got her big break on the music scene with her cover of Whos Sorry Now? The top-selling song led to a career full of incredible successes in the midst of heartache. Connie Francis - Facebook During their marriage, they adopted one son, Fun Facts About Marie Osmond and Steve Craigs Love Story. She was married to first husband Dick Kanellis for just three months (1964-65) and to Joseph Garzilli from 1973 to 1978. They also raised money for recording a four-song demo tape, which they hoped to sell to some well-known recording company. Legendary singer Connie Francis auctions life's treasures She was terrorized for nearly three hours at knife-point, raped and robbed. The legendary singer has over 1 million monthly listeners on the platform. Connie Francis and Boyfriend Bobby Darin's Relationship Details On July 3 that same year, she played a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II at the Alhambra Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. He never knew I did that. known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. If I had put as much thought in selecting husbands as I did with Vegas openings, I would have been fine. She also said the support of her fans helped her stay hopeful. Luckily, it seems that her home wasn't hit by the ruthless hurricane Irma. The "Who's Sorry Now?" Connie Francis ( 16 September 1973 - 1 October 1978) (divorced) (1 child) Trivia (1) Joseph and Connie Francis adopted a son, Joseph Grazilli Jr., born in 1974. [22] In March and October 2007, Francis performed to sold-out crowds at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. During the next two years, she recorded a number of mediocre songs. She spent some time in a mental hospital for severe depression. All along, she continued with her formal education, being enrolled at Newark Arts High School in 1951. 489,228 listeners. [7], Despite these failures, Francis was hired to record the vocals for Tuesday Weld's "singing" scenes in the 1956 movie Rock, Rock, Rock, and for Freda Holloway in the 1957 Warner Brothers rock and roll movie Jamboree. Joseph Garzilli Jr: Facts About Connie Francis' Son We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Together, they made a double sided hit with Stupid Cupid peaking at number 14 on Billboard Hot 100. Francis considered a career in medicine and was about to accept a four-year scholarship offered at New York University. She originally did not want to sing her first smash hit, "Who's Sorry [7] She subsequently sued the motel chain for failing to provide adequate security and reportedly won a $2.5 million judgment,[27] at the time one of the largest such judgments in history, leading to a reform in hotel security. Desperate, she now began to look for her next hit and found it in Stupid Cupid, written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. 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' Ex-Husbands: Details About Her Marriage History For years after she was assaulted, Francis didn't perform. There was just no way when it was made public. Details on Recent Surgery, Recovery, Emma Hemming Shares Sweet Video of Bruce Willis Prior to FTD Diagnosis, Montgomery Clift Hated Having to Conceal Parts of His True Self, Regina Taylor Reflects on Most Memorable Roles Amid Emmy Buzz, HGTV's Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt Say Daughter Jade Is Mini-Mika', Suzanne Somers Had to Learn How to Walk After Breaking Her Neck, Dolly Parton Is Always Adding Things to Her Bucket List, Friend Says, L.A. Law's Corbin Bernsen Reveals Success Secret to 34-Year Marriage, Jean Simmons Remembered By Daughter Kate: Im Proud Shes My Mom, Dick Van Dyke Lucked Out Working With Hollywood's Leading Ladies, Bruce Davison On His Career, 1923 Show, Friends and More. The crime led to a nervous breakdown, a crumbling marriage and it nearly ended her career. Connie Francis's Most Streamed Songs (On Spotify) - YouTube 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. In Europe, she remained as popular as before and continued to have chart hits in UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. But, my personal life was always secondary to my career. Their marriage only lasted three months before ending in divorce. I would never want to disappoint the fans who have been so good to me throughout my life.". Singing Legend Connie Francis Turned 85 in 2022 She Still Uses By then, her popularity has reached its peak in USA and Europe. Connie Francis | Biography, Songs, & Facts | Britannica She has also been the spokeswoman for Mental Health America's trauma campaign, as