The Life of Frances Langford

say over and over again over and over again never stop saying your mind say it ever and ever so sweet ever and ever so sweet just like an old Valentine when you say I love you the same old I love you they whisper in stories and place you can change I love you the same old I love you to oh such your heavenly praise oh say it softly and gently and then over and over again never stop saying your mind C be so easy to love so easy to idolize all others above so worth the yearning for so swear to keep the Home Fires burn for we be we'd be so Grand at the game

so Care Free together that it does seem as shame that you can see your future with me CU you be ohome easy to love it must have been moon glow way up in the blue it must have been Moon blow that led me stay to you I still hear you say dear one hold me fast and I start in praying oh Lord please let this last once in a while when you try to give one little thought to me though someone else may be narrow your heart once in a while will you dream of the moments I shared with you moments before we to drifted apart in love smoldering Ember one spark May remain if

love still can remember the spark may burn again I know that I be contented with yesterday's memory knowing you think of me once in a while if there's a cloud above if it should rain we let it but for toight I forget it I'm in the mood for love if there's a cloud above if it should rain we'll let it but for tonight forget it I'm in the mood for love Julia Francis Langford was born April 4th 1913 in Hernando Florida which is a small town in Citrus County her parents were Vasco Cleveland Langford and his her mother Anna the family later moved to Lakeland Florida where Francis grew up she graduated from Lakeland high

school then studied music at the Florida Southern College she won an American Legion talent show in the late 20s leading her to a regular role with a Tampa radio station in 1930 her mother a former concert pianis took the young lady to Miami to see a performance by Rudy Valley one of the time's most popular singers Langford managed to get an audition and then was promptly invited to perform on his radio show with a regular spot on Rudy Valley's show in New York City Francis performed on Broadway throughout the 1930s while continuing to sing on radio broadcast Francis had a national hit song then with her recording I'm in the mood for love and it

was in the 1935 movie every night at 8 some of the actresses she's worked with included Alice Fay and Pat y Kelly Francis met America's handsome leading actor John Hall he was born February 23rd 1915 in California but his mother was teahan she grew up in that South Pacific island John Hall became an American film actor best known for his playing a variety of adventurous roles for Universal Pictures the couple made married in 1934 and were Hollywood sweethearts Francis then joins Bob Hope on his first performance for the troops at marchfield in California in May 1941 then toured with him on his initial long overseas USO tour in the summer of 43 and she did

it again in 44 during one of their Uso tours she and Bob Hope were forced to LEAP out of a Jeep to avoid fire from a German fighter plane they both jumped to their safety and with Francis landing on top of Bob another time they spent the night in the basement of a hotel in alers in North Africa as bombs burst above them a USO tour in the Pacific Theater was the time she was invited to take a ride in a P38 fighter plane during the flight a Japanese ship was spotted and the joy ride was postponed until the Pilot finished attacking the ship with bombs Francis Langford traveled more than a million miles while

entertaining the troops for the various Uso tours that was during World War II and then the wars of Korea and Vietnam and the Persian Gulf conflict she became known as the GI Nightingale and the GI sweetheart Francis