Francine Everett is remembered for her performance in the all-black-cast ” race films” as an actress. More to her craft was the ability to sing and dance. She also had a thing for fashion accompanied by her charming looks which earned her the opportunity to model for top magazines and brands in the mid-1900s.
Francine’s name didn’t make it to the archives of notable movie historians since she wasn’t a Hollywood actress. However, she redefined the role of a black woman away from the stereotypic idea of being dim-witted, naive, and lazy as portrayed by Hollywood in the 1900s.
The Early Life of Francine Everett
Francine Everette is an African American who was born on April 13, 1915, in Louisburg, North Carolina. The actress grew up in a town in Franklin County. Her father Noah was a known tailor in the community. During her teenage years, her parents moved to a new town in Harlem, New York.
As regards her education, Francine was a student at St. Marks School however, she dropped out of school to join the Chorus girls group of Harlem landmark and Small’s Paradise.
Interesting Facts About Francine Everett
1. Francine was a Talented Actress
The pretty damsel started show business with the renowned Federal Theater In Harlem as a teenager. Before being given roles that depicted the black race as simps, she appeared in Hollywood movies such as; Lost Boundaries and No Way Out in 1950.
She became the leading actress in the Black Cinema between 1930 and 1940 for her ability to give life to her roles. Francine has starred in several Black Cinema movies including;
- Paradise in Harlem (1939)
- Keep Punching ( 1939)
- Big Times (1945)
- Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A.(1946)
- Ebony Parade(1947) and many more
2. She Got Married Twice
The talented actress first got married at the age of 15 to Booker Everett but he died in an accident a few months after their union. In 1936, she got married to a fellow actor Rex Ingram. The pair met while she was working with the Federal Theater Project in Harlem however, they divorced in 1939 following issues arising from being apart.
3. Francine Everett was also a Model, Singer, and Dancer
Francine was a woman of many talents. Away from being an actress, she was a model for black press brands, magazines, and newspapers in the 40s following her beautiful physique.
As a vocalist, she featured in over 50 musical songs with popular artists like Jackie Mabley, Count Basie, and Cab Calloway and also sang at cabarets. She also showcased her dancing moves in the dance nightclub group called “The Four Black Cats” and was active during stage performances such as; Humming Sam and Swing It.
4. She Rejected Hollywood Roles that Negatively Portrayed Blacks
Since the birth of the Hollywood film industry in the 1900s, African-American actors have been attached to racially stereotypic roles which portray them as thugs, maids, and servants. However, one woman who refused to be associated with that definition of black is Francine. She courageously turned down the negatively typecast of the mainstream.
Rather than trading her pride in exchange for recognition as a Hollywood actress, Francine settled for low-budget black cast industry movies. She redefined the role of a black woman as positive, powerful, and confident. She is greatly loved and remembered as a talented movie star in the hearts of negros.
Read Also: Happy Black Woman- 30 Things That Can Make You One
5. She was Dubbed the Most Beautiful Girl in Harlem
Francine was greatly loved by her black audience for her roles in the “race films” which are now known as black Cinema. She was also given the title of the most beautiful woman in Harlem by the “Amsterdam News” a black-owned magazine following her exquisite fashion sense, natural beauty, and enthusiasm.
6. Francine Everett Retired from Acting to Care for Her Mother who Suffered a Stroke
While acting for the low-budgeted film production came with a lot of respect, Francine’s mother needed more than the black community’s allegiance to stay alive. Her health was deteriorating by the day.
With this, Francine retired from acting to care for her mother while searching for better opportunities. She was offered the position of a Clerk at New York’s Harlem Hospital where her mother was admitted. She worked for almost 25 years before she retired in 1985.
7. The African- American Actress was Aerophobic
The Louisburg-born suffered extreme fear of flying in an airplane. She turned down several invitations to film festivals in Germany following this condition.
However, following her retirement from Harlem Hospital, She supported the black film entertainment industry. She was also part of the Negro Actors team and actively followed seminars sponsored by the International Agency for Minority Artists Affairs. Francine was also given the opportunity to lecture many upcoming African-American actors.
She Died in 1999 as a result of an Illness
Just when the African American-cast productions were beginning to gain ground and seem like the sun had turned towards them, Francine’s health became her bad luck. She struggled to gain back her feet but the illness was getting worst by the day.
The actress took her last breath in a nursing home in the Bronx on May 27, 1999, at the age of 84. She is greatly remembered as the striking star of All-Black Movies.
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