Why did people Hate James Franciscus?

I know I stopped watching Naked City due to the blatant false advertising of its title.

He is what Prince William should have grown up to look like.

He was hot and sexy. What's to hate?

Jane Fonda wrote about him in her biography. He didn't really come across too poorly. Just very actory and a little pretentious. He would write plays in iambic-pentameter.

He was hot in the Apes movie.

Didn't Aaron Spelling want him to play Nick Tusconni in the second seson of Dynasty? Instead, James Farentino got the role.

[quote]Didn't Aaron Spelling want him to play Nick Tusconni in the second seson of Dynasty? Instead, James Farentino got the role.

That was the fault of Spelling's secretary. She took the job offer dictation in shorthand and when she transcribed it, she wrote Farentino instead of Franciscus. Spelling just signed the letter without reading it over.

Very good looking dude! I remember him when he was in that TV show about a teacher.

Mr. Novak

I thought he was hot.

[quote] That was the fault of Spelling's secretary. She took the job offer dictation in shorthand and when she transcribed it, she wrote Farentino instead of Franciscus. Spelling just signed the letter without reading it over.

That's how I got my role in the film version of Anastasia!

[quote]He was hot in the Apes movie. by: Roddy

APE Movie Roddy. James was only in one and it's the only one you weren't in.

What drugs are you on OP? I have never, ever heard one bad word about James Fransiscus from any Hollywood source. He was a competent, if somewhat bland actor, who has a lucrative career until his early death from heart failure.

He was WAY too short. Shrimp, to be exact.

My first crush.

I had the Beneath the Planet of the Apes poster on my wall and knew there was "something special" about him.

Why do people hate OP?

He was delicious

In our family, "Longstreet" was Must-See-TV.

He's my namesake, so of course I love him.

"That was the fault of Spelling's secretary. She took the job offer dictation in shorthand and when she transcribed it, she wrote Farentino instead of Franciscus. Spelling just signed the letter without reading it over."

It's said that one of the producers of Coco, perhaps Freddy Brisson, when it came time to casting the star, said "Get Hepburn!"

After someone in the office got in touch with Katharine, and she jumped at the chance to make her Broadway musical debut as Chanel, Brisson gasped:

"OMG! NOT THAT HEPBURN!"

The only thing I ever read about him being difficult was that he had his contracts written so that he could be home by 6 to be with his family, for which he agreed to be paid less per episode than his peers. Sounds all right to me personality-wise.

But a guy who looks like that - I could forgive a lot.

r14, go do the limbo.

Could you imagine having a hot guy like that as your father?

I do, often.

Youngblood Hawke with Franciscus and Suzanne Pleshette is on TCM next Sunday 9/16. Doesn't get shown very much. 9:30 AM est.

I shot several steaming loads of jizz watching his utterly beautiful feets in action in BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES. He must have been frustrated by not getting quality work. His beauty must have held him back from that.

A gorgeous man!

He fucked Jane Fonda.

Just watched him today in "Marooned" in HD and gosh that man was pretty. Must have sucked for Gene Hackman who was scrunched in a small space capsule with him and Richard Crenna to have to look at him for weeks on end.

Freddy Brisson, r20? You mean the Lizard of Roz?

[quote]"OMG! NOT THAT HEPBURN!"

Another funny example of an actress cast by mistake happened the THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN.

Blake Edwards needed to cast a hot female Russian spy. His wife, Julie Andrews, told him the young woman from UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS would be perfect, so he hired Lesley-Anne Down who played Miss Georgina on the TV show.

Watching the dailies, Julie told Blake she didn't think that spy looked like the young woman from UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS. He told her she must be confused by make-up and lighting, this was the young woman all right.

Only after filming did Edwards learn that Andrews had intended to recommend Nicola Pagett who had played Miss Elizabeth, the young woman Lesley-Anne Down replaced on UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS. Nicola Pagett had an exotic and intelligent look that would have worked far better for the role of a glamorous foreign spy than the fresh-scrubbed look of Lesley-Anne Down.

Perhaps you're thinking of Tony Franciosa (sp?), OP. Once married to Shelly Winters and difficult to work with, so I hear.

Very hot in Longstreet. Drooled over him every episode, even thought I had no idea at the time why I was so fixated on him.

Franciscus' first starring role was as Mr. Novak in the TV series about a high school teacher. Its producers were very much attempting to cash in on Richard Chamberlain's enormous popularity and huge fame as Dr. Kildare.

