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Connie Francis is laughing. And it’s wonderful.
This is no half-hearted chuckle, no girlish giggle. When Connie Francis laughs, it’s a deep rasp of unrestrained joy. It’s a grown-up’s laugh, tempered with triumph and trials, and moments of victimization and strength. It’s been honed through marriages that lasted relative moments and friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
They don’t just hand out a laugh like that. It has to be earned.
"Having a sense of humor is what’s carried me through," says Francis, settled into the couch of her downtown West Palm Beach condo, skyscraper windows and blue Intracoastal waters shimmering behind her immaculately arranged dark hair.
"In my darkest days, even in mental hospitals, I always found something to laugh at – especially myself."
The 71-year-old singer is proudly a Jersey girl, but ever since she sang of finding that elusive catch waiting for her Where The Boys Are, the former Concetta Maria Rosa Franconero has belonged, at least in part, to South Florida.
Less than an hour south of here are the Fort Lauderdale beaches that the movie, and its theme song, forever immortalized. It’s also the site of the recent "Spring Break Reunion Weekend," a 50th anniversary party for the movie and the Spring Break phenomenon, where Francis held court for thousands of fans.
She still has a place in Broward County, but this apartment, near the CityPlace shops and restaurants she sometimes frequents, "is my sanctuary," Francis says.
Not that she’s been home a lot lately. This year has marked a renewed upswing in visibility for Francis, with the Where The Boys Are anniversary, a club mix re-recording of the theme song and a recent stint in Las Vegas with Dionne Warwick.
"One of my managers used to call me the Comeback Kid, because I’ve had so many of them," Francis says. "It’s great, at 71! Hope I keep on coming back for the next 20 years or so."
God-given talent, voice
Francis, whose style was defined by a preternatural smoothness and class that belied her youth, came of age at a time where a singer did everything – and she did, from standards to silly pop songs (Stupid Cupid) to country. She did movies, television, Las Vegas. She sang at fairs and concert halls from San Francisco to Manila. And even when things got dark – and they did – she always survived. And lived to laugh.
"She’s very stubborn – she has the compunction to stand behind her decisions. A more professional person in the studio you will never find," says longtime friend Patrick Niglio. "There are very few people who have that God-given talent that Connie has, who have that God-given voice. I mean, forget about it. I was talking to Petula Clark once, and said that I worked with Connie Francis, and she said ‘You mean, our textbook?’ "
Speaking of books, Francis is currently working on an autobiography, which she promises will not only fill in the years since the 1984 release of her first, Who’s Sorry Now, but fill in the holes that existed in the first one.
"People say ‘Your life was a tragedy’ and I say ‘No it wasn’t.’ There were some moments that were, but it was humorous, too. The first (book) only goes up to when I was 21, because we were working on a deadline. I said ‘I’ll get criticized,’ and I did. We omitted too many things. (Now) I don’t know how not to be candid," admits Francis.
And there’s too much to talk about, including being institutionalized by her father, the notoriously controlling George Franconero; her 1974 rape; and her four marriages, including her last to producer Bob Parkinson in 1984, which "lasted 81 days, according to the National Enquirer. I wasn’t counting," she says.
There are no plans to film her life right now (she and Gloria Estefan worked for years on a script but ultimately nothing was produced.) But the book, if it’s as candid as she promises, should be fascinating.
Most of her fans are familiar with the basics of her story, which begins with her father, George, "a roofer with a dream," teaching his young daughter the accordion, then driving her career, and her life.
"I was not allowed to date, to go to the prom," Francis says. "I had my first apartment when I was 24, or, as my parents called it, when I ran away from home. Professionally, it makes sense, but personally, it makes no sense at all. He really didn’t want another man to take his place in my heart," including crooner Bobby Darin, who Franconero ran off "with a gun," leaving his daughter heartbroken.
Father and daughter were estranged for a while, but reconciled before his death in 1996. "He wanted to do what was right for me," Francis says. "Without my father, I would absolutely not (have succeeded). It took my father to pick a hit record."
