Francine Larrimore

Biography

French-born Francine Larrimore arrived in the United States as a child and first appeared on stage at the age of 12 in 'Where There's a Will' in 1910. A member of the Adler dynasty of actors (cousin of Luther, Stella and Jay Adler), she had her first major theatrical successes in the Rudolf Friml musical 'Sometime' (1918) and in the comedy 'Nice People'(1921), with Tallulah Bankhead and Katharine Cornell. She was best known for her portrayals of exuberant 'pouty girls', but she could also dance, had a good singing voice and a talent for delivering humorous lines. At the height of her theatrical fame in 1926, Francine created the role of Chicago showgirl Roxie Hart at the Music Box Theatre in New York (a part played on screen by Ginger Rogers in 1942). Her one significant foray into talking pictures, John Meade's Woman (1937), was poorly received and Francine promptly returned to the stage. Her last performance was in 'Temporarily, Mrs. Smith', in 1946. Her first husband was the well-known songwriter Con Conrad.