In those days, Franciscus was just considered a pale imtitation of Dick.

He beat the shit of Shelly Winters! She loved big smelly Italian Cock!

Youngblood Hawke on Turner Classic Movies, Sunday morning. Franciscus and Suzanne Pleshette.

Met him many times and spent many weekends with he and his wife Car A Lockhart. A genuinely wonderful person. Carla is a dear, ols friend. They had a wonderful, if too brief of a marriage. She has never gotten over his death.

r34, don't you mean Tony Franciosa?

[R33] Actually, Franciscus was the producers' first choice for the role of Dr. Kildare. He couldn't take it because he was committed to another series. William Shatner also turned it down. (Robert Redford auditioned as well. The producers obviously had a type in mind.) They eventually went with then-unknown Chamberlain because he looked like the others and had the added benefit of being significantly taller than any of that blond trio.

I always get him mixed up with Anthony Fransiosa and Stephen Boyd. They could have had the same film roles.

James was in "Killer Fish" with Margaux Hemingway, Marisa Berenson, Lee Majors and Karen Black! Sounds too good to be true.

32, same here, especially when they put Franciscus's muscular bubble butt into sweats to be worked over by his karate teacher, Bruce Lee.

Franciscus and Lee pure gorgeousness. Thanks for the clip.

Watched Youngblood Hawke. Not very good. Pleshette wasted (agree w/Pauline Kael that she was one of H'wd's most ill-used actresses), but Franciscus gorgeous. And what ever happened to the sexy Genevieve Page? The movie was a character-actor-apalooza, tho!

Because he always wiped back to front.

R42- Page is still alive, well and kicking. Just looked her up on wiki.

Two of Herman Wouk's novels did not come off very well on screen, Youngblood Hawke and Marjorie Morningstar.

NONE of Herman Wouk's novels came off very well on screen!

You got the story all wrong, r20. First, Freddie Brisson developed COCO originally for his wife, who was too ill (with arthritis) to actually consider it.

So once Roz was out of the picture, it was written for Kate. But when they were telling Mme. Chanel about it, she was the one who thought they were talking about Audrey Hepburn (who would have been perfect) and endorsed the project. When Kate and the COCO crowd came to visit, she was somewhat distressed to discover it was THAT Hepburn.

R11, You bitch! That was MY role!

[quote]R27

She was a slut. A traitor and a slut.

Nobody hated him. He was beautiful.

He was once married to the daughter of legendary Hollywood director William Wellman.

I can't believe R49 bumped a three year old thread just to add that tired old turd.

Franciscus was the one blond in my handful of gay boy crushes. All the rest were the tall, dark and handsome types.

Youngblood Hawke is worth watching for Paige's fabulous scene wearing a fabulous grecian gown. She looks sensational, and her smoky voice adds to it. The 60s Park Av apartment is great too, and the music score.

Watching episodes of "Dr. Kildare" on YT, Chamberlain pinged to the skies, while Franciscus exuded masculinity on "Mr. Novak".

I thought he was very handsome, too. Noticed him when I was a kid.

What kind of a name (ethnic-wise) is Franciscus?

Verificatia of size meat and pendulous low-hangers?

People didn't want to work with him because he was so damn pretty, they'd get distracted and forget their lines.

He was hot in Youngblood Hawke

Speaking of Farentino, I thought HE was the one who was supposed to be difficult.

R57 thank you.

Woof

R55, Franciscus is a Latin name, like Columbus or Nostradamus. Its modern Italian form would be Francesco or Franceschi or some similar variant.

He was shockingly handsome.

I think his appearance in Beneath the Planet of the Apes was life-altering for me!

Yes, I thought it sounded Latin, R62, but still what would be the origin? Italy? Is he (part) Italian?

Ok, I googled and apparently Franciscus is used by the Dutch and some Scandinavian countries (?)

[quote]Franciscus was the one blond in my handful of gay boy crushes. All the rest were the tall, dark and handsome types.

For me as well. I think he looked very manly and most blonds of the time except Steve McQueen looked boyish.

I read recently in an obit for James Garner that like Garner he was one of the few white actors who took part in the March on Washington in the early 1960s, so that's one plus for him.

Also, gorgeous. Two.

He was ONE SEXY MOTHER FUCKER in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). Damn!!!!!!!!!

Was he married to Shelley Winters?

