Francis brought a suit alleging that Universal Music Group (UMG) took advantage of her condition and stopped paying royalties. In her autobiography, Francis mentioned that in the early years of her career, the language barrier in certain European countries made it difficult for her songs to get airplay, especially in Germany. Add photos, demo reels Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Known for Opposite Corners 5.9 Writer 1997 Credits IMDbPro Writer Previous 1 Opposite Corners Writer 1997 Personal details Spouse Connie Francis September 16, 1973 - October 1, 1978 (divorced, 1 child) Did you know . 489,228 listeners. Their romance came to an end soon after and Bobby went on to marry Sandra Dee in 1960. reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and number 4 in the US. By then, Connies father, George Franconero, and her manager, George Scheck, realized that her days as a child artist were numbered. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. Connie met Bobby early on in her career and quickly formed a special connection. Desperate, she now began to look for her next hit and found it in Stupid Cupid, written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. A German-language solo album was supposed to follow on Herzklang, but despite all songs being recorded and mixed, the album remains unreleased. that benefits the victims. I didnt grant an interview for seven years. She was very remorseful. Connie took time away from the spotlight to grieve after her brother, George Franconero Jr., was murdered in 1981. She won a lawsuit against the hotel for inadequate security, the result of which influenced the hotel and motel industry to install deadbolts, viewing ports and improved lighting. "Bobby had everything: charisma, talent, he was brilliant. The ex-wife of Joseph, Connie Francis is a top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Finally, even when MGM Records decided to sign a contract with her, it was basically because one track she had recorded, "Freddy", happened to be the name of the son of a company co-executive, Harry A. Meyerson, who thought of this song as a nice birthday gift. She shared that their relationship started when they recorded some of her old music as duets. Francis returned to the recording studio in 1981 to cut "Comme ci, comme a", and "I'm Me Again", the latter of which became the title track of an album which featured the aforementioned new songs. The Many Tears Ago singer and the Splish Splash crooners relationship was not approved by Connies father. In 1965, Connie Francis participated in that year's edition of the annual San Remo Festival, where her team partner Gigliola Cinquetti and she presented "Ho bisogno di vederti", which finished on number 5 of the final ranking. I was with Don Rickles and I said, Im outta here. While the former reached the US Top Ten and peaked at No. Francis's enduring popularity overseas led to her having television specials in numerous countries around the world, such as Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. Early in her career, she became romantically involved with singer and actor Bobby Darin. [22] In March and October 2007, Francis performed to sold-out crowds at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. that night on. any recoupment for all the sessions I did. that benefits the victims. The lawsuit was dismissed. The duet peaked at number 93 on Billboard's Hot 100. Her lawsuit led to improved security measures throughout the hotel industry. Tami Richey ONLINE. Osborne': In an interview published in the September 1991 issue of DISCoveries I do want to concentrate on things that are vital for me, which are veterans, victims of violent crime and the mentally ill. And if I were in a relationship, I wouldnt be able to do these other things. Estefan announced that she would produce and play the lead. These albums marked Francis's transition from the youth-oriented rock 'n' roll music to adult contemporary music, which George Franconero, Sr. had realized to be necessary if his daughter wanted to pursue a successful longterm career in music. [38] That same year, she also released With Love to Buddy, a tribute album of songs made famous by the late Buddy Holly. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. There was no way he could have been saved. [17] For the next four years, Francis was voted the "Best Female Vocalist" by American Bandstand viewers. After she was raped in 1974, Connie Francis sued Jericho Turnpike Howard Johnson's Lodge for failing to provide adequate security, winning $2.5 million in settlement. Well, the feeling was cosmic - just cosmic! She was married to first husband Dick Kanellis for just three months (1964-65) and to Joseph Garzilli from 1973 to 1978. known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She said, "[Connie Francis] isn't even in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and yet she was the first female pop star worldwide, and has recorded in nine languages. Her father convinced her (June 27, 1985 - March 31, 1986) (divorced), (September 