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The Journal
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Connie Francis, pop star who dominated the charts in late '50s and early '60s, dies aged 87
CONNIE FRANCIS, THE wholesome pop star of the 1950s and 1960s whose hits include Pretty Little Baby, has died at the age of 87. Her death was announced today by her friend and publicist, Ron Roberts, who did not immediately provide additional details. Francis was a top performer of the pre-Beatles era, rarely off the charts from 1957-64. Connie Francis receives Lifetime Achievement Award performs at East Coast Music Hall Of Fame Awards in 2019 in New Jersey. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Able to appeal to both young people and adults, she had more than a dozen top 20 hits, starting with Who's Sorry Now? and including the Number one songs Don't Break The Heart That Loves You and The Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own. Like other teen favourites of her time, she also starred in several films, including Where The Boys Are and Follow The Boys. The dark-haired singer was just 17 when she signed a contract with MGM Records following appearances on several TV variety shows. Her earliest recordings attracted little attention, but then she released her version of Who's Sorry Now? an old ballad by Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. It, too, had little success initially until Dick Clark played it on his American Bandstand show in 1958. Francis followed with such teen hits as Stupid Cupid, Everybody's Somebody's Fool, and Lipstick On Your Collar. Her records became hits worldwide as she re-recorded versions of her original songs in Italian and Spanish among other languages. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Meanwhile, a romance bloomed with fellow teen idol Bobby Darin, who had volunteered to write songs for her. But when her father heard rumours that the pair were planning a wedding he stormed into a rehearsal and pulled a gun on Darin, ending their relationship and seeming to set on Francis on a pained and traumatic path. She chronicled some of it in her autobiography, Who's Sorry Now? 'My personal life is a regret from A to Z,' she told The Associated Press in 1984, the year the book came out. Advertisement 'I realised I had allowed my father to exert too much influence over me.' Her father, George Franconero, was a roofing contractor from New Jersey who played the accordion, and he had his daughter learn the instrument as soon as she began to show an aptitude for music. Connie Francis in 1961 with her father George Franconera at her parents' home in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo When she was four, he began booking singing dates for her, going on to become her manager. Although her acting career had faded by the mid-1960s, Francis was still popular on the concert circuit when she appeared at the Westbury Music Centre in Westbury, New York, in 1974. She had returned to her hotel room and was asleep when a man broke in and raped her at knifepoint. He was never captured. Francis sued the hotel, alleging its security was faulty, and a jury awarded her $2.5 million in 1976. The two sides then settled out of court for $1.475 million as an appeal was pending. She said the attack destroyed her marriage and put her through years of emotional turmoil. She suffered tragedy in 1981 when her brother George was shot dead as he was leaving his New Jersey home. Later in the decade, her father had her committed to a psychiatric hospital, where she was diagnosed as manic-depressive. At one point she attempted suicide by swallowing dozens of sleeping tablets. After three days in a coma, she recovered. She was married four times and would say that only her third husband, Joseph Garzilli, was worth the trouble. The other marriages each lasted less than a year. Connie Francis with her father at her parents Bloomfield, New Jersey, home in 1961. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Concetta Rosemarie Franconero was born on 12 December, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey. At age nine, she began appearing on television programmes, including Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and The Perry Como Show. It was Godfrey who suggested she shorten her last name. In recent months, she saw renewed popularity with her 1962 song Pretty Little Baby going viral on TikTok and other video-sharing platforms.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Governor R.N. Ravi, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, and other leaders condole Saroja Devi's death
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condoled the death of actor Saroja Devi, who passed away in Bengaluru on Monday. In a social media post, the Raj Bhavan quoted the Governor as saying: 'Deeply saddened by the demise of legendary actress Saroja Devi, whose luminous presence and expressive artistry transcended language and time, leaving an indelible mark on Indian cinema. Her timeless contributions shaped a golden era of film and continue to resonate across generations. My heartfelt condolences to her family and countless admirers. Om Shanti!' In his condolence message, Mr. Stalin recalled she had acted in about 200 films and her contributions to Indian cinema were honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Government of India's Lifetime Achievement Award, Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani award, among others. Her death was an irreparable loss, Mr. Stalin said. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami recalled Saroja Devi's association with party founder M.G. Ramachandran in the Tamil film industry. ADMK Workers' Rights Retrieval Committee coordinator O. Panneerselvam said the actor held former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in high esteem. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan, BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran, and Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) president G.K. Vasan also extended their condolences.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
When Jaya Bachchan Called Aishwarya Rai "Ideal Mrs Bachchan": "I Like That She Stands Behind Quitely"
New Delhi: An old interview of Jaya Bachchan on Karan Johar's talk show Koffee With Karan has resurfaced online, where the veteran actor showered praise on her daughter-in-law, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. What's Happening During the conversation, Karan Johar asked Jaya Bachchan about Aishwarya, to which she responded, "She is lovely. I love her and you know I have always loved her." When asked if Aishwarya was the perfect choice for the Bachchan family, Jaya said, "I think so, it is wonderful that she is such a big star herself. But when we are together, I have never seen her push herself and I like that quality." She continued, "I like that she stands behind quietly. She is taking it all in. Another beautiful thing is that she fitted into the family and knows, who are good friends and how one is supposed to be." In response to whether Aishwarya is the ideal Mrs. Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan said, "Yes, I think so." When Abhishek Opened Up About Jaya Bachchan's Bond With Aishwarya In a 2015 interview with DNA, Abhishek Bachchan also spoke about the bond between his mother and wife. He said, "Ma and Ash gang up against me and they keep rattling on in Bengali. (Laughs) Mom knows the language because she is Bengali and Aishwarya had worked with Rituda (the late Rituparno Ghosh) in Chokher Bali, so she also can speak the language quite well. So whenever they have to team up against me, they start talking in Bengali. (Smiles)." Background Earlier, another old video of Jaya Bachchan made rounds online. The clip features the veteran actress welcoming Aishwarya to the Bachchan family ahead of her wedding with Abhishek. The video is from the 2007 Filmfare Awards when Jaya Bachchan came onstage to accept her Lifetime Achievement Award. Months before Aishwarya and Abhishek's wedding, the actress said, "Today I'm going to be a mother-in-law all over again to a wonderful lovely girl, who has great values, has a great dignity and a lovely smile. I welcome you to the family. Love you." She added, "I thought this would be the right time to accept this award. I'd like to say, Almighty, whoever he or she, hum ko man ki shakti dena, man vijay kare. Jhooth se door rahe aur sach ka man bharein. (Give us the strength of mind so that the mind can win. Stay away from lies and fill the mind with truth). Thank you so much." Seated in the audience, a visibly emotional Aishwarya couldn't hold back tears. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai got married in April 2007. The two welcomed Aardhya in November 2011.
