinatra and Mrs. Koch were swimming near Sinatra’s rented cottage when the two were swept seaward — Sinatra farther than Mrs. Koch.
Freedman estimated the distance at about 150 yards.
Although both Mrs. Koch and Sinatra are good swimmers, they could not return to shore.
Someone at the nearby hotel called the Kapaa Fire Station at 2:27 p.m.
Brad Dexter, an actor, swam out to Sinatra but could not bring him in.
Harold Jim, assistant manager of the Coco Palms, and Louis Gonsalve, Jr., Kauai supervisor, swam out and took over for Dexter, who returned to shore.
Alfred O. Giles, Sinatra’s next-door neighbor, hearing a call for help, went into the ocean on his surfboard.
Jim and Gonsalve put Sinatra on Giles’s board.
The three made several attempts to get Sinatra back through the fast, choppy surf but failed.
Meanwhile, firemen arrived and one of them, Theodore Williams, swam out with a floatline (rope with cork) and brought Mrs. Koch to shore.
Fire Lieutenant George Keawe threw a rope to the other men — aiding Sinatra — and pulled them to shore.
Sinatra did not need medical attention.
