Photo: Photographer-Friedman-Abeles, New York / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Arlene Francis deserves far more reverence than her thin data file suggests. Born in Boston in 1907 and active until her death in 2001, she spanned stage, film, radio and television across a remarkable career, most famously as a panelist on What's My Line? from 1950 to 1975. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame barely captures it. What moves me is that she was a genuine pioneer for women on television at a time when their presence was anything but assumed, holding her place for a quarter century with wit and grace. Plenty of today's broadcasters stand, whether they know it or not, on the path she cleared.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Arlene Francis
- Name (Japanese)
- アルレーン・フランシス
- Reading
- あるれーん・ふらんしす
- Born
- October 20, 1907 – May 31, 2001
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Goat
- Origin
- Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Occupation
- autobiographer / television presenter / radio personality / stage actor / film actor
2. Background
- University
- Finch College
Awards & achievements
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | What's My Name? | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Arlene Francis born?
October 20, 1907 – May 31, 2001.
Where is Arlene Francis from?
Arlene Francis is from Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
What does Arlene Francis do?
Arlene Francis works as autobiographer, television presenter, radio personality, stage actor, film actor.
What is Arlene Francis known for?
Notable works include What's My Name?.
Autobiographer — see all → · Television presenter — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.