Arlene Francis - Personal Life

Personal Life

Francis was married twice. Her first marriage was to Neil Agnew, from 1935 to 1945. Agnew worked in the sales department of Paramount Pictures, which required frequent business trips that left Francis home alone. The marriage ended in divorce in 1945. She wrote of this experience in her 1978 autobiography:

Having made the actual physical break, it was easier for me than I had thought to explain to Neil some of what I felt, what I had been feeling for so long a time. Not all, of course. There were areas which I couldn't discuss even then, which would be too hurtful to him, I felt. I saw him fairly often, and he courted me as though we had just met, but I was building up strengths which enabled me to resist not only his blandishments (including a lovely little house which he bought in New York as an enticement to get me to change my mind) but those of my parents, who also would have given anything to see me go back to the status which had been quo.

Francis's second marriage was to actor and producer Martin Gabel, from 1946 until he died of a heart attack on May 22, 1986. Gabel was a frequent guest panelist on What's My Line?. The couple, who often exchanged endearments on the show, had a son, Peter Gabel, born January 28, 1947.

Peter was an academic in law and was associated with New College of California in San Francisco. He was also associate editor of Tikkun. While working at the 1964 New York World's Fair, Peter surprised his mother as a contestant on What's My Line.

Francis was known for a heart-shaped diamond pendant, a gift from Gabel, which she wore on nearly all of her What's My Line appearances. A mugger stole the pendant as Francis was exiting a New York City taxi in 1988.

Arlene Francis died at age 93 on May 31, 2001, in San Francisco, with Peter at her bedside. Her death was attributed to Alzheimer's disease and cancer. She was buried in Roosevelt Memorial Park in Trevose, Pennsylvania.