Connie Francis, the immensely popular mid-century pop singer known for teary ballads exemplified by “Who’s Sorry Now?” and jaunty, infectious near-novelty records “Stupid Cupid” and “Vacation,” died Wednesday. She was 87.
Her statement was announced on Facebook by her publicist and longtime friend Ron Roberts. A cause was not disclosed, but Francis was recently hospitalized in Florida where she reported “extreme pain’ after suffering a fractured hip.
In today’s post, Roberts writes, “It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that i inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”
Francis, who heyday was the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, when she scored 35 Top 40 hits, placing three in the top spot: “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” and “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.” From 1960 to 1965 she appeared in four lighthearted comedies beginning with the Spring Break classic, “Where They Boys Are.”
In a surprising late-in-life turn, Francis recently enjoyed a revival of interest when her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” went viral on TikTok, with the singer suddenly gaining a huge profile among a new generation of fans. Francis even has a presence on one of Broadway’s biggest new hits: Just in Time, starring Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, features Francis as a character (she and Darin had a relationship in the 1950s). Portrayed by the Tony-nominated Gracie Lawrence, the Francis character gets a fair share of moments in the spotlight including performances of her songs “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”
Born Concetta Franconero two working-class parents in Newark on Dec. 12, 1938, Francis began playing the accordion at age 3. She began performing for local churches and other gatherings shortly thereafter, and by 11 was appearing on local television shows and then the national Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.
Unlike so many child stars of the age, Francis developed into a grown-up star with her adult heartbreak songs like Who’s Sorry Now and Lipstick on Your Collar.
Tragedy struck in 1974 when Francis was raped and attacked by a stranger in her hotel room following a performance at the Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, New York. Francis largely withdrew from public view for years after, and she detailed her ordeal in the 1984 autobiography, Who’s Sorry Now. She would eventually return to performing live, often in Las Vegas. She officially retired in 2018.
Connie Francis is survived by son Joey Garzilli, whom she and then-husband Joseph Garzilli adopted.