But not fast enough, or at least it seemed that way in the beginning. After releasing "10 bum records" that didn’t hit, Francis got herself a four-year scholarship to study psychology at New York University, which predictably angered her father, but which provided her at least a bit of normalcy. It would be brief.
"Then I had a hit record, and that was it," she says, of Who’s Sorry Now, a song her father made her do, which became her first smash and ended her academic pursuits. "I never thought about going back. You do what you do best, and make millions of people happy? That’s the best of both worlds. I couldn’t imagine my life without show business."
If Who’s Sorry Now made her a star, her first film project would make Connie Francis part of a cultural phenomenon. Where The Boys Are, notes costar and former Palm Beacher George Hamilton, was released in 1960, as Hollywood found itself at uneasy crossroads between its previous glamorous era and a tentative attempt at something more authentic.
Autographs then, autographs now
The tale of Midwestern co-eds seeking fun and romance in the sun proved controversial with its then-cutting edge exploration of sexuality and suggestion of rape. Hamilton found himself with a young cast who, with one notable exception, was just getting used to the spotlight.
"Connie seemed to be a very strong person. She already had one big hit, and more success than we all had," he says. "She was thought of as a singer, primarily, but she was very real, very natural. I was impressed by that."
Hamilton may have been impressed with Francis, she was not impressed with Fort Lauderdale – "It looked like Jersey," she says. "I said to the producer ‘You told me there were gonna be boys hanging off palm trees, but I don’t see one.’ He said, ‘It’s off season.’ "
Hamilton says that it became a touchstone in the careers of everyone associated with it, whether they wanted it to be or not. "I was trapped in the role of (preppy) Ryder Smith practically for the rest of my life. With Connie, that song is played year after year after year. But a generation marked their lives by this film. It was the ultimate pop culture film of its day."
Francis concurs. "Two years before that, it was all about Who’s Sorry Now and suddenly, it was like my name was ‘Connie Francis Where The Boys Are," she says.
This spring, she says, that association proved to be eternal during her two-song set in Fort Lauderdale, where "there were little kids coming up to me," she says. "It used to be ‘Connie, can I have your autograph? Can I have one for my little sister? Now it’s ‘Can I have one for my grandmother?’ "
There’s that laugh again.
"I hope it stops there."
Jairo Jimenez, her friend and long-time hairdresser, recalls that "along the route on A1A, (Francis) would ask the driver to slow down, and she would lower the window and talk to people. Who does that?"
From fans to compassionate friends
Apparently, Connie Francis does, and that sense of connection between the perfectly coiffed star and her fans has endured as long as her career. Known to sign autographs until there aren’t any left to sign, Francis has actually become friends with some of her biggest admirers.
"I feel compassion, excitement, enthusiasm and energy," says Paulette Ostrowske, a fan from Long Island who became so close with the singer that Francis once invited her to stay at her Broward County home. "Her music has pulled me through many painful times. She soothes my soul and lightens my heart."
Perhaps Francis’ fans relate to her because she’s had her own painful times, including those four failed marriages and her 1974 rape in a Long Island hotel room. Francis, who at the time was married to Joseph Garzilli, with whom she’d adopted son Joey, saw her famous candidness fail her for seven years. Her marriage fell apart and she largely retreated from the public, "a basket case. I couldn’t do anything about it," she says.
When she did finally talk about it, in an interview with Good Morning America’s David Hartman, "I would not allow him to use the word ‘rape.’ I told them to use ‘assault.’ "
That tentative appearance, ironically, was the initial catalyst to Francis opening up about what had happened to her, as letters poured in from victims of similar attacks. The singer’s reluctance led to her becoming an outspoken advocate for better victims rights laws – a fight that intensified when her brother George was murdered.
"I could finally do something about it then," she says, "in ways I never could have imagined possible. I could say what I wanted."
And she’s never stopped.
As Francis prepares her book, and for the release of the club remix of Where The Boys Are, she looks down from the balcony of her sanctuary and can say, finally, that she has no regrets about being Connie Francis.
"My favorite thing is that I’ve been able to afford things for the people in my life who would not have been able to otherwise," she says.
What’s her least favorite thing?