16, 1973 - October 1, 1978) (divorced, 1 child), (January 16, 1971 - February 14, 1972) (divorced), (August 15, 1964 - November 15, 1964) (divorced), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. On October 2, 1957, Connie Francis recorded a cover version of the 1923 song Who's Sorry Now? at her fathers insistence, who believed that with modern beat, the song would appeal to both the generations. You can babysit him all night if you want to. So Frank came up and said, Is there a problem Don? Don said, Well you used language that offended her, Frank. [7] The song peaked at number 1 in West Germany. There were No. 19371955: Early life and first appearances, 19551957: Recording contract and commercial failures, Clayton W. Barrows Tom Powers, Introduction to Management in the Hospitality Industry (9th edition), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2009, pg. I began feeling sorry for myself and a bit envious, too. Francis and singer Gloria Estefan completed a screenplay for a movie based on Francis' life titled Who's Sorry Now? [37] A subsequent compilation album of her biggest German hits in their original versions was also released successfully. Connie Francis, byname of Concetta Maria Franconero, (born December 12, 1938, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.), American singer whose recordings in the 1950s and '60s encompassed country, rock and roll, and traditional vocal pop. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. According to Francis she was on location in Fort Lauderdale when the film's director Joe Pasternak advised her . In late December 2004, Francis headlined in Las Vegas for the first time since 1989. What would it take to impress you?Francis: A lot! In December 2009 the film project was dropped. [9] We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Gowns-bills were sent to MGM because I needed them for album covers. Her last top-40 entry was 'Be Anything (but Be Mine)' (1964). Singer, composer, actress, entertainer and publisher Connie Francis was Fox411: Beloved singer Connie Francis come forward with a tell-all titled 'Among My Souvenirs,' where she candidly opens up about one of her greatest tragedies. [15], Francis, who did not like the song and had been arguing about it with her father heatedly, delayed the recording of the two other songs during the session so much that, in her opinion, no time was left on the continuously running recording tape. Under the latter name, she also appeared on NBC's variety show Startime Kids between 1953 and 1955. By then, she had also decided to give up singing as a career option and accept a fellowship in radio and television production at the New York University. She had guards around her house. Living in an Italian-Jewish neighborhood, she also began to pick up Yiddish, soon becoming fluent in it. Francis used these reflections as the basis for her April 1960 recording, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" which would go on to become the first single by a female artist to top the Hot 100. The beloved singer, who is recognized as the top-selling female vocalist of the 60s, has enjoyed a lasting career, but her success didnt come without its fair share of heartache. Connie Francis was born into an Italian-American family, and her father always knew that she was destined for stardom. She has also been the spokeswoman for Mental Health America's trauma campaign, as well as an involved worker for the USO and UNICEF. Fame and fortune followed her after her first hit single, but that doesn't mean Francis had an easy life. The "Who's Sorry Now?" Other albums released in 1959 were Christmas in My Heart, Connies Greatest Hits, Rock n Roll Million Sellers, Country and Western Golden Hits and Connie Francis Sings Fun Songs for Children. Sing Great Country Favorites, Happiness Connie Francis On Broadway Today, Connie Francis Sings the Songs of Les Reed, When the Boy in Your Arms (Is the Boy in Your Heart), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Connie_Francis&oldid=1151104215, Dutch-language singers of the United States, French-language singers of the United States, German-language singers of the United States, Hebrew-language singers of the United States, Italian-language singers of the United States, Japanese-language singers of the United States, Latin-language singers of the United States, Portuguese-language singers of the United States, Spanish-language singers of the United States, Swedish-language singers of the United States, Yiddish-language singers of the United States, Belleville High School (New Jersey) alumni, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from August 2020, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Connie Francis provided the singing voice for, Connie Francis provided the singing voice for Freda Holloway as Honey Winn, Connie Francis provided the singing voice for Jayne Mansfield as Miss Kate, Concetta Literary Corporation / Baker & Taylor Publisher Services, 978-0999238905 (paperback) and 978-0999238912 (hardcover), Female Recording Artist of the Year (Foreign Division), This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 23:20. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Career Connie's career in music started when she was very young. Ferretti and Francis specifically focused on the song "You Made Me Love You.". The success of "Stupid Cupid" restored momentum to Francis' chart career, and she reached the U.S. top 40 an additional eight times during the remainder of the 1950s. As an antidote she began to make public performances, trying to pick up her life. The first time he asked me out on a date in 1961, he rented a shiny new Corvette sports car and we went to this elaborate movie house where they had valet parking. I stretched the other songs before I got to Whos Sorry Now so there wouldnt be time. On November 8, 1974, she met with a tragedy, being raped and nearly killed by an unknown man in a hotel room in Jericho, New York. I rented out a room in the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas for two weeks to write the chapters on the rape and my brothers murder. It was during this period that she changed her stage name to Connie Francis on the advice of Godfrey, who found it difficult to pronounce Franconero. [36] A single, entitled "Jive, Connie", ended up among the top-ten best-selling singles of the year, which brought Francis the prestigious R.SH-Gold award for the "Best Comeback of the Year" from R.SH (short for "Radio Schleswig-Holstein"), back then one of Germany's most important private radio stations. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, just one of her other 53 career hits. (Courtesy of Connie Francis). Their marriage only lasted three months before ending in divorce. Also in the same year, she released four more albums; one in English, others in Jewish, Spanish and Italian. There's a major story there." It went on to reach number 14 on the Billboard chart and was her second number 1 in the UK.[17]. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. The beloved singer, who is recognized as the top-selling female vocalist of the '60s, has enjoyed a lasting career, but her success didn't come without its fair share of heartache. By then, she was tired of uninterrupted recordings, traveling, live shows, and film works and therefore decided not to renew her contract. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. or redistributed. Darin's manager arranged for him to help write several songs for her. She later wrote her autobiography, , in 1984 where she opened up about all of the devastation she has faced in her life. My father said, If I have to nail you to that microphone, youre gonna do Whos Sorry Now. So I did it. . I got to meet both of them. In 1960, she reached the number 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100, first with 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool' and then with 'My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own'. Connie Francis, the 1960s pop icon, turned 85 on Monday, December 12, 2022. 11/6/74: After an appearance at the Westbury Music Fair in New York, she was raped at knifepoint at the Howard Johnson Motel where When he finished, Francis announced that he had just played her new hit song. The songwriter died in 1973, but Connie made it clear that he has remained on her mind after all of these years. singer has gone through a lot in life. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}contact us! Star Perdita Weeks' Bikini Photos, See Your Favorite Celebrity Couples in Swimsuits: Best Beach Photos, Meet Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone's Daughters Vivian and Georgette, Pure Sunshine! Francis was unable to sing for years after her attack, but slowly recovered until she was again able to tour in the early 1990s. The most interesting human being I've ever met in my life.". Connie Francis: her birthday, what she did before fame, her family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. Among her other hits are Stupid Cupid, Lipstick on Your Collar, Everybody's Somebody's Fool, My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, Never on a Sunday, and Don't Break the Heart That Loves You. But, my personal life was always secondary to my career. She originally did not want to sing her first smash hit, "Who's Sorry Travel, everything, The couple had a son named Joseph Garzilli Jr. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The two quickly developed a romance, and they stuck with each other until Ferretti's death, and the couple shared a cozy home. For the first few years of her life she lived in a Brooklyn neighbourhood on Utica Avenue/St. She starred in four motion pictures, Where the Boys Are (1960), Follow The Boys (1963), Looking For Love (1964) and When The Boys Meet The Girls (1965). The New Jersey native was married four times throughout her career but revealed that her greatest love was her late boyfriend, Connie met Bobby early on in her career and quickly formed a special connection. Connie Francis married four times; but none of them lasted long. Singer and actress Connie Francis was born Concetta Franconero, on December 12, 1938 (some sources say 1937), in Newark, New Jersey. Connie Francis recording music in 1978 in London. Much like Connie, Izzy had also been married once before and had two children from his previous relationship. During their marriage, they adopted one son, Joseph Garzilli Jr. Connie took time away from the spotlight to grieve after her brother, George Franconero Jr., was murdered in 1981. Sedaka then played "Stupid Cupid." [5] She was the first woman in history to reach No. MGM released her first recording, "Freddy" because the president of MGM had a son named by the same name. Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937),[2] Together, they made a double sided hit with Stupid Cupid peaking at number 14 on Billboard Hot 100. 1978), See the events in life of Connie Francis in Chronological Order, (One of the Best-Selling Pop Singers Known for Her Song Who's Sorry Now ), https://www.pinterest.com/pin/186406872048947536/, https://www.pbs.org/video/connie-francis-lqc8zw/, https://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2009/10/belleville_to_honor_hometown_g.html. whatever arranger, and then the bottom line was, if I didn't like any From mid-1961 to mid-1963, Radio Luxembourg closed each day's broadcasts with "It's Time to Say Goodnight", a song Francis had recorded especially for this purpose and which was never officially released until 1996.[21]. ~ Connie Francis ~ The Official Facebook Page The New Jersey native was married four times throughout her career but revealed that her greatest love was her late boyfriend, Bobby Darin. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Connie/Bety (Ext 2272) NESL 962 50026: Beginning. Connie Francis was born on December 12 th 1937 to Ida and George Franconero. In 1950, 12-year-old Concetta secured the first place on Arthur Godfrey's Startime Talent Scout as a singer and an accordion player. In the wake of "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel", Francis enjoyed her greatest successes outside the United States. He was a very sweet, sweet man. She started working with songwriters Neil Sedaka and Howie Greenfield, and recorded a string of hits, including "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick on Your Collar," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" and "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You.". I would never want to disappoint the fans who have been so good to me throughout my life.". Following this success, Francis recorded seven more albums of "favorites" between 1960 and 1964, including Jewish, German, and Irish, among others. A 5-year-old child went missing in Dublin, Va., in spring 2015. I needed to put humor into my book. I absolutely adored his screenplay of Judy's life he was so eager to do my life story for film, but she [Gloria] wouldn't agree to hire him and that was the end of that. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. she was staying. Market data provided by Factset. Finally Connie signed a contract with MGM Records for ten singles and one duet. In a 2011 interview, Francis described herself as "a die-hard liberal".[55]. Therefore, Francis enjoyed lasting chart success in the US until her contract with MGM Records ran out in 1969.[18]. Even if it wasn't on MGM business, it was paid for. On the B side was Carolina Moon, which she had recorded on 9 June at the same studio. Overseas, especially in England, I was an adult star before I was an During their marriage, they adopted one son, Fun Facts About Marie Osmond and Steve Craigs Love Story. It was a happy shock. Released in November 1957, Who's Sorry Now? was initially ignored. But here, they didn't take me seriously until Connie Francis, US pop singer, waring red-and-white striped trousers and a red t-shirt with her arms outstretched either side of her, in a studio. paid for every photograph and I kept the photos. By the spring of 1958, Whos Sorry Now rose to number 4 on Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on UK Singles Chart. songs I wanted, in whatever country, in whatever language, with The 80-year-old. Don told him, Hey dummy, this floozy your latest thing? She later wrote her autobiography, Whos Sorry Now?, in 1984 where she opened up about all of the devastation she has faced in her life. He said, If you dont sing this song sister, the only way youll get on 'American Bandstand' is if you sit on top of the television set. So I did it as the last song. By mid-year, over a million copies had been sold, and Francis was suddenly launched into worldwide stardom. She mentioned gratefully that her 85th birthday party must have been "the largest gathering of lifelong friends.". Connie Francis recorded "Where the Boys Are" as the theme song for the motion picture Where the Boys Are a 1961 MGM release filmed in 1960 in which Francis made her movie acting debut as one of four coeds on spring break in Fort Lauderdale.. Her last five albums were Was ich bin (1978, German), Im Me Again (1981), Where the Hits Are (1989), 'Jive Connie Connie Francis Party Powe' (1992, German) and The Return Concert Live At Trump's Castle (1996). MTW 9:00AM- 10:15AM 6/12-7/22: Rosalba Bolwin (Ext 2272) NESL 964 50027 Intermediate Level Listening and . The incident threw her into a great depression and for few years, she rarely left her home. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Afterwards, Francis told them that she considered their ballads too intellectual and sophisticated for the young generation and requested a more lively song. [51][52], Francis saw Darin only two more times: once when the two were scheduled to sing together for a television show, and again when she was spotlighted on the TV series This Is Your Life. The top 20 most streamed Connie Francis songs on Spotify. But soon he realized that his daughter, with her strong and tuneful voice, had even greater potentials. Bob worked as a TV producer with two IMDb credits from the early 80s in Richard Pryor Here and Now andI Challenge You. She said: "He was an amazing human being. The businessman died in 1973 after battling cancer. And it wasnt. (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous). The Love Is Me, Love Is You singer explained the reasoning behind their split in an October 1971 interview with the Courier-Post. Francis considered a career in medicine and was about to accept a four-year scholarship offered at New York University. Hence, "Freddy" was released as Francis's first single, which turned out to be a commercial failure, just as her following eight solo singles were. She and Garzilli had a son named Joseph Jr. Associated With. Francis attended Newark Arts High School in 1951 and 1952. In 1953, her family moved to Belleville, New Jersey, where she enrolled at Belleville High School, graduating from there in 1955. All Rights Reserved. At A young Connie Francis. I gave up my career for the past eight months while we lived in New Jersey. In spite of the success, she was informed by MGM that her contract would not be renewed after her tenth solo recording. I didn't abuse it. In 1973, she married Joseph Garzilli, restaurateur and travel-agency owner and remained married to him for five years, the union ending in a divorce in 1978. Connie Francis is an American pop singer who ruled the charts in late 1950s and early 1960s. Her first husband was Dick Kannellis, a press agent and entertainment director for the Aladdin Hotel. The incident happened while she appeared at the Westbury Music Fair in New York, on November 8, 1974. But sometime from the middle of 1960s, with the arrival of the Beatles, her chart success on Billboard Hot 100 began to decline. I never felt quite the same about anyone the way I still feel about Bobby to this day.. The crime led to a nervous breakdown, a crumbling marriage and it nearly ended her career. Billboard Hot 100 / This DES stereo video. Several songs from the Who's Happy Now? 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, just one of her other 53 career hits. It was a horrible experience. releasing stuff. Their marriage only lasted three months before ending in divorce. 'Don't Break the Heart That Loves You' was another hit of the year. Francis returned to San Remo in 1967 to present "Canta Ragazzina" with her team partner Bobby Solo. And I'm sorry I wasted ten years with those people [i.e. [47][48] In 1973, Francis married for the third time her only marriage to last more than a few months Joseph Garzilli, a restaurateur and travel-agency owner; they divorced in 1977. She recorded the song also in Japanese, Italian, and Spanish, as she had done before with her original 1960 version. [29], In 1977, Francis underwent nasal surgery and completely lost her voice. Lovely, indefatigable Connie Stevens added sparkle to a number of films and TV shows in the late 50s and 60s Hollywood. 1986), Dick Kanellis (m. 1964 div. But Dick Clark liked it It was a cosmic moment for me. So to a large degree, I blame myself. release even the garbage so that I wouldn't just be recording and not "Belleville to honor hometown girl, the resilient Connie Francis", Connie Francis Sings Fun Songs for Children, Connie Francis Sings Spanish and Latin American Favorites, Connie Francis Sings Award Winning Motion Picture Hits, Connie Francis and Hank Williams Jr. Its modest success inspired her to perform once again. On 18 June 1958, Francis recorded Stupid Cupid on at Metropolitan Studio. According to a broadcast on the A&E Biography channel, singer. [regarding her version of "God Bless America"] In an interview published One year later, the songstress married her fourth husband, Bob Parkinson in 1985. [11] Titled Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites, the album was released in November 1959. There was just no way when it was made public. news.AmoMama.com speaks out against the above mentioned and news.AmoMama.com advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. Her height is 1.62m tall, and her weight is 54 kg. After the relative failure of the follow-up singles "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry" (which stalled at No.