Francine Everett was known as the most beautiful girl in Harlem and the most beautiful Black woman in the world at her time and the best of Black female actresses. Francine Everett was one of the few who earned the title "movie star" through Black Cinema. She was a familiar face with black audiences who looked up to her as a star for her beauty and talent.
Francine Everett had this big beautiful, expressive face but was a petite little lady who had a lot of sex appeal in her little body and knew how to move and work the little she had. Francine was sexy but not blatant. Francine could be wholesome but not prude. Francine was truly irresistible. Francine Everett was the most charming, lovely lady on screen. She was one of the few "first" to disspell stereotypes of a black woman, though she was an actress, she knew she had to prove different than believed about black women. No matter what role she played she always appeared down to earth, sweet, feminine, soft proving black women are women too and have the grace to be an actress. Francine never was the stereotype of a black woman; aggressive, incorrigible, slutty, loud or ghetto.
Through all her roles she gave a dramatic touch to Black Cinema proving drama could be displayed and moving in even independently produced black films and Francine added a touch of sweetness with her charm and sunny disposition and a smile that made anyone smile. Men and women loved Francine.
Francine was a marvelous actress. She became the leading lady of the Black Cinema in the late 1930's to the end of the 1940s. She starred in many of the best Black Cinema films, "Keep Punching," "Paradise In Harlem," "Big Timers," "Stars on Parade" "Tall, Tan and Terrific," "Dirty Gertie From Harlem," and "Ebony on Parade." Which are all available. It also been said that Francine appeared in almost 50 soundies in the 1940's with renowned jazz legends.
Francine was a songbird if there was any. Francine had one of the best singing voices of her time. Soulful, sweet, enchanting, cool but with plenty of feeling. Her voice was very before its time. She sounded like a Leslie Uggams, Diahann Carroll, or Irene Cara.
Francine Everett was born April 3, 1915 in Louisburg, South Carolina. Not much is known of Francine's early years but some say that she was in show business from as early as the 1930s which would mean, she was in her early teens. Francine started in show business at a young age. Francine's first stage appearance was in 1933 in "Hummin' Sam," and later toured the country as the member of the Black Cat Four dancing team. Though she could sing and dance, she really wanted to be an actress. She studied and acted with the Federal Theater in Harlem, which was sponsored by the Works Progress Administration. She later married legendary actor Rex Ingram who gained fame in his starring role on screen in "Green Pastures." It's been said Francine was offered the role of one of the angels in "Green Pastures" but turned it down mainly because it was stereotyped. Refusals of Hollywood was many. Throughout the 1940's, Francine refused offers from MGM, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros. because of the typical roles they offered to Blacks. Francine knew she was above that. That's why she became active in the Black Cinema. She knew those roles would exploit her acting talents positively and give her an opportunity to show her versatility in the different roles offered maybe Hollywood offered more fame and fortune but she knew they wouldn't use her as an actress but a stereotype.
Francine was a spirited actress but natural; never over did it. Great with emotions, facial gestures, and plenty of attitude including the famous hands on her hips.
Francine could play a femme fatale, vamp, cold hearted women out to ruin men, she could make you hate her but she could easily play the sweet, ingenue, girl next door, stand-by-her man type of role and move you just the same. Francine was able to trigger some emotion out of you whether a smile or tear. No matter how boring a movie was, when Francine came on the scene she made you watch.
Francine part in the stage production of "Swing It," made her name known and made her an acclaim actress. Francine found her calling in what were known as "all black cast," "colored cast," "race films" now known as Black Cinema. She was very much in demand appearing in movies you could really call movies which resulted in her becoming a beloved movie star to black audiences.
Francine's first film was "Keep Punching" a sort of biography of Henry Armstrong but with a different name and he also starred in the movie with Francine. Francine won hearts through the movie. Her beauty, charm, spark, down to earth, breezy personality set the bar for what made her a movie favorite.
"Paradise In Harlem" really put Francine on top. Hollywood could never give her such a big chance in a role. With appearances in soundies, movies, stage shows such as "Green Pastures" and "Swing It", and nightclubs; she became a bona fide Harlem star along with working as a print model, appearing in clothing and cosmetic advertisements. Francine appeared in most of all the Black magazines of the time, Ebony, Jet, Tan, Black World and countless of mentions and photos and talk of Francine in the Black newspapers of the time.
What also brought Francine fame was marrying Rex Ingram, who became famous through his role as "De Lawd" in the stage and screen version of "Green Pastures." Francine met Rex Ingram, while they were both in Ol' Man Satan; Francine was cast as the temptress. The marriage between them only lasted a few years.
