 Anne Francis started
her career as a child model in New York City at the tender age of five. She progressed to
children's radio (NBC) for "Coast to Coast on a Bus" and then "Let's
Pretend" at CBS with Nila Mac. Her first play was on Broadway in "Lady in The
Dark" with Gertrude Lawrence. She grew up in the primary stages of television
performing on a daily children’s program at CBS and participating in that station's
first color tests before World War II shut down all TV programming. Anne did her share of
radio soap operas, appearing on "Aunt Jenny", "Portia Faces Life",
"Rosemary", and she played Kathy Cameron on the soap "When a Girl
Marries", until called for a year's stint under contract to MGM where she did two
day's work on a film called "Summer Holiday" with Mickey Rooney and a truly
stellar cast. However, you have to look fast to find her! She played Mickey Rooney's older
brother's girlfriend. The rest of that year she went to the little MGM schoolhouse along
with Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Powell, Dean and Guy Stockwell, and Natalie Wood. Back to
N.Y. she went, where she went to work in the exciting and creative post War era of live
television performing on such shows as "Lights Out", "Climax",
"Studio One", "Playhouse 90", "U. S. Steel Hour" and
"Kraft Theatre". She also hosted a weekly Variety show at NBC called, "The
Bonnie Maid Versatile Variety Show"! She wore Scottish kilts and did the lead ins and
commercials with two other fair maids at her side, Carol Ohmart and Eva Marie Saint. A film shot in N.Y. brought her to the
attention of Daryl Zanuck (then head of Twentieth Century Fox). She played a teenage
prostitute with a baby in "So Young, So Bad", a story about delinquent girls in
a reform school setting. Two other principal players were Rita (then Rosita) Moreno
and Anne Jackson. Paul Henried played a psychiatrist. Anne was on a shoot for Louis
DeRochemont called, "The Whistle at Eaton Falls" in which she appeared with
Lloyd Bridges, when she was asked to sign a contract with Twentieth where she spent three
years, and then went to MGM for three more years after which she joined free lance status.
It was the time of the last days of the big studios' reign, and during that period she
starred in, "Lydia Bailey" with Dale Robertson, "Elopement", and
"Dreamboat" (both with Clifton Webb) "Bad Day at Black Rock" with
Spencer Tracy", "Blackboard Jungle" with Glenn Ford, "Rogue Cop"
with Robert Taylor, and "Forbidden Planet" with Leslie Neilson. Other credits
include,  "The Rack" with Paul Newman, "Hook, Line and Sinker"
with Jerry Lewis, "The Love God", with Don Knotts and "Funny Girl",
with Barbra Streisand. The latter experience was covered in many a newspaper column, and
Anne may speak about it in the future, as so many rumors evolved at the time. Other film
credits can be found on the WORK PAGE. Anne received the Golden
Globe Award and was nominated for an Emmy for her role as "Honey West" in the
series of the same name.
Miss Francis has been active in
many Movies of the Week and guested on major sit coms. She's done theatre.
She wrote, directed, and produced an art film short released in theatres and shown on PBS
entitled, "Gemini Rising". It is a collage of rodeo activities as seen through a
boy's eyes, revealing some of the dilemmas of life through sight and sound. The film may
eventually be available on the COLLECTIBLES PAGE.
Anne has written a book entitled
"VOICES FROM HOME". It is a revealing journey of the heart and spirit. The
journey she has been taking while proceeding down this path we call LIFE! The book was
written some years before folks were talking about such things and includes many psychic
experiences, past memories and even a poltergeist or two! Interspersed are some of her
show business experiences and bits of fitting poetry along with wonderful sketches done by
Christopher Nickens, a fine biographer in his own right. You will find more information
and the availability of this book on the COLLECTIBLES PAGE.
Anne won a first place award at
the Santa Barbara Writer's Conference for film writing, and she has another book she is
starting now. She currently was on the "Drew Carey Show" and the last segment of
the "new" "Fantasy Island". We will try to keep information updated as
to future projects.
Miss Francis wishes to share
thoughts and feelings with others who are challenged by life, and offers a NEWSLETTER.
So, WELCOME ABOARD!!! |
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