Connie Francis, known for Stupid Cupid, Who’s Sorry Now, and the recently viral Pretty Little Baby, has died at the age of 87.
The news was shared on July 17 by Ron Roberts, her close friend and the president of Concetta Records, through a Facebook post. He confirmed she passed away the night before. That same message was also shared on Connie’s official Facebook page.
Roberts wrote, “It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”
Her death came just two weeks after she was hospitalized in Florida for intense pain. In late June 2025, she told fans she was dealing with pelvic pain on her right side due to a fracture.
By July 2, she was admitted to the ICU after the pain flared up again. Even then, she remained hopeful, posting on July 4 that she was “feeling much better after a good night.” That would be her final message to fans.
Connie’s music career began in the 1950s and quickly took off. She became the first female artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her 1960 hit Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.
Other hits like My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You, and Where the Boys Are made her one of the most recognizable voices of her era.
More recently, in May 2025, her 1965 track Pretty Little Baby gained new attention online.
Offstage, however, life was often brutal. She was raped in a Long Island motel in 1974. A nasal surgery in 1977 left her unable to sing for a time. In 1981, she faced another tragedy—her brother George was murdered in what was believed to be a mafia killing.
Her love life came with its own heartbreak. She had a lifelong love for Bobby Darin, but it ended painfully due to his father’s relentless disapproval and interference. What followed were four marriages, each one ending in divorce. None of them lasted.
She did have one son, Joseph, who remained outside the public spotlight. He stayed close in her later years, especially during her long-term health challenges.
As fans remember her voice and legacy, many are also curious about the lesser-known side of her love life—her husbands over the years and the only child who stayed behind the curtain.
Connie Francis’ First Husband, Dick Kanellis, Died Young After Their Brief Marriage
Connie’s first walk down the aisle happened in 1964 with Dick Kanellis, a former amateur boxing champ who later became known in Las Vegas circles. He worked as an entertainment director at both the Aladdin and Union Plaza Hotels and handled publicity for the Tropicana.
The marriage barely lasted four months. After their split, Kanellis returned to Vegas, where he stayed out of the spotlight.
Sadly, Kanellis died of cancer at just 41 years old, after doctors removed a lung in a last-ditch attempt to save him, but it wasn’t enough.
Second Marriage Was to Beauty Salon Owner Izzy Marion
She married for the second time in January 1971, tying the knot with Izzy Marion, who owned several beauty salons in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. The wedding was held at St. Aloysius Church and followed by a reception at her home in Essex Fells, New Jersey.
It was also the second marriage for Marion, but the relationship ended not long after.
Third Marriage Ended After She Was Raped
Francis married for the third time in 1973, this time to Joseph Garzilli, a restaurateur and travel agency owner. Unlike her previous two marriages, this one lasted for a few years, but not without serious turmoil.
In 1974, while staying at a Long Island hotel after performing at the Westbury Music Fair, Connie was raped at knifepoint by an intruder who broke into her room as she slept. The assault deeply scarred her and triggered a downward spiral in her personal life.
Following the attack, Garzilli—who had appeared supportive in the beginning—walked away from the marriage. According to Connie, his parting words were, “You’ve become a loser, and I don’t like losers.” She later revealed that he had made millions off the travel business she had helped fund.
They officially divorced in 1977.
Francis’ Final and Fourth Spouse, Bob Parkinson
Her fourth and final marriage was to Bob Parkinson, a television producer. They tied the knot on June 27, 1985, after dating for about a year. But like her previous marriages, this one didn’t stick either. Just nine months later, on March 31, 1986, they called it quits.
None of her marriages lasted—her longest ran for four years, and the shortest ended in just four months. Looking back, Connie was candid about where things went wrong. “If I had put as much thought into selecting husbands as I did with Vegas openings, I would have been fine,” she once joked.
She also opened up about how her career impacted her relationships. “I spent most of my life apologizing to men for my success,” she admitted.
After her fourth marriage collapsed, Connie found stability in a long-term relationship with Tony Ferretti. The two were together from around 2003 until his passing in 2022.
Connie Francis’ Son, Joseph Garzilli Jr.
With her third spouse, Joseph Garzilli, Connie adopted a son named Joey. He came into her life in 1974, just one month after she endured the trauma of being raped at knifepoint in a Long Island hotel. That year was the darkest in her life, but she later said Joey was the only light that kept her going.
Her career had hit pause, her marriage was crumbling, but motherhood gave her purpose. Joey remained her deepest source of happiness through the ups and downs that followed.
In June 2024, she shared a heartwarming glimpse into their bond, posting photos from a trip to New Jersey. “It was a happy visit from start to finish,” she wrote, “and one in which I got together with my son, Joey Garzilli, to celebrate his milestone 50th birthday!”
