Connie Francis

[speaking about Hollywood trying to get her thin] I didn't know anything about speed or diet pills, but they gave me these little red pills, like Benzedrine, that you can only buy in Mexico now. Show less «

[on her MGM record contract] I never paid for anything. There was never any recoupment for all the sessions I did. Not one penny. I had four people I hired to work for me on letters and on foreign releases. They paid for every photograph and I kept the photos. Travel, everything, was paid for. Even if it wasn't on MGM business, it was paid for. Gowns-bills were sent to MGM because I needed them for album covers. I bought them, and wore them. I could record where I wanted, however many songs I wanted, in whatever country, in whatever language, with whatever arranger, and then the bottom line was, if I didn't like any of it, I didn't have to release it. I didn't abuse it. I tried to release even the garbage so that I wouldn't just be recording and not releasing stuff. Show less «

Overseas, especially in England, I was an adult star before I was an adult star in America. But here, they didn't take me seriously until that night on The Perry Como Show (1948). I remember it was a Wednesday night, and I had a concert at Carnegie Hall the following Sunday and only 200 seats had been sold. Within 24 hours after doing "The Perry Como Show" they were scalping tickets to get into my show at Carnegie Hall. Show less «

[regarding her version of "God Bless America"] In an interview published in the September 1991 issue of DISCoveries Magazine, Connie tells 'Jerry Osborne': Irving Berlin had a fit when he found out I was doing it. He called my manager and said, "If that teenybopper louses up my beautiful 'God Bless America' the way she did poor Harry Ruby's 'Who's Sorry Now', I'm going to have a stroke". My manager said, "Please, Irving, relax. You'll be the first to hear it." "I just don't want it loused up with any of that 'Stupid Cupid' crap!", said Irving. Then when the record came out, my manager sent it directly to him and he said, "She did it just the way I thought she'd do it. It stinks! It's worse than that." I can't even tell you what he said. So, when it made the Top 10 in Variety, Irving called my manager and says, "George, do you think she can do 'God Bless America' on The Perry Como Show (1948). Show less «

In an interview published in the September 1991 issue of DISCoveries Magazine, Connie tells Jerry Osborne: One day in 1960 I was going through my collection of Al Jolson and Judy Garland records, and I played Al's "Are You Lonesome Tonight". I said, "Daddy, come listen to this. I could make it a No. 1 song". He agreed and I called Don Costa in to do the arrangement. I said, "I'm more excited about recording this song than anything I've ever cut." We were in the car on our way to New York when the radio played [Elvis Presley's] "new" single, "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". Can you believe that? I was literally on my way to the studio to record it. How do you like that? Elvis even did the recitation part just like Al Jolson did. Show less «

[on her late brother George] He had the greatest sense of humor in the world. When he heard that I was getting married for the third time, he said, "Let me ask you a question", he said. "Don't you think it would be a good idea if you bought a drip-dry wedding dress?" I said, "Don't get cute, Georgie". Then he said, "Is Anita going to be my best friend? Is Anita going to be your Matron of Honor again?" I said, "Yes". He said, "It is a nice thing you keep doing for Anita. Everybody needs a steady job." Show less «

[on Elvis Presley's inner-circle crew] Well, they were yes men. They overlooked his excesses and the chemicals he was taking. For a Cadillac, they would say the right thing. I said, "God forbid that day comes that you die, Elvis. Red West is gonna write a bad book about you," and I was absolutely right. Show less «

[regarding Dick Clark playing "Who's Sorry Now" on Bandstand (1952)] He continued playing it until it sold a million. Without Dick Clark I wouldn't have stayed in show business. I was ready to go back to school to study medicine. Show less «

On truth: Don't confuse me with the facts!

[on her hit singles] They were the least-artistic endeavor of my career. They were bubblegum songs. They were teenybopper songs. But I enjoy seeing the reaction of people when I do them. [The Arizona Republic, Feb. 9, 2006] Show less «