obituaries
Sinatra DJ Sid Mark Dies at 88
JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
T here are many Frank Sinatra
fanatics out there — people who
listen to the songs over and over,
who feel that the lyrics explain so much
about life and who view the icon as the
epitome of cool.

And then there’s Sid Mark, the long-
time Philadelphia radio DJ and noted
Sinatra connoisseur.

Mark was not merely an appreciator
of the legend but an actual friend of his
Sid Mark in the studio
as well.

Sinatra appreciated Mark’s locally
based and nationally syndicated pro-
grams about his music. Th e two men
were friends for more than 30 years.

Now, the Jewish DJ can join his favor-
ite musician in eternity. Mark died on
April 18. He was 88.

“If you knew Sidney for fi ve minutes,
you would know he’s sincere,” said Judy
Mark, his wife of 49 years. “And Sinatra
knew he knew the music, he respected
the music.”
Judy Mark believes that her husband,
a kid from Camden, started admiring
Sinatra as a boy. But she knows for cer-
tain that Sinatra got through to Mark
while the latter was serving in the Army.

It was Christmas time, and Mark heard
the singer belt out “I’ll Be Home for
Christmas” on the radio.

“Th is was an amazing man,” she said
of the legend.

Aft er leaving the Army, Mark landed a
job at WHAT-FM in Philadelphia. One day,
he got a chance to fi ll in for another disc
jockey. Th e new DJ brought in two Sinatra
albums and ended up playing them for the
entire shift . With that, a format was born.

Over the next 60-plus years, Mark
hosted “Fridays with Frank,” “Sundays
with Sinatra” and “Th e Sounds of
Sinatra.” “Th e Sounds of Sinatra”
achieved national syndication.

In 1966, Sinatra himself called Mark
and told the DJ to visit him in Las
Vegas. Mark and his fi rst wife Loretta
Fliegelman even dined with the icon.

(Fliegelman is Mark’s legal name; Mark
Photo by Brian Mark
is his middle name and a stage moniker.)
According to Judy, if the DJ wanted an
interview with the performer, he got it.

He could also just pick up the phone and
call Sinatra, while the legend would call
him when he wasn’t feeling well.

“He was kind,” Judy Mark said. “He
always responded.”
Mark played his favorite artist at home,
too, according to his wife. Sinatra and
jazz, she explained. He also hosted jazz
shows on local TV channels WPHL-17
and WHYY in the ’60s and ’70s.

Mark did not really like other kinds
of music, Judy said. He just played his
favorites over and over. Sometimes, he
resented when people called into his
radio show because he was listening to
the music.

“It was his whole life,” Judy added.

And his life will outlive him.

Brian Mark, Sid Mark’s son and exec-
utive producer, said that the syndicated
show’s current station, WPHT 1210 AM,
will continue running it. Th e station just
will not replace its host. Brian Mark is
going to sit in the host seat, play the hits and
dub the show with recordings of his father.

“We’ll still hear Sid doing the music
and such and the interviews,” Brian
Mark said.

Th e executive producer believes there’s
no reason to end “Th e Sounds of Sinatra.”
People still want to listen to Sinatra, he
said. But one part of the show will not con-
tinue. Th e daily call between father and
son at 2 p.m. Th ey would talk about the
show, what they were going to do next
and family life.

“It gave us a chance to be together
every day,” Brian Mark said.

Mark is survived by his wife; sons
Brian, Eric and Andy; daughter Stacey;
and a grandson.

Judy Mark said he enjoyed being home
with the family as much as doing the
show. “He really loved that,” Judy Mark said.

“And he loved being on the air. He really
did.” JE
jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com
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