REMEMBERING A GREAT ICON, FRANCINE YORK

At a time when superheroes are finding a balance in the Fe-Male scale, we can't help but look back, specifically at a woman who was part of 1966's Batman. Described by her friend, Erin Gavin, as immaculate and glamorous, Francine York was a woman ahead of her time. 

Smart, funny, beautiful, and talented, Francine York was a woman who didn't allow pain or sickness to get in the way of her funny and extraordinary self. 

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If you don't have a good sense of self-esteem and self-image, and you don't know who you really are, and you don't trust yourself and don't like yourself ... It can be a serious problem.
-FRANCINE YORK

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A FRIEND OF YORK SHARES INSIGHT...

Photo by ASH GUPTA

Erin Gavin (image, left), a friend of Francine, tells us about the beautiful soul that was York. While the two did not get to work on a film together, Gavin tells us, "She mentored me."  Undoubtedly the two have more than friendship in common; they are both bold, strong females whose talent transcends the screen. The two brought Marilyn Monroe back to life in their films Marilyn Alive and Behind Bars (1992, Francine York) and most recently, Marylin: The Last Investigation (2016, Erin Gavin). York "was able to help me with the voice and some of her mannerisms off screen."
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Erin spoke to Iconic Chica mag and remembers Francine as the true force that she was.

Q&A:

What are some characteristics you remember dearly of her? 
Always immaculate and very glamorous!

What was your friendship like?
Lovely. She mentored me. Giving me guidance with the do's and don'ts of Hollywood. 

What did she pass on to you as an actress? 
She gave me lots of tips. Not so much a teaching method, but tips about Marilyn. She did meet her [Marilyn] and was able to help me with the voice and some of her mannerisms off screen.

What about her did you find most appealing? 
I loved her drive to the very end! She was the ultimate Hollywood glam! She was also very funny and that never changed, even when she was sick. 

Any stories you hold of the two of you?
We were at our mutual friend Pepper Jay's birthday and sang happy birthday to her together as Marilyn. 

Would you agree she enjoyed playing the villain, given that many memorable roles she plays the villainess? 
Oh yes, she loved that role! Fun! She didn't say too much about it, but I know she loved it.

If you could describe her in one word, what would you say? 
Glamorous. A wonderful Hollywood actress and a dear friend to many.

Photo by Justin Kahn

Francine York worked with many talents, including Elvis Presley (Tickle Me, 1965), Marlon Brando (Bedtime Story, 1964), and Nicholas Cage (The Family Man, 2000). A woman in a male dominated world, she thrived making way for actresses that followed.
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Film wasn't her only success. She was Lydia Limpet in TV’s Batman of 1966. She also worked in Bewitched (1964), Mission: Impossible (1966), and The King of Queens (1998). York also took her culinary skills and nutrition expertise to health magazines. Rumor has it, she was one of Hollywood’s leading hostesses, cooking for celebrities like Clint Eastwood and Glenn Ford. 

Francine York closed the curtains on January of 2017. Her films, work, and glamour will be remembered. 

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by Jessica Gonzalez Ferrer