Men have had their heroes: John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, President What's His Name, or Baseball Player Whomever. On the other hand to whom have women looked to as a leader over the years? Arlene Francis was the first name that came to mind for Susan and me. Thus, we are the two women whose collaborative work resulted in the building of this web site.
Arlene Francis was a leader among women. Not only did she have a successful career on stage, screen, radio, and television, she lead the way for many women to become leaders in their fields of endeavor. She went where no woman dared to go and she did the undoable. Her successes were numerous, and her failures were learning opportunities for all women. She taught many lessons to those who knew her and watched her over the years. Even in her "Golden Years" Ms. Francis' life continued to be a source of strength and encouragement for the elderly and those caring for their loved ones.
Arlene's passing in May of 2001 was the end of a most extraordinary human being. When Susan and I established this tribute web site in May 2000 we had no idea that in one short year we would be saying good-bye to our childhood idol. Even though she is gone she will continue to be loved by those of us who grew up listening to her on the radio and watching her on television, the stage, and in the movies. It is our opinion it was not merely happenstance that Arlene's favorite song was "Funny Valentine". She was definitely our "favorite work of art!"
We are continuing this, Arlene's official web site, as an on-going memorial to her and a celebration of her long and phenomenal life. We also hope the information found on the pages of this site will inspire women and men for years to come. As a matter of fact, Susan's "My Story" is a must read for all visitors. Susan does an excellent job in telling the story of how Ms. Francis' life brought us together, inspiring and challenging us to establish this web site.
Take your time and look around the site. We hope your time spent here will prove to be time well spent.