'Forbidden Planet' Star Anne Francis Dies at Age 80

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Jan 3rd 2011 12:15PM

Actress Anne Francis, who was the love interest in the 1950s science-fiction classic "Forbidden Planet" and later was sexy private eye in "Honey West" on TV, has died at age 80.

Francis died Sunday at a Santa Barbara nursing home, said Bill Guntle, a funeral director McDermott-Crockett & Associates Mortuary in Santa Barbara.

Francis, who had surgery and chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007, died of complications of pancreatic cancer, her daughter, Jane Uemura, told the Los Angeles Times.

Francis, a stunningly beautiful blonde with a prominent beauty mark, appeared opposite such stars as Spencer Tracy, Paul Newman, Robert Taylor and Glenn Ford in some of the most popular films of the 1950s. But "Forbidden Planet" and "Honey West" made her reputation.

Francis in 'Forbidden Planet'

"Forbidden Planet" was hailed in Leonard Maltin's "2006 Movie Guide" as "one of the most ambitious and intelligent films of its genre."

A science-fiction retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the 1956 film had Leslie Nielsen and other space travelers visiting a planet where expatriate scientist Walter Pidgeon, his daughter (Francis) and their helper, Robby the Robot, built a settlement.

Before filming began, the actors held a meeting and agreed "to be as serious about this film as we could be," Francis said in a 1999 interview.

"We could have hammed it up, but we wanted to be as sincere as we could," she said.

In "Honey West," which aired from 1965 to 1966, Francis' private detective character - who kept a pet ocelot, a wildcat - was a female James Bond: sexy, stylish and as good with martial arts as she was with a gun.

She was nominated for an Emmy for the role, which lasted 30 episodes.

"A lot of people speak to me about Honey West," Francis recalled. "The character made young women think there was more they could reach for. It encouraged a lot of people."

After a childhood career in New York radio and television and on the Broadway stage, Francis arrived in Hollywood when she landed a movie contract at MGM. She later went to 20th Century-Fox, then returned to MGM, and the two big studios afforded her the chance to act opposite the biggest male stars of the day.

In "Blackboard Jungle," the landmark 1955 film about an idealistic teacher (Ford) in a violent city school, Francis played his pregnant wife who is targeted for harassment by one of his students.

Among her other films: "Bad Day at Black Rock" with Tracy and Robert Ryan, "Rogue Cop" with Taylor, "The Rack" with Newman, "A Lion Is in the Streets" with James Cagney, and "Hook, Line and Sinker" opposite Jerry Lewis.

When her movie career declined, Francis became active in television, appearing in dozens of series, including "Mission Impossible," `'The Virginian," `'My Three Sons," `'Ironside," `'Gunsmoke," `'The Twilight Zone," `'Charlie's Angels," `'The Golden Girls," `'Home Improvement" and "Nash Bridges."

Her name was Ann Marvak when she was born Sept. 16, 1930, in Ossining, N.Y.

By age 5 she was working as a model, and by 11 she was appearing on daytime radio serials, winning the nickname the Little Queen of Soap Operas. She also had some small roles on Broadway.

After her first MGM contract, during which she attended studio school with Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Powell and Natalie Wood, she returned to New York. There, she took part in television's Golden Age, acting in such acclaimed dramatic series as "Studio One" and "U.S. Steel Hour" before returning to Hollywood.

Francis' early marriage to actor Bam Price ended in divorce.

In addition to Jane, Francis and her second husband, Robert Abeloff, had another daughter, Maggie, before divorcing. She also is survived by a grandson.

2011 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Comments

(26)

Monday 03 January

By Bob11acr

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Thank you Anne!

By BTDT

Forbidden Planet was a work of art. RIP Ms. Francis.

By Flamoon

I will always remember her.
She was a natural beauty.
She was a star when that word REALLY ment something.
God bless her and her family.
She is young and beautiful once again.

By honeybee604

Rest in Peace, Jess Belle!

By TurnOffTheBoobTube

OMG - almost forgot about JessBelle on Twilight Zone!

Rumored that her role in Funny Girl was significant reduced thanks to Babs. But I'll never forget that beauty spot!

RIP Anne.

By Maria

Loved her in Twilight Zone! One of my fav's is with her as the manequin, and she didn't even know it! Marsha! Such a beautiful woman, god rest her soul!

By TurnOnTheBoobTube

That episode when she was Marsha was "The After Hours". Wonderful character actor, the late James Millhollin was also in that one.

By Joan

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

How strange..the movie Forbidden Planet was shown last night on TCM.

By Gabi

I was thinking the very same thing. When I saw that it was on, I said to myself, Wow, likely everyone who was in this one is dead now...then today, I read of her death. Great actress; broke some new ground for women back in the day. R.I.P.

By Val

She was of my parent's generation so I did see a lot of her work. She was one of the most beautiful actresses of that time. Rest in peace Anne.

By Dee

I remember Anne very well and always admired her talent and natura beauty...God rest her soul. My condolences goes out to her family..

By saxmjjl

Honey West...my second celebrity crush. First was Juliet Prouse, then Joey Heatherton.

Rest in the arms of God..

By islandwalker

Loved Honey West! She was my adolescent girl crush. Not very many of the old starts left. Now it's all plastic and crap reality.

RIP Anne. Thanks for the entertainment.

Tuesday 04 January

By NICK

Vote down Vote up Report this

What a Babe!

I used to watch "Honey West" just to see her MOVE! God, she was hot!!

Years later, in the mid seventies, while I was in college my girlfriend confided in me what an influence that show had on her. It made her feel empowered and spurred her on to go to college and live an active an engaged life.

So a tip of the hat to you, Ms. Francis.

You captured many hearts.

Rest in Peace.

By jjp009

Yes, Anne was in two of my very favorite Twilight Zones..."The After Hours" and "Jess-Belle". Thank you for your contributions to everyone's entertainment, Anne. We will miss you.

By Anne

She was a cute girl!!

By BJ

ALWAYS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING AND A WONDERFUL ACTRESS AS WELL...

Sorry for the typo- that should be "stars" not starts.

The "After Hours" Twilight Zone episode was shown over the weekend as part of its marathon. Along with "Forbidden Planet" being shown, it's one of the more curious occurrences I've seen. I always enjoyed everything I saw her in, be it television or movies. RIP.....

By JEB BUCKINGHAM

She was a beautiful, gorgeous woman right to the end. I grew up watching her as "Honey West", followed by appearances on "The Twilight Zone", and in "Forbidden Planet", and also on "Home Improvement" God bless her always!

Page 1 of 2