Arline Francis (Kazanjian) Francis (1907 - 2001)

Born 20 Oct 1907 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Neil Francis Agnew — married 27 Nov 1935 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Wife of Martin Gabel — married 14 May 1946 in Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey, United States

Died 31 May 2001 at age 93 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States

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Biography

Arlene (Kazanjian) Francis is Notable.

Arlene Francis 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 1950–1975 on both the network and syndicated versions of the show." She also appeared in movies, notably William Wilder's comedy "One, Two, Three."^[1]

She was born Arline Francis Kazanjian on 20 October 1907 in Boston, the daughter of Aram Kazankian and Leah Davis.^[2]

She was married twice. Her first husband was Neil Agnew, whom she married 28 November 1935 in Manhattan.^[3] He was an executive at Paramount Studios. They divorced in 1945 in Juarez, Mexico.

She was married to the actor Martin Gabel 14 May 1946 in Paterson, New Jersey.^[4] "Arlene Francis, Wed to Gabel by Judge MacLeod. It was all supposed to be so very, very secret, but it leaked out, so here's the story: Arlene Francis, 33, radio and stage actress, and martin Gabel, 33, producer, both of New York City, were married by Common Please Judge Alexander M. MacLeod in his private chambers in the court house at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. They were attended by Louis Calhern, star of "Magnificent Yanee," and James Cannon, newspaperman, both of New York City. The bride was beautifully attired in a pale blue Bengaline silk suit, with a blue poke bonnet to match. The marriage license was issued by James A. Young, Paterson's registrar of vital statistics. It was reported, immediately, the nuptial knot had been tied, that the couple were planning to leave for California."^[5]

She died 31 May 2001 in San Francisco, California at the age of 94.^[6] Her remains were interred at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Trevose, Pennsylvania.^[7]

Arlene Francis Obituary:^[8]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Arlene Francis, the witty actress and television personality who was a panelist on the popular "What's My Line?" show for its 25-year run, died Thursday. She was 92.

San Francisco Medical Examiner's Investigator David Le Noue said Francis had died of natural causes.

Francis was one of the busiest personalities on television in the 1950s.

At one point, she was host of "Home" -- a daytime magazine program -- on NBC five days a week, mistress of ceremonies of "Talent Patrol" on ABC Thursday nights and panelist on "What's My Line?" on CBS Sunday nights.

Her screen debut was in "Murders in the Rue Morgue" in 1932. Later films included "Stage Door Canteen" in 1943, and Billy Wilder's "One, Two, Three" in 1961 and "The Thrill of it All" in 1963.

She made her Broadway debut in 1936 and had her first major role in George Abbott's "All That Glitters" two years later.

Her first real hit was "The Doughgirls" in 1942, a comedy about wartime Washington in which she played a funny Russian sniper.

"What's My Line?" began in 1950 and was a success from the start. A panel tried to guess their contestants' occupations by asking yes-or-no questions.

Born Arlene Francis Kazanjian on Oct. 20, 1908, in Boston, she was the daughter of a well-known portrait photographer.

Sources

1. ↑ Arlene Francis on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC94-KP1 : 15 January 2020), Arline Kazanjian, 1907.
3. ↑ New York, New York, Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Neil F. Agnew; marriage license 27 November 1935; Manhattan, New York City; spouse: Arlene F. Kazamian. License 26940.
4. ↑ New Jersey, Marriage Index, 1901-2016 for Arlene Kazanjian and Martin Gabel.
5. ↑ NYT article 15 May 1946.
6. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JKRF-RTT : 20 May 2014), Arline F Gabel, 31 May 2001; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
7. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Arlene Francis.
8. ↑ () 1 June 2001, obit for Arlene Francis, GenealogyBank.com (https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/obituaries/obit/10FF821498F7DC68 : accessed 28 October 2022)

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M22Q-BMD : accessed 8 May 2021), Eilien Aram in household of Kazanjian Aram, Boston Ward 20, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1574, sheet 8B, family 186, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 622; FHL microfilm 1,374,635.

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ1G-PN5 : 2 February 2021), Arline Kazanjian in entry for Aran Kazanjian, 1920.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X765-QN2 : accessed 7 May 2021), Arline Kozanjean in household of Arnold Kozanjean, Bronx (Districts 751-972), Bronx, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 955, sheet 5B, line 89, family 122, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1490; FHL microfilm 2,341,225.

SEE ALSO:

• IMDb: Arlene Francis, accessed 12 Mar 2018.