Anne Francis got into show business at a young age. Born on September 16, 1930, in Ossining, New York, she was the only child of Phillip Ward Francis, a businessman/salesman, and Edith Albertson. Anne began modeling at the age of 6 and soon transitioned to radio soap work and television in New York.
By the age of 11, she made her stage debut on Broadway, playing the child version of Gertrude Lawrence in the 1941 hit vehicle "Lady in the Dark". She attended the Professional Children's School in New York.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer put Anne under contract during the post-war years, but she soon became frustrated with the standard cheesecake treatment and returned to New York, where she appeared on television's "Golden Age" drama and found summer stock work.
Discovered by Darryl F. Zanuck, Anne starred in several promising ingénue roles, including "So Young, So Bad", "Elopement", "Lydia Bailey", and "Dreamboat". However, she still struggled with typecasting.
At MGM, Anne found leading lady work in notable 1950s classics, including "Bad Day at Black Rock", "Blackboard Jungle", and "Forbidden Planet". She co-starred with Hollywood's top actors, but her roles often emphasized her glamour over her acting abilities.
In the 1960s, Anne refocused on television, finding a niche on series such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Honey West", which earned her a Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award nomination.
Anne continued to appear in films, including "Funny Girl", "Hook, Line and Sinker", and "The Love God?", but her roles were often reduced to cameos. She remained a presence in television movies and series, often providing colorful support.
Anne was a strong and varied presence in her character years, and her realistic take on the Hollywood industry was balanced. She was twice divorced and had one daughter, whom she adopted as a single mother. Anne was involved with a metaphysical-based church and wrote the inspirational book "Voices from Home: An Inner Journey".
She spent more time off-camera in her later years, involved in charitable programs such as "Direct Relief", "Angel View", and the "Desert AIDS Project". Anne passed away on January 2, 2011, from complications of pancreatic cancer.