well as an involved worker for the USO and UNICEF. Released in November 1957, Who's Sorry Now? was initially ignored. Moreover, she was voted the "Best Female Vocalist" by American Bandstand viewers. She was very remorseful. actress wed her first husband, Dick Kanellis, in 1964. MTW 9:00AM- 10:15AM 6/12-7/22: Rosalba Bolwin (Ext 2272) NESL 964 50027 Intermediate Level Listening and . (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. A German-language solo album was supposed to follow on Herzklang, but despite all songs being recorded and mixed, the album remains unreleased. It was not until her number 7 on the US charts, "Many Tears Ago", later in 1960 when Francis began to record cover versions of her own songs in foreign languages besides German. After the three-week talent hunt was over, she remained with Startime, performing once a week for four years. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Francis lost her longtime partner, Tony Ferretti. that night on. [14] Eventually, the single sold over one million copies.[11]. Connie /Bety (Ext 2272) NESL 963 50028. She later wrote her autobiography, , in 1984 where she opened up about all of the devastation she has faced in her life. When we pulled up, the valet guy said to Don, Wow Don, shes a beauty. I said, Why thank you! Don responded, The car dummy, the car. He was really the best. Not one penny. (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous). She also sang in Romanian during a live performance at the 1970 edition of the Cerbul de Aur in Braov, Romania. The success of "Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites" in late 1959/early 1960 led Francis to become one of the first American artists to record in other languages regularly. While her singles were mostly kept in the then-current sounds of the day such as rock 'n' roll, novelty songs, the twist, torch ballads, or the girl group sound created by Brill Building alumni Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, Francis' albums represented her in a variety of styles, ranging from R&B, vocal jazz, and country to Broadway standards, children's music, waltzes, spiritual music, schlager music, traditionals from various ethnic groups represented in the US, and select songs from popular songwriters of the day, such as Burt Bacharach and Hal David, or Les Reed. Connie Francis, the 1960s pop icon, turned 85 on Monday, December 12, 2022. [18], In 1973, Francis returned to the recording studio, cutting "(Should I) Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree? She was to be followed by other major British and American recording stars including Wanda Jackson, Cliff Richard, Petula Clark, Brenda Lee, the Supremes, Peggy March, Pat Boone, Lesley Gore, the Beatles and Johnny Cash, among many others. "Mama," the single taken from the album, reached number 8 in the United States and number 2 in the United Kingdom.[18]. educated at Arts High School and was a music student of her father. The top 20 most streamed Connie Francis songs on Spotify. A 5-year-old child went missing in Dublin, Va., in spring 2015. She mentioned gratefully that her 85th birthday party must have been "the largest gathering of lifelong friends.". [9] The brother of singer Connie Francis was slain outside - UPI [49], Early in her career, Francis was introduced to Bobby Darin, then an up-and-coming singer and songwriter. At age 11 she appeared on Arthur Godfrey 's Talent Scouts (1948) as a singer and accordionist. 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. "'Marigolds' Sends Patient for a Change", "When the Boy in Your Arms (Is the Boy in Your Heart)", learn her foreign language songs phonetically, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree", Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, "Interview with Connie Francis: The First Lady of Rock and Roll", "Gary James' Interview With Connie Francis", "Rewinding The Charts: In 1960, Connie Francis Became the First Woman to Top the Billboard Hot 100", Leading Ladies: A Look at Women's No. 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. Connie Francis married four times; but none of them lasted long. The couple were married for 81 days before their relationship headed towards a divorce. Therefore, Francis enjoyed lasting chart success in the US until her contract with MGM Records ran out in 1969.[18]. Eder, Shirley. Connie Francis' Father Saw the Love of Her Life as a 'Threat - AmoMama [40], In 2010, she also appeared at the Las Vegas Hilton with Dionne Warwick, a show billed as "Eric Floyd's Grand Divas of Stage".