Dirty Gertie From Harlem from 1947 directed by Spencer Williams was a popular story which was done on stage and screen many times, sometimes different scenarios and names but same story of a Femme Fatale. Spencer Williams was happy to get Francine to star as Dirty Gertie. This movie was about, Gertie LaRue who's a sexy vixen, a burlesque dancer from Harlem who ran away from Harlem taking the whole troupe with her down south for a special appearance. Her real reason for leaving is because of her dirty schemes in Harlem, especially the way she treated men, especially her man Al, her dirty ways gave her the name Dirty Gertie. Down South, Gertie creates quite a uproar for the town has never had a big star but the religious bunch thinks the kind of performances she puts on are a disgrace and a Reverend tries to close it but without any luck. Gertie starts to feel a negative aura around her, even hearing a certain tune can make her go into a frenzy. The Reverend, the mind reader, even the piano man tries to warn her that she is doomed if she don't right her wrongs. Dirty Gertie meets her deserved end of death when Al finds her and kills her. The highlight of the movie is Francine's parts. She basically carries the movie with ease. Movie audiences were use to her sweetheart, danity, winsome disposition but in this movie she played a careless, reckless, carousing, golddigging, man crazed dame but she still possess that sweetness that made you shed a tear to see her killed. Francine did it all, possessed every emotion, gesture, attitude, even added her own extras and addition of spice and made it all look so easy. Francine received flattering reviews. Well-deserved reviews. This is another incident of Francine becoming her role not just acting it out.
Francine always received favorable reviews. Many of the films she appeared in had flaws, were low budgeted, fast produced, and sometimes lack of talent from others but Francine was commended many a time for keeping a movie watchable and being the only watchable actor in a film that would of otherwise would of been a flop. Francine was complimented on her photogenicness, personality, beauty, talent of singing, acting, and for carrying others.
Francine and Dorothy Dandridge was around the same age and acquired success around the same time. Both Francine and Dorothy started out in Black Cinema, both were the best of the crop. Dorothy took on Hollywood, playing the maids and such at first before getting her chance. Had Francine not refused Hollywood throughout her years maybe she would of became what Dorothy became mainstream. Francine had the beauty, talents, everything. Dorothy and Francine had a uncanny resemblance in looks, some thought Francine was more beautiful, talent wise both gave their all in anything they did.
The Black Press loved making rivals out of Francine and Dorothy. Blacks applauded Dorothy Dandridge's success in crossing over but hailed Francine the same. Francine wanted nothing more then to be apart of Black Cinema movies. She gave stellar performances as if they were Hollywood movies. She didn't feel Black Cinema was beneath her or that she was too good for it. She enjoyed the success and fans it brought her until her end.
Some called Francine the Poor Man's Dorothy Dandridge, but there was nothing poor about Francine. Francine was confident and comfortable with herself and everything she did. Anyone who watched Black Cinema will know Francine Everett.
After Ebony on Parade, Francine and Black Cinema came to a close. Francine finally went to Hollywood after 10 yeas of refusals because of the close of Black Cinema. Francine never gave up on Hollywood but she never gave in either. Hollywood always wanted Francine as they would any beauty with talent but Francine had such respect for the art of acting and her training that she didn't want it butchered by Hollywood. Francine had a minor but watchable part in "No Way Out," starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee and a part in "Lost Boundaries".
Francine ended her fruitful career from Show Business in the 1950's, and worked at the Harlem Hospital in a clerical position until 1985. Naturally, Francine was a caring, giving person who as a performer gave her many talents for audience to enjoy, she gave the same heart to her new career. Francine was more then surprised and flattered throughout the years of how so many fans and movie historians seeked her out eager to hear her story and to tell her of their appreciation and love. Francine passed away May 12, 1999 in a nursing home in the Bronx, many tributes and many defining obituaries told of Francine Everett's life and career acquiring her a new interest from the young generation. Black Cinema is becoming more and more known and so is Francine, she will be known if everyone else is forgotten, she never will be.
Throughout all her success, Francine always remained humble and true to herself and her race. Francine was a member of the Negro Actors' Guild, she often lectured and participated on panels and in seminars sponsored by the International Agency for Minority Artists Affairs, which promoted Black Films; making sure Black Cinema never be forgotten. Francine is another gem in movie history. Francine had compassion and heart which showed in all her versatile roles. And she is truly one of the most beautiful women who ever grace the screen. Color and her race didn't hold her back. Francine took on her roles just as a white actress would.
Francine is another overlooked screen actress who's not in the history books and the most prominent movie historians hardly know her or act as though she's not worth remembering because she wasn't apart of Hollywood. If anything Francine should be remembered through Black History, she was a true actress if any and possibly opened the doors through her many non-degrading roles and talents. She was one who also introduced new roles for Black women. Francine brought to the screen many roles that made you look at talent and not the color, many of her roles was positive that didn't demean or degrade Black women. If anyone in Black Cinema should be remembered, it should be Francine. Hopefully, Black history will not be partial and include Francine as an achiever and hopefully Movie historians who aren't partial will look at Francine as just as good and beautiful as a Olivia de Havilland, Linda Darnell, Gene Tierney, and Ann Sheridan.
Some may wonder, had Francine went to Hollywood, would she had become a movie star? Well look at her closely in Black Cinema and judge for yourself.
It's unfortunate Francine isn't given recognition and honor for her contributions to cinema. Who cares who she did movies for, its about the talent and beauty and she had it and should be remembered alongside many black and white classic movie stars. When it comes to black actresses, people tend to be picky who should be remembered or who should make it yet many white actresses are remembered not a few. Many like to stay in their comfort zone and remember and write about ones who are easy for them. There's many unsung great black actresses yet to be discovered, no one took the time to research their lives and careers, mainly because it may be difficult, but it's worth it and the world is missing out on knowing talented, versatile ladies.
