It's 1963, John F. Kennedy is President, and every American wants a share of "the dream." For three friends from California it will be an outlandish, get-rich-quick crime that only the truly naive would believe possible.

 You feelin’ bold? Let’s kidnap Frank Sinatra, Jr. No lark, no off-the-cuff comment. It’s a proposition to his friends from Barry Keenan (David Arquette, Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk, Scream), a loser in his early twenties who sees middle class as a death sentence. Sure, his way out is a crime, but if it’s done smoothly, it can work. He can invest the ransom, become a millionaire and, in time, maybe even get into politics. Barry has it all worked out. His agreeable partners are John Irwin (Oscar and Emmy nominee William H. Macy, Fargo), a patriotic ex-Navy all-American, and Barry’s high school buddy, Joe Amsler (Ryan Browning, Buffy the Vampire Slayer). They have the perfect victim the son of one of the most famous, wealthiest, and well-connected artists in the world. Besides, Junior (Thomas Ian Nicholas, American Pie) is only 19, still vulnerable, amiable, and willing to please. He’ll keep quiet. As far as his budding career goes, the headlines can’t hurt.

 They have a new Chevy to get them to Lake Tahoe’s Ambassador Hotel, tickets to Junior’s hot new show at the Clubroom, and a rented house in Canoga Park to keep the singer reasonably comfortable. Barry also has duct tape, a gun, and high hopes. After all, he’s read Ten Mistakes Every Criminal Makes by J. Edgar Hoover. Being a well-read kidnapper, step one—the abduction—is pulled off without a hitch. Now all they have to do is call Daddy with the news. But in less than twenty-fours hours, three novice criminals, the FBI, and one indomitable legend are going to cross paths in a dusk-to-dawn disaster that became one of the most fascinating footnotes in the annals of criminal—and musical—history.

 What on earth were three relatively levelheaded men thinking? The answer is in Hallmark Entertainment’s swinging crime caper, Stealing Sinatra, a totally incredible, but unbelievably true story of the night the coolest man in America lost his cool.

-- www.hallmarkent.com (Official Website)

Nearly 40 years ago, on December 9, 1963, FRANK SINATRA's son, 19-year-old FRANK SINATRA, JR., was kidnapped from a Lake Tahoe motel room at gunpoint. Although he was eventually released unharmed, the elder Sinatra fought for many years to keep the story from being turned into a film.

 But with the upcoming movie, "Stealing Sinatra," Showtime is recreating the high-profile incident. ET shares heartfelt revelations from both the late Sinatra and his son taped from a 1988 interview with MARY HART.

"Between anger and anxiety, and wanting to hang somebody by the neck if I could find him," an emotional Sinatra, Sr. said, "it was a very difficult situation (in which) to try and hold on and be calm."

 ET visited the set where 'American Pie' 's THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS plays Sinatra's son. Ironically, Nicholas, who is one-quarter Italian, learned after he landed the role that his family had a real-life connection with the singer. "My grandfather on my father's side used to open for Frank Jr.," Nicholas told ET. "He was a standup comedian."

 JAMES RUSSO plays Old Blue Eyes himself, a role that was originally intended to feature the singing legend only from behind. But the makeup and hair people "shaved, plucked and dyed" Russo until they got his Sinatra look down so well that the producers changed their minds.

 Due to their bumbling natures, all three kidnappers were quickly apprehended along with the majority of the money. For this reason, DAVID ARQUETTE, who plays head kidnapper, BARRY KEENAN, and WILLIAM H. MACY, who plays one of his sidekicks -- consider the film a dark comedy.

 "People don't go into the life of crime because they're smart," Macy said. Arquette added, "It is amazing they pulled it off."

 Familial connection aside, Nicholas is hoping that Frank Jr. will be pleased with the film, even though the event scarred him for life. Frank Jr. told Nicholas he "felt the movie should be called 'Half a Life,' because the kidnapping stole his life from him."

-- www.etonline.com (March 29, 2002)

In 1963, three enterprising, middle-class friends from southern California planned the impossible: the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr. Minute by minute, misstep by misstep, this is the fascinating recreation of a swinging true crime that turned a budding young singer into one of the most famous hostages in history.

-- www.foxtel.com.au

In 1963, three friends from southern California planned the impossible: the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr. Minute by minute, misstep by misstep, this is the fascinating re-creation of a swinging true crime that turned a budding young singer into one of the most famous hostages in history. David Arquette and William H. Macy star in Stealing Sinatra.

-- StarHub Cable TV

Question: Your next film is called "Stealing Sinatra".
Can you tell us about your role?

Answer: I play Barry Keenan, a guy who kidnapped Frank Sinatra Jr. As crazy as it sounds, he had this idea and executed it. The whole thing lasted 58 hours before they were discovered. The humour of this story is tied to the fact that these guys were not really criminals but just bumbling wannabe criminals. William H Macy plays the guy who turns us in. He's just such a great actor. It was a thrill getting to work with him.

-- www.bbc.co.uk (From an Interviewed with David Arquette)