Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades. She was known as the "GI Nightingale", an American armed-forces sweetheart, who entertained troops by frequently touring with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

Discovery

Langford originally trained as an opera singer. While a young girl she required a

tonsillectomy Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure in which both palatine tonsils are fully removed from the back of the throat. The procedure is mainly performed for recurrent tonsillitis, throat infections and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). For those wit ...

that changed her

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

range to a rich

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

. As a result, she was forced to change her vocal approach to a more contemporary

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

style. At age 17, she was singing for local dances. Cigar manufacturer Eli Witt heard her sing at an

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

party and hired her to sing on a local radio show he sponsored. Actor Dan White played an important role in her discovery. White and Langford were schoolmates. Langford first sang in public in an amateur show that White staged in Lakeland, Florida. It was also White, who was now a seasoned character actor in Hollywood, that suggested to Langford that she go to Hollywood to give pictures a try.

Radio

After a brief stint in the Broadway musical "Here Goes the Bride" in 1931, she moved to Hollywood, appearing on Louella Parsons' radio show '' Hollywood Hotel'' while starting a movie career. Singing for radio during the early 1930s she was heard by

Rudy Vallée Hubert Prior Vallée (July 28, 1901 – July 3, 1986), known professionally as Rudy Vallée, was an American singer, saxophonist, bandleader, actor, and entertainer. He was the first male singer to rise from local radio broadcasts in New York Ci ...

, who invited her to become a regular on his radio show. From 1935 until 1938 she was a regular performer on Dick Powell's radio show. From 1946 to 1951, she performed with

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...

as the insufferable wife, Blanche, on the radio comedy ''

The Bickersons ''The Bickersons'' was a series of radio and television comedy sketches which began in 1946 on NBC radio. The show's married protagonists, portrayed by Don Ameche (later by Lew Parker) and Frances Langford, spent nearly all their time toget ...

''.

Films

Langford made her film debut in '' Every Night at Eight'' (1935), introducing what became her signature song: " I'm in the Mood for Love". She then began appearing frequently in films such as '' Broadway Melody of 1936'' (1935) (in which she popularized "Broadway Rhythm" and "You Are My Lucky Star"), '' Born to Dance'' (1936), '' Too Many Girls'' (1940) (in which she acted alongside her childhood schoolmate from Lakeland Dan White), and '' Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942) with

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

, in which (portraying

Nora Bayes Nora Bayes (born Rachel Eleonora "Dora" Goldberg; October 3, 1880March 19, 1928) was an American singer and vaudeville performer who was popular internationally between the 1900s and 1920s. She is credited with co-writing the song " Shine On, Har ...

) she performed the popular song " Over There". She also appeared on screen in '' Dixie Jamboree'' and '' Radio Stars on Parade''. In 1946 she played the torch-singing lead in '' The Bamboo Blonde'', showing off her ability to both vamp and act. In a Western movie, ''Deputy Marshal'', she co-starred with her first husband, matinee idol Jon Hall. In several of Langford's films she appeared as herself, as in ''Broadway Melody of 1936'' and '' The Glenn Miller Story'' (1953). In the latter film, she sang " Chattanooga Choo Choo" with the Modernaires and the movie orchestra.

World War II

From 1941, Langford was a regular singer on

's '' The Pepsodent Show'' when he held his first military entertainment program at March Field in Riverside, California in 1941. The show was so positive, he continued broadcasting from training bases around the country and asked Langford to join him. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she joined Hope, Jerry Colonna, guitarist Tony Romano, and other performers on

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

tours through Europe, North Africa, and the South Pacific, entertaining thousands of GIs throughout the world. During a USO tour in the Pacific theater, she was invited to take a ride in a P-38 fighter plane. During the flight, a Japanese ship was spotted and the joy ride was postponed until the pilot finished strafing the ship. In his memoir, ''Don't Shoot! It's Only Me!'', Bob Hope recalled how Frances Langford got the biggest laugh he had ever heard. At a USO show in the South Pacific, Langford stood up on a stage to sing before a huge crowd of GIs. When Langford sang the first line of her signature song, "I'm in the Mood for Love," a soldier in the audience stood up and shouted, "You've come to the right place, honey!" Also, during the war, Langford wrote the weekly "Purple Heart Diary" column for Hearst Newspapers, in which she described her visits to military hospitals to entertain wounded GIs. She used the weekly column as a means of allowing the recovering troops to voice their complaints, and to ask for public support for making sure that the wounded troops received all the supplies and comforts they needed. Her association with Hope continued into the 1980s. In 1989 she joined him for a

tour to entertain troops in the Persian Gulf.

Television

Frances Langford Jerry Colonna Frances Langford Presents 1959

Langford worked for several years in the late 1940s on '' The Spike Jones Show'' and starred in a short-lived DuMont variety show '' Star Time'' (1950). As a guest on early television shows such as

Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987 ...

and

Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...

she was motivated to venture into television. She was the host of two self-titled variety television programs. She then teamed with

for the ABC television program, ''The Frances Langford/Don Ameche Show'' (1951), a spin-off of their successful radio series ''

'' in which the duo played a feuding married couple. Langford was also the host of the NBC musical variety program ''Frances Langford Presents'' (1959), which lasted one season, as did a later program ''The Frances Langford Show'' (1960). Another notable appearance was in ''

The Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It f ...

'' lost episode "Christmas Party" which first aired December 19, 1953.

