Arlene Francis Biography

Fast Facts

• After the United States entered World War II, she began touring her radio program "Blind Date" at military bases across the country to entertain troops
• Attended the Theatre Guild Dramatic School and the Art Students League
• After her first failed attempt at film acting, she became involved in radio, first appearing in the children's show "King Arthur's Round Table," where she did animal imitations
• Moved to Hollywood and appeared in her first film, "Murders in the Rue Morgue," in 1932, but was forced to return to New York after her shocked family learned that she had played the role of a prostitute
• Hosted the talk show "Home" from 1954 to 1958, which featured discussions of women's issues, and later created "The Arlene Francis Show" in 1958 when "Home" was cancelled
• Voiced characters in several radio shows during her early career, including "The March of Time," "Cavalcade of America," and "Big Sister․"
• Best known as an actress, radio talk show host, and frequent panelist on "What's My Line?"
• First achieved success on network television in 1949, when she brought back her radio show "Blind Date," which had ended three years earlier, as a television show, and which also led to her becoming a panelist on "What's My Line?"
• Published two books: "That Certain Something: The Magic of Charm" in 1960 and "No Time for Cooking" in 1961
• Was the co-host of the game show "What's My Name?" in the 1930s, the ancestor of the series "What's My Line?" that would make her famous 20 years later