Tony Franciosa was married to Shelly Winters. James Franciscus was a gorgeous man who should have had a better career. He supposedly was a very unhappy man. Smoked packs of cigarettes a day. Eventually died of lung cancer.

Is that DYNASTY anecdote true - was it a clerical mistake that lost him a role to James Farentino?

Oddly enough, Farentino was a mean wife abuser like Tony Franciosa.

James Franciscus was definitely a hottie, but my personal preference is for beefier, hairier, darker guys.

"Was he married to Shelley Winters?"

No, she was married to Anthony Franciosa.

"Oddly enough, Farentino was a mean wife abuser like Tony Franciosa."

Farentino also got into a heap of trouble for stalking Tina Sinatra in the 1990's, while Frank was still alive.

His first wife was Elizabeth Ashley, then he married Michele Lee and later Deborah Farentino.

i don't care for him. if we were ever together he would be more busy taking my dick up his arse or down his throat.

I can only imagine the sex that he and Jane Fonda must have had together.

I always enjoyed looking at his tits.

LOL R74, I think he's hot as hell but he'd be busy taking my dick up his arse AND down his throat if we were ever together.

Hated that little bastard.

Says the dinosaur with serious anger management issues.

Ivy league grad and serious actor adrift in the Hollywood mindlessness.

Jane Fonda lost her virginity to him. Can you imagine that hot piece James Franciscus being your first fuck? It would ruin you for life for other men.

He smoked three packs of cigarettes a day. He must have had breath that could stop a clock.

Franciscus as Noel Airman might have helped Marjorie Morgenstern, R45.

i READ that McIntyre left Naked City BECAUSE of Fransicus... Some problem that was never mentioned and that's WHY i WORKED my way HERE to find the truth inthat. Anyone KNOW, once and for all. McIntyre was the best thing on the show [Franciscus not my type, not manly enough] but the damned ONLY ONE YEAR made me buy it. I'm so upset without Mcintyre, his dad was a lawyer, I read, I feel that's where he got a lot of his FEELING portrayal and his natural wisdom about life. I never watched Westerns so although of course seeing him around in films, His NAKED CITY portrayal really got to me. So what's the TRUE and FINAL story... to much theorizing going on here. Anyone know? I hate the guy who took his place and also Paul Burke was AS wooden and Franciscus, without the Siliphant writing the series would have totally ended the first year as supposed to. But it always makes me cry, BRILLIANT writing.

McIntire left midway through the first season because he was homesick. He didn't like the grueling New York City location shoots and wanted to be back on his California ranch.

But when was he with Shelley Winters?

God, I've heard of obscure trolls here on DL, but a "Naked City" troll takes the cake.

Was OP one of the original DL Hate Trolls? They are unable to comprehend, "don't like," "meh," or "not great" and translate them to "HATE!"

I understand him playing Lomgstreet. Going home to Shelley Winters would make any man wish he was blind.

He was married to and had several children with Kitty Wellman, daughter of famed movie director William Wellman.

Love the idea of a "Naked City" troll. It was a great show, although it seems a little self-consciously serious now. I always read McIntire wanted out of NYC. they revamped the show with a new cast after a season off, with the lovely Paul Burke.

He was married to Kitty Wells? Wow.

He had great tits.

Until recently, I thought that James Franciscus was married to Kitty Wellman until his death. Does anyone know what happened there? I never knew they were even divorced. And where did he meet Carla? What was the story on her? I thought James Franciscus was a simply splendid actor. And I wish he had had a much better, more satisfying career. He certainly deserved it. And he also deserved a longer life. It was all a real shame.

Mr .Novak was on when I was in high school, and everyone watched it. The next day, we'd talk about the episode (as with The twilight Zone, except the girls didn't watch that). I think we were all fascinated by a teacher who actually cared about his students in a personal way. There was no one like that at Friends Academy, that's for sure.

OP probably meant Tony Franciosa, who was much hated and difficult to work with.

what's not to like?

couldn't understand why none of my teachers looked like him

Gore Vidal--who knew a thing or two about movies--loved "Youngblood Hawke" for Mr. Franciscus and, perhaps more, the divine Suzanne Pleshette as an EDITOR. Most editors don't look like Suzanne Pleshette (I know: I was one). Most are more like Joan Crawford in "The Best of Everything."

i had an English teacher that looked like him. He was sex on a stick and I was always horny after I left that class.

I love the show, Naked City!

