Poise. Charm. Wit. Warmth.
Believe it or not, these adjectives describe a daytime television personality. Not only do we absolutely worship Miss Arlene Francis (October 20, 1907 - May 13, 2001), but we deplore the void she left behind. Who could possibly fill her dainty shoes? As much as we like Ellen, puh-leeze. And don't even get us started on Rosie.
Lest you get the impression that Miss Arlene was nothing more than a glamorous figurehead on What's My Line?, let us hasten to add that she also pioneered her own talk show, Home, during the 1950's; was an accomplished stage and screen actress; and even on WML, in addition to lending some flair and glitter to the proceedings, was a frequently droll, keenly intelligent, and always beautifully mannered interviewer.
Sadly, Miss Arlene passed away after a bout with Alzheimer's Disease, cared for by her loving son, Peter Gabel. We hope that, even in the last years of her life, she was aware in some way of the love and affection her fans had for her. Happy Birthday, Arlene Francis!
Here is one of the funniest episodes of WML, featuring Arlene at her best.
Yes the world would be a lot better with more like Mrs Francis in it. I have the yellow rose named after her planted in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI managed to track down a copy of her auto-biography last year. Have you read it?
No, I was fortunate enough to get her 1960 "how to" book on charm, but I've yet to read her memoirs. How are they?
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting read and I think you would definitely like it.
ReplyDeleteI got my copy though Inter-library loan, but you can purchase a copy through Amazon or Abeooks.
Don't you just love her book?! It's so fun.
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