Personal life

Langford married three times, first to actor Jon Hall (1934–55). In 1948, they donated of land near her estate in Jensen Beach, Florida to Martin County, which named it Langford Hall Park. In 1946, Langford was honored by her hometown of Lakeland, Florida, for her work with the United Service Organizations and her music and acting career. The city dedicated the Lake Mirror Promenade as the Frances Langford Promenade. The promenade was built in 1928 and was designed by renowned landscape architect Charles W. Leavitt. Langford supported Republican

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

during the 1952 U.S. presidential election. After leaving Hollywood life, Langford continued with her pastimes of boating and sport fishing. As a nightclub singer in 1955, she married Outboard Marine Corporation president Ralph Evinrude. They lived on her estate in Jensen Beach and they built a Polynesian-themed restaurant and marina on the Indian River named The Frances Langford Outrigger Resort, where she frequently performed. Evinrude passed away in 1986. In 1994, Langford married Harold C. Stuart, former assistant secretary for civil affairs of the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

(1949–1951) under President Harry S. Truman. They spent summers in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada, traveling from their home in Florida aboard their 110-foot yacht. Health problems plagued Langford in the final years of her life, requiring periodic hospital stays. She died at her Jensen Beach home at age 92 from

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

. According to her wishes, she was cremated, and her ashes were strewn off the coast of Florida near her residence.

Legacy

Langford has two stars on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

, one at 1500

Vine Street Vine Street is a street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, that runs north–south between Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, and Melrose Avenue. The intersection of Hollywood and Vine being symbolic of Hollywood itself. The intersection has be ...

, which acknowledges her contribution to motion pictures and one at 1525 Vine Street for her work in radio. Both were dedicated on February 8, 1960. Langford was a supportive member of the Jensen Beach, Florida community and regularly donated money to it. She also supported the Florida Oceanographic Society located on Hutchinson Island. The site's visitor center bears her name and also houses some of her artifacts. In 2006, the Frances Langford Heart Center, begun by a bequest from her estate, opened at Martin Memorial Hospital in

Stuart, Florida Stuart is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Florida, United States. Located in southeastern Florida, Stuart is the largest of five Municipal corporation, incorporated municipalities in Martin County. The population is 17,425 accordi ...

Filmography

* ''The Subway Symphony'' (1932, Short) as Herself * ''Rambling 'Round Radio Row #5'' (1933, Short) as Herself – Singer * '' Every Night at Eight'' (1935) as Susan Moore * '' Broadway Melody of 1936'' (1935) as Herself * '' Collegiate'' (1936) as Miss Hay * ''

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

'' (1936) as Joan Smyth * ''Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs'' (1936, Short) as Herself * '' Born to Dance'' (1936) as 'Peppy' Turner * '' The Hit Parade'' (1937) as Ruth Allison * '' Hollywood Hotel'' (1937) as Alice * '' Dreaming Out Loud'' (1940) as Alice * '' Too Many Girls'' (1940) as Eileen Eilers * '' Hit Parade of 1941'' (1940) as Pat Abbott / Singing voice of Anabelle Potter * '' All-American Co-Ed'' (1941) as Virginia Collinge * '' Swing It Soldier'' (1941) as Patricia Loring / Evelyn Loring Waters * ''Picture People No. 4: Stars Day Off'' (1941, Documentary short) as Herself * ''Mississippi Gambler'' (1942) as Beth Cornell * ''Picture People No. 10: Hollywood at Home'' (1942, Documentary short) as Herself * '' Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942) as

* ''Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 4'' (1942, Documentary short) as Herself * '' Combat America'' (1943, Documentary) as Herself * '' Follow the Band'' (1943) as Herself * '' Cowboy in Manhattan'' (1943) as Babs Lee * ''

This Is the Army ''This Is the Army'' is a 1943 American wartime musical film, musical comedy film produced by Jack L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis and directed by Michael Curtiz, adapted from This Is the Army (musical), the wartime stage musical of the same name, d ...

'' (1943) as Herself * '' Never a Dull Moment'' (1943) as Julie Russell * '' Career Girl'' (1944) as Joan Terry * ''Memo for Joe'' (1944, Short documentary) as Herself * '' Dixie Jamboree'' (1944) as Susan Jackson * ''

Girl Rush ''Girl Rush'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas (director), Gordon Douglas and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Frances Langford, Barbara Jo Allen, Robert Mitchum, Paul Hurst (actor), Pau ...

'' (1944) as Flo Daniels * '' Radio Stars on Parade'' (1945) as Sally Baker * '' People Are Funny'' (1946) as Frances Langford * ''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Victory Show'' (1946, Documentary short) as Herself * '' The Bamboo Blonde'' (1946) as Louise Anderson * ''

Beat the Band ''Beat the Band'' is a musical quiz show heard on NBC radio from 1940 to 1944 in two distinctly different series. The program popularized the show business catch phrase, "Give me a little traveling music", often uttered on TV a decade later by ...

'' (1947) as Ann Rogers * ''

Melody Time ''Melody Time'' is a 1948 American live-action and animated musical anthology film produced by Walt Disney. It was released to theatres by RKO Radio Pictures on May 27, 1948. Made up of seven segments set to popular music and folk music, the f ...

'' (1948) as Herself (singing voice, segment: "Once Upon a Wintertime") * '' Deputy Marshal'' (1949) as Janet Masters * '' Purple Heart Diary'' (1951) as Herself * '' The Glenn Miller Story'' (1954) as Herself -

In popular culture

Frances Langford is featured on the DVD ''Entertaining the Troops'' with Bob Hope.

References

External links

*
Frances Langford profile

Internet Archive: ''Maxwell House Coffee Time'' (1947): Frances Langford (13 episodes)
*
Zoot Radio, free old time radio show downloads of 'The Francis Langford' radio program

Frances Langford recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Langford, Frances 1913 births 2005 deaths Musicians from Lakeland, Florida American film actresses American radio actresses People from Jensen Beach, Florida American torch singers Traditional pop music singers 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers Singers from Florida Actresses from Florida Lakeland High School (Lakeland, Florida) alumni Nightclub performers People from Citrus County, Florida 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women