I used to confuse James Franciscus with Tony Franciosa.

As a former smoker (1/2 a pack a day for several decades), I have to ask: how is this possible? From Franciscus' Wiki page, " (he was a four pack a day smoker) from emphysema in North Hollywood, California, at the age of 57.[4]"

Four packs a day? Who has the time?

James and Jane. Imagine how beautiful their kids would have been.

R99 finally. Something about Vidal that I like. Oh to be in a sandwich with Jim and Lloyd Haynes, from. "Room 222."

R103 he was so hot, he set a whole pack on fire at once and sucked masterfully!

R106 that's a math problem from Mr. Novak. Assume that it take 10 minutes to,smoke a cigarette. Then allot a total of 15 hours per day as possible smoking time. Then...

If you do not calculate correctly, then you must stay after class, to receive discipline at the hands, the,beautifully formed hands, of Mr. Novak.

Mr. Novak is a great teacher but a strong believer in discipline. I'm bent over his knee and getting a bare ass spanking. I'm an incorrigibly mouthy kid so I have to be punished daily.

Shelley Winters and Tony Franciosa were married. Shelley and James were never married to each other.

R52 same here. Almost always am into dark haired men but I had a huge childhood crush on him in my childhood when he was on Longstreet.

He should have played Blake Carrington. I liked John Forsythe but never could buy him as a ruthless bastard. Too old at the time. George Peppard was a good match, but his own special brand of assholery cost him the part. Franciscus was the right age and had the right look.

James Farentino was married to Michelle Lee.

Leave James Franciscus ALOOOOOONE!!!!! You are lucky he even performed shirtless in Planet of the Apes for you BASTARDS!

Leave James ALOOOOONE!!!

R113 I agree . An obvious case of mistaken identity. James Franciscus is both God and Sex personified.

Early on in YB there a nice scene where he's washing up, shirtless, at a basin. Lovely trim definition.

^^^^sorry. That's Youngblood Hawke. The novel had been based on the life of Thomas Woolf/Wolfe, so the movie ending was changed to be "happy."

[quote]Four packs a day? Who has the time?

We useta could smoke at work.

He was who you went to if Richard Chamberlain wasn't available or you couldn't afford him.

r118 Mr. Novak > Dr. Kildare.

He wasn't sucking on pencils if he smoked that many packs of cigarettes a day.

I remember Jane Fonda wrote about her young affair with him in her autobiography and wrote fondly of him, nothing particularly unflattering. They were just young lovers who outgrew each other.

Jane had a nickname for him that she used in her book - I swear it was something like "Gooey" or "Goey" - but I don't remember if she ever explained the origin of it.

Hello, Daddy

I mean, Father

NOBODY FUCKING HATED JIM FRANCISCUS.

When Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for the Red October came out, the more I read into the book, the more I started to imagine Jack Ryan looking like James F. When the movie version came out it was as I imagined, but Alec Baldwin, as handsome as he was then, was no James Franciscus.

Large Dick Face

James Farentino

Tony Franciosa

James Franciscus

Nothing alike, yet all easily confused.

Recent AGC blind item alluded to him being deeply closeted and cause of death not lung cancer but AIDS. Check out the archives from last year to the present. YMMV.

Read elsewhere on DL that Franciscus had a long-term FB relationship with Chuck Heston, after they met during shooting of “Beneath the Planet of the Apes.” He had lifelong guilt about his sexuality.

Bump

Tommy Kirk was on an episode of Mr. Novak once, in 1963. It was called "Love in the Wrong Season," but it was about Tommy's attraction to a female teacher, not Mr. Novak. I wonder how much Kirk hung out in Franciscus' trailer during the filming of the episode.

His "Hell Boats" is on YT. His leading lady, Elizabeth Shepherd, was the original Emma Peel in "The Avengers" but she was fired and her work never aired. She's probably better known for having her eyes pecked out in "Omen II."

If JF lived until 1991 why are there no pix of him after about 1977

I wonder how he aged?

R112, He was also married to Elizabeth Ashley.

And he was engaged to Tina Sinatra, but when she broke it off, Farentino began stalking her.

I thought he was Chuck Heston's(sp?) boy toy.

EDF

[quote] We useta could smoke at work.

R117, where are you from? I know I've heard "useta could" before but can't remember where -- somewhere in Texas, maybe?

R46, Herman Wouk wrote "The Caine Mutiny", which was a very good movie and a big hit too.