Arlene Francis (born Arline Francis Kazanjian; October 20, 1907 â€"
May 31, 2001) was an American actress, radio and television talk show
host, and game show panelist. She is known for her long-standing role
as a panelist on the television game show What's My Line?, on which
she regularly appeared for 25 years, from 1950â€"1975 on both the
network and syndicated versions of the show.Francis was born on
October 20, 1907, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Leah (née
Davis) and Aram Kazanjian. Her Armenian father was studying art in
Paris at the age of 16 when he learned that both his parents had died
in one of the massacres perpetrated by the Turkish government in
Turkey between 1894 and 1896, known as the Hamidian Massacres. He
immigrated to the United States and became a portrait photographer,
opening his own studio in Boston in the early 20th century. Later in
life, Kazanjian painted canvases of dogwoods, "rabbits in flight", and
other nature scenes, selling them at auction in New York.When Francis
was seven years old, her father decided that opportunities were
greater in New York and moved the family to a flat in Washington
Heights, Manhattan. She remained a New York resident until she entered
a San Francisco nursing home in 1993.After attending Finch College,
Francis began a varied career as an entertainer based in New York
City. She became an accomplished stage actress, performing in many
local theatre and off-Broadway plays, and compiling 25 Broadway plays
to her credit through 1975. In 1932, she made her film debut in
Universal's Murders in the Rue Morgue. She appeared in films
sporadically until the 1970s.
May 31, 2001) was an American actress, radio and television talk show
host, and game show panelist. She is known for her long-standing role
as a panelist on the television game show What's My Line?, on which
she regularly appeared for 25 years, from 1950â€"1975 on both the
network and syndicated versions of the show.Francis was born on
October 20, 1907, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Leah (née
Davis) and Aram Kazanjian. Her Armenian father was studying art in
Paris at the age of 16 when he learned that both his parents had died
in one of the massacres perpetrated by the Turkish government in
Turkey between 1894 and 1896, known as the Hamidian Massacres. He
immigrated to the United States and became a portrait photographer,
opening his own studio in Boston in the early 20th century. Later in
life, Kazanjian painted canvases of dogwoods, "rabbits in flight", and
other nature scenes, selling them at auction in New York.When Francis
was seven years old, her father decided that opportunities were
greater in New York and moved the family to a flat in Washington
Heights, Manhattan. She remained a New York resident until she entered
a San Francisco nursing home in 1993.After attending Finch College,
Francis began a varied career as an entertainer based in New York
City. She became an accomplished stage actress, performing in many
local theatre and off-Broadway plays, and compiling 25 Broadway plays
to her credit through 1975. In 1932, she made her film debut in
Universal's Murders in the Rue Morgue. She appeared in films
sporadically until the 1970s.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.