Fran Jeffries (born Frances Ann Makris; May 18, 1937 –
December 15, 2016) was an American multi-talented singer, dancer, actress, and
model.
Jeffries & Haymes |
In her early teens Frances won a local talent contest,
the Del Courtney Amateur Hour, performing the Betty Grable song “What Did I
Do?” She took home a Bulova watch and a sack of groceries. After graduating
from high school she began singing in San Francisco nightclubs as part of a
trio. One night she found herself on the same bill with Mr. Haymes, a crooning
balladeer in his 40s. They formed a duo, married and for the next several years
enjoyed success in nightclubs, cabarets and Las Vegas casinos.
Ms. Jeffries’s first marriage, to the pianist Ed Blasco
in 1955, had ended in divorce, as would her marriage to three subsequent
husbands. Dick Haymes (17 November 1958 - 12 January 1965), Richard Quine (1965 - 10 June 1969) & Steven Schaeffer (16 March 1971 – 1973.)
After appearing in a bit part in the 1958 film “The
Buccaneer,” this was followed by "The Pink Panther" (1963); the
latter in which she sings "Meglio Stasera" ("It Had Better Be
Tonight") while glamorously leading
a line-dance around a fireplace, including Peter Sellers and David Niven among
other movie celebrities of that period.
Ms. Jeffries sang and danced her way through a brief film
career. Her third husband, the director Richard Quine, cast her in two of his
films, “Sex and the Single Girl” and, in a non-singing role, “A Talent for
Loving” in 1969. She played the femme fatale Aishah in the Elvis Presley movie
“Harum Scarum” in 1965, after which came "A Talent for Loving"
(1969), also directed by Quine.
Additionally, she performed on such programs as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Jack Paar Show", "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", "Hollywood Palace" and "The Dean Martin Show".
Additionally, she performed on such programs as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Jack Paar Show", "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", "Hollywood Palace" and "The Dean Martin Show".
Ms. Jeffries recorded the albums “Fran Can Really Hang
You Up the Most” (1960), “Fran Jeffries Sings of Sex and the Single Girl”
(1964) and “This Is Fran Jeffries” (1966).
As Jeffries’ popularity grew,
Monument issued a number of additional 45rpm records over the next few years
such as: “Honey and Wine/Take Me (1966)”; “My Lonely Corner (1967)”; and
“Gone Now (1968).” One source asserts that none of those later 45rpms ever appeared on any of her albums.
“Gone Now (1968).” One source asserts that none of those later 45rpms ever appeared on any of her albums.
She was featured in Playboy in the February 1971 issue at
the age of 33 in a pictorial titled "Fran-tastic!" In September 1982
she posed a second time for Playboy, this time at the age of 45
In the late 1960s and early ’70s she toured Europe with
Sammy Davis Jr. and Southeast Asia with Bob Hope. She sang on The Tom Jones
Show in 1969 with the host, doing a duet of "You've Got What it
Takes," as ell as The Smokey Robinson Show
the following year, in which she did solo numbers as well as a duet with Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder and the rest of the cast.
She performed for decades in supper clubs and cabarets, and in 2000 recorded a set of ballads and standards, “All the Love.”
the following year, in which she did solo numbers as well as a duet with Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder and the rest of the cast.
She performed for decades in supper clubs and cabarets, and in 2000 recorded a set of ballads and standards, “All the Love.”
Jeffries suffered from multiple myeloma, a type of blood
cancer, in her last years. She died of the disease at her home on December 15,
2016 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 79. She is buried at Hollywood
Forever Cemetery.
(Edited from various sources mainly Wikipedia & The
NY Times)
2 comments:
Here are three of Fran Jeffries albums I found on the web. No cover photos but they are available at Discogs.
For “Fran Can Really Hang you Up the Most” (1960) go here;
https://www.mediafire.com/file/zh118v7su24cwxu/FrJe.zip/file
(password: thecheerful)
1 Just Found Out About Love
2 Isn't It A Pitty?
3 No Moon At All
4 Mine Eyes
5 April Song
6 Love And The Weather
7 Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
8 Aren't You Glad You're You?
9 When You Awake
10 Lorelei
11 I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
12 Out Of This World
13 Sex And The Single Girl(Bonus Track)
A big thank you to the Cheerful Earful Blog for active link..
Fran Jeffries - Sings Of Sex And The Single Girl (1964) go here;
https://yadi.sk/d/9GHWe5RIMxC3L
01. Sex and the single girl
02. Dreamer
03. Goodbye Charlie
04. Make love to me
05. I thought of you last night
06. Anniversary song
07. Wouldn't it be loverly
08. Warm tonight
09. What are we waiting for
10. I'd do it again
11. Ballad to a brute (You're the man I want)
12. Early morning blues
Thanks to Yahahol Jazz Blog for active link
For “This is Fran Jeffries” (1966) go here:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/8libtjoeb8gs5m9/FranThis.zip
(password: thecheerful)
1 Ain't Misbehavin'
2 You'd Better Love Me
3 No Moon At All
4 Just Squeeze Me
5 Haven't We Met
6 Show Me The Way To Go Home
7 Lazy Afternoon
8 What Did I Have That I Don't Have
9 Yesterday
10 Sing For Your Supper
11 Our Love Is Here To Stay
12 He Kissed Me
Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank
Arranged By, Conductor – Bill Justis, Dick Grove
Baritone Saxophone – John Lowe
Bass – Ralph Peña
Drum – Norm Jeffries
Guitar – Don Lanier
Piano – Mike Melvoin
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Trombone – Bob Edmondson
Trumpet – James Zito*, Jules Chaikin
Vibraphone – Nick Pelico
A big thank you to the Cheerful Earful Blog for active link.
Please Note: Most sides of her 66-67 singles can be found on YouTube.
Fa subito go go go !
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