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
In pictures: 2025 Belfast Telegraph Grocer Awards winners
The title sponsor of the prestigious event was Madri 0%, and winners were announced across 11 categories –including a new category for 2025, Lifetime Achievement. In its inaugural year, the Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Tracy Hamilton MBE, director of Mash Direct. The judging panel this year was made up of RNN Communications founder Riki Neill, Grainne Moody, director of the food and drink division of Invest NI, Food NI chief executive Michele Shirlow MBE and Ulster University professor Barry Quinn. The winners in the 2025 Belfast Telegraph Grocer Marketing Awards: Best Marketing Campaign sponsored by title sponsor by Madri 0% Winner: Mackle Pet Food Best Digital Campaign sponsored by McConnell's Irish Whisky Winner: White's Oats Best Sustainability Initiative sponsored by Start Solar Winner: Musgrave Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion sponsored by SHS Winner: Musgrave Food Export supported by Invest NI Winner S&W Wholesale New Product/Relaunch sponsored by Hub Packaging CSR Initiative/Charity Sponsorship sponsored by Hunky Dorys Winner: Musgrave Best Brand sponsored by White's Oats Winner: Mackle Pet Foods – Stacy Simpson & Katie Hughes Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer sponsored by Forest Feast Winner: Danielle Murphy, Nearby/S&W Wholesale Leader in Marketing sponsored by Hovis Winner: Bronagh Henderson, Henderson Group Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by RentaMerc Winner Tracy Hamilton, Mash Direct MBE
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Filmfare Awards Marathi 2025: Mahesh Manjrekar Gets Best Actor, Paani Best Film
Last Updated: Filmfare Awards Marathi 2025 saw outstanding talent across various categories, including both creative and technical, being honoured for their exceptional work. Renowned names from the Marathi entertainment industry came together to celebrate the regional films at the Filmfare Awards Marathi 2025 on Thursday. The star-studded event saw outstanding talent across various categories including both creative and technical being honoured for their exceptional work. It emphasised the industry's growing brilliance and impact on Indian cinema. Here, we take a look at some of the key winners from the memorable evening. Lifetime Achievement Award: Usha Mangeshkar Best Production Design: Eknath Kadam (Phullwanti) Best Costume Design: Manasi Attarde (Phullwanti) Best Sound Design: Anmol Bhave (Paani) Best Choreography: Umesh Jadhav – Phullwanti Title Track (Phullwanti) Best Background Score: Gulraj Singh (Paani) Best Editing: Navnita Sen (Ghaath) Best Cinematography: Mahesh Limaye (Phullwanti) Best Screenplay: Nitin Dixit (Paani) Best Story: Chhatrapal Anand Ninawe (Ghaath) Best Debut Director: Rahul Ramachandra Pawar (Khadmod) Best Debut Director: Navjyot Bandiwadekar (Gharat Ganpati) Best Debut (Female): Jui Bhagwat (Like Aani Subscribe) Best Debut (Male): Dhariya Gholap (Yek Number) Best Playback Singer (Female): Vaishali Made – Madanmanjiri (Phullwanti) Best Music Album: Avinash–Vishwajeet (Phullwanti) Best Playback Singer (Male): Rahul Deshpande – Sarale Saare (Amaltash) Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Kshitish Date (Dharmaveer 2) Best Actor (Critics'): Jitendra Joshi (Ghaath) Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female): Vaidehi Parshurami (Ek Don Teen Chaar) Best Director: Addinath M. Kothare (Paani) Best Actor Male – Mahesh Manjrekar (June Furniture) Best Film- Paani Best Film Critics – Ghaath, Amaltash One of the highlights of the award function was the reunion of Mahesh Manjrekar and Tabu on stage. The duo worked together in the film Astitva and have been friends since then. Before calling him on stage to present the award, she said, 'I am very happy. Thank you for giving me the honour of presenting this Best Actor award. I am presenting this award to a director who considered me for a pathbreaking film – Manjrekar," – a moment that reflects on their deep bond for decades. Notably, Mahesh Manjrekar won the award for his film Juna Furniture – a family drama film co-starring Medha Manjrekar. One of the highest-grossing Marathi films of 2024, the poignant drama is based on the themes of justice, societal concerns, human emotions and much more. Besides Manjrekar, Paani won the maximum number of awards during the event. The film, directed by Addinath M Kothare, earned major awards including Best Film and Best Director. Additionally, it also took home honours in categories like Best Film (Critics'), Best Lyrics, Best Playback Singer (Male), Best Screenplay and Best Background Score. First Published: July 11, 2025, 12:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
