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Gloria Vanderbilt Opens Up About Past Romances With Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes

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Gloria Vanderbilt Opens Up About Past Romance With Sinatra
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
ByMICHAEL ROTHMAN
June 23, 2016, 2:08 PM

— -- Gloria Vanderbilt really wants to help others start a dialogue between themselves and their loved ones. That's the idea of her and son Anderson Cooper's new book, "The Rainbow Comes and Goes."

This morning on "Live with Kelly," Vanderbilt discussed her former romances with the likes of Howard Hughes and Frank Sinatra.

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"They all became dear friends, which is a great thing to have happen," she said.

The 92-year-old said Sinatra was one of her greatest friends and "was kind of just the most amazing person in my life." She met the iconic singer when she was stuck in a marriage she thought she would never get out of. Sinatra then called and asked her out to dinner.

"I said 'Yes' and that was it," she said.

PHOTO: Gloria Vanderbilt Stokowska strolling with actor-singer Frank Sinatra and the latter's son, Frank, Jr., on New York's First Avenue, Dec. 31, 1954.
Gloria Vanderbilt Stokowska, who created something of a sensation by leaving her internationally famous husband, maestro Leopold Stokowski, is shown strolling with actor-singer Frank Sinatra and the latter's son, Frank, Jr., on New York's First Avenue, Dec. 31, 1954.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

She also mentioned dating Errol Flynn and that it "was very brief."

She said she was "star struck" when she was 18, adding that the men were "like gods to me" when she was younger.

As for Hughes, the airplane mogul, "he was the best."

Vanderbilt and Cooper talk about this and more in their new book.

"I hope people will be able to speak in a totally free way with people they love," she said about the new memoir. "Really be able to have a conversation and tell them how you feel."

"The Rainbow Comes and Goes" is out now.

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