Beginning a tribute to such a prolific contributor to the entertainment industry by referencing my favorite episode of The Twilight Zone is, believe me, nothing less than the ultimate testimonial by an adoring fan. Anne Francis is without a doubt one of the hardest working, most talented and stunningly gorgeous actresses to have graced the silver screen as well as the television set. My favorite guest star in my favorite Twilight Zone was-- of course-- Anne Francis as the escaped department store mannequin turned live human being for a day. Refusing to return to her post for another stiff stretch as a stationery model, Anne evoked emotions of sadness for her character, wishing she could escape and live among us forever!
Starring in her own television series Honey West, Anne played a private detective in the title role of the same name for two seasons in 1965 and 1966. Her co-star was a pet ocelot named Bruce-- how avant garde! Science fiction fans cherish Anne's performance in the 1956 cult classic, Forbidden Planet. However, her stellar talent, chic appearance and years of experience were no match when it came to the editing of 1968's Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand. Along with several other co-stars, Francis was robbed of her top-flight performance when most of her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. Streisand's narcissistic influence reduced Francis' role to practically nothing in order to increase focus on her own. Very poor form in the business by Streisand and the director did nothing to really endear Barbra to the public as one might imagine an entertainer of her caliber would dictate. Popular? Of course. Much loved and adored like a Doris Day or Ella Fitzgerald, no way. Streisand set the diva tone from the start with her poor behavior by pulling the Helen Lawson act during and after Funny Girl. Considered a slap in the face to the more seasoned performers in the film-- who would probably not have accepted a role had they known it would be so diminished in the end product. Although Funny Girl turned out to be a disappointing speed bump, the experience did nothing to impede Francis from continuing her flawless work in Hollywood for decades. Mostly in top-billed television guest starring roles, from westerns to sophisticated and glamorous characters, her gorgeous image was a popular fixture on the top prime-time programs through the 1960's, 70's, 80's 90's until her latest IMDB entry in 2004.
One of the most generous stars of her stature, Francis maintains a beautiful website for fans: http://www.annefrancis.net/ Anne writes a monthly newsletter in which she shares current events in her life, spiritual observations and even some of the difficult details of her recent bout with a pretty scary health issue. However, Anne is doing fabulously and appears to have triumphed over daunting odds and is looking forward to moving on and perhaps working on a project in the future. Her extremely youthful appearance-- she really hasn't changed at all-- must be a testament to her shining inner energy and generous spirit. Miss Francis is, above all her Hollywood accomplishments, a survivor. Take a moment to visit Anne's site and wish her good luck in her continued journey to health. After all, wouldn't it be wonderful to see that signature beauty mark once again grace any screen in a new, wonderful T.V. or movie project? You bet your ocelot!
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