"There aren’t any!" she says. "There isn’t one that I can think of! I’ve let go of all the pointless drama and people who created it. I have fought hard to focus only on the good. I’ve fought hard."
And then, of course, she laughs.
~ leslie_streeter@pbpost.com
FRANCIS’ FAVES
Where Connie shops and eats locally
FOR SHOPPING: ‘I like Chico’s and Cache in CityPlace. The clothing is very unique. Sometimes people there know who I am, but they don’t always say something. It doesn’t bother me when they do!’
FOR DINING: ‘I like Brewzzi there, too. Sometimes, I like to go to Ta-Boo on Palm Beach.’
FOR MUSIC: ’The Colony Hotel. I love the doo-wop group there (Memory Lane, who plays Friday evenings at the Polo Steak House). I love that band!’
Thank you for this article. Connie is an icon and an absolute
giant in the industry. I grew up with her music and delight
in still having opportunities to see her perform live.
Her voice is that of God’s gift to us mortals!
What a treat to see Connie at Ft. Lauderdale Beach for the 50th
Anniversary of the filming of “Where the Boys Are.” She graciously shared her memories with a sea of babyboomers and sang beautifully.
She’s still the “girl next door.” I’m glad to know she’s living in WPB!
My 86 year old mother enjoyed reading about Connie Francis. Back in the early 60s,when her song “Where the Boys Are” was a hit, my parents created and sold hand made original design silk screen beach towels. Their two best selling towels at that time were one that simply said “Where the Boys Are” and another “Where the Boys Are” depicting a full towel sized bathing beauty holding a string of tiny dangling beach boys in her hand. My mother said she wished she could have met Connie Francis when she went store to store selling the towels to the beachfront shops. She said Connie should have come during the season when the beach was packed with college kids who took over the town for the season.
Fantastic job Leslie on the Connie Francis Story. I grew up in a small village in England listening to Connie. I moved to the U.S. in 1967 and have been very fortunate to meet and know this beatiful lady. I know I speak for all her fans worldwide when I say, she never, ever, disappoints. I have lived in Nashville, Tennessee for many years now and although I have worked for some of the biggest names in Country musc, Connie will always remain at the top of my list. I salute you Miss Connie Francis…You Rock.
Connie Francis is the voice of her age and my age and she still is. It’s very nice to know she’s enjoying her life in WPB. There’s only one Connie Francis.
thank you for the story on connie i was so happy to learn that she is happy and well’ i have been a big fan for years ,please give her my love she helped me in some bad times in my life, thank you connie i hope to hear more of you, more power to you. from Elizabeth troon Scotland
Thank you for the great article about Connie. I live in the Netherlands and been a fan of Connie for 51 years. I saw here for the first time in 2002 and last April in Coral Springs, she was and is so great, has the greatest voice ever and is a lovely lady who loved her fans very much.
I am glad to hear that Connie is still going strong. I was born in ’65 and grew up with my mother listening to Connie Francis in British Malaya. Until today, my mother regards her as the ulitimate lingua franca of singers. Now that I just turned 45, I have great sentiment and respect for all that Connie has achieved – and have now taken to collecting Connie Francis on vinyl. I certainly wish Connie all the best and personally, thanks for the musical memories over the years that have sustained until today.
i received my first album of hers, “who’s sorry now”, when i was in grade school. would rush home from school to faithfully watch “american bandstand” from philadelphia, hoping that she would be performing that day. since, i have every single, and 23 of her albums. connie francis has been my idol most of my life and will continue to be the rest of it. she is truly a lady..in spite of all her troubles she has endured. never had opportunity to see her in real life, but am sure happy to know she is doing well in west palm beach. MANY KUDOS TO THE REAL QUEEN OF ROCK AND ROLL!!!
Connie has had such a positive influence on me. Her voice has never had an equal and I have followed her career since ’58. How lucky I have been to attend many of her shows and also to have spoken with her many times. Her fans have never fogotten her because she has never forgotten them. She is a genuine human being who feels for her fellow beings from all classes. There are few, if any, who have worn stardom with such grace and this in the face of many personal tragedies. I can hardly wait for the remix of “WTBA” as well as the new book. Much luck and good wishes to her and thank you for the great article.
Since I was 5 years old, people have told me I resemble Connie Francis. As it turned out, I became a vocalist and have performed with various bands for the last 40 years in the upstate NY area. Lately, due to public requests, I have been doing a short tribute show to Ms. Francis. My greatest moment so far, because of that, is being asked to perform with the Duprees who are giving a concert here in Latham, NY on Feb.18th. They believe my little act is a perfect warm up for their retro show and I cannot express my excitement at the prospect. My admiration for Ms. Francis since my childhood is the main reason for me becoming a singer. I just wanted to thank her for all the wonderful songs and movies and TV appearances. I also remember a concert in Latham, NY around 1983 when I was brought backstage to meet her. Her agent (?) spotted me outside waiting to go in and told me to wait after the concert and he would introduce me. It was amazing for me.
Thanks to her and her wonderful talent.
Most sincerely.
Kit Pettit
I was very young in the early sixties, listening to Connie sing on the tv, or on our little transister radios,and was and still is amazed at her golden voice,which could bring tears to your eyes.
I wish her well and all the best.They just dont in my opinion have any singers that even come close to her great talent…
George Szabo
Hello from Australia, I cried when I found this website, I have been wondering what happened to Connie after what happened to her and only came across this site because I asked Google the question, where is connie francis now, I cannot believe this, I am 62 this year and have loved her all my life, still crying, is ther a e-mail address for her loyal fans, thank you f9or making me so happy, Marilyn PS Playing your music now connie while typing
I am 63 and grew up LOVING Connie Francis! I had all her albums and have seen WHERE THE BOYS ARE more times than I can remember…..watched it with my two daughters when they were teens. I’m a retired attorney/writer and my husband, Bill, is a retired orthopaedic surgeon. We are both Connie fans. Each year when we come to Lauderdale, we always wish we could meet her. And we’re not “like that” at all! God bless Connie for sharing her wonderful talent and smile with all of us.
What a beautiful person ( inside & out ) !
I have grown up with the music of Connie Francis. Someday, I hope to see her in person. I am so glad to hear she is happy and writing a book. Can’t wait to read it. Connie is one of the greats in my book. God bless and may you continue to bless so many people with your music.
Linda from McDonough, GA
Growing up I wanted to be Connie Francis. When I was 6 or 8 years old, I remember seeing photos of her and saying “She is SO beautiful. This is what the perfect Italian women looks like and I want to look just like her when I grow up”.
One of the few items I have from my dad before he passed is a vinyl album of Connie Francis More Italian Favorites (she’s in a light green dress). I grew up listening to this, as did my children. I LOVE this album! I wish I could find this one on CD.
My daughter, now 27, is helping to organize the first Festa Italiana – Minnesota, happening in St. Paul on September 23 & 24, 2011 (http://www.festaitalianamn.com/).
While trying to come up with ideas for this event, and chatting everything Italian, we started talking about Connie’s Italian songs. I started searching for her CDs and I came across this article. Connie is still so beautiful!
It would be such an honor to have Connie Francis perform at Festa Italiana – Minnesota, but, since this is the first year of this event, the budget is very limited. However, Connie, if you read this and if you just happened to be in MN this September, it would be awesome if you were able to attend this event.
Abundant Blessings to you Connie!
Connie Francis is a national treasure.
So many of her fans embrace her because she has such a beautiful voice and a beautiful soul.
My father, Carmen Leo Lopreste, Sr., played lead guitar for Ms. Francis about 50 yrs ago. He is in the process of fighting cancer and we were recently going through pictures. How would I get the two together for at least a phone call? If you need any more information please feel free to contact me @ 18649344490 anytime or e-mail me @ dees_theresa@yahoo.com
this would mean alot to an old man ty
I heard a fabulous singer perform Where The Boys Are at the 264 Grill in Palm Beach last night, wow what a voice. The Palm Beach Players are doing a Beach Party Reunion. Her name is Adele and she will knock your socks off. She does Connie proud. It would be a great treat for Adele to have Connie stop by and hear her. She is performing the next two Friday’s at the Grill, 10/21 and 10/28, try to get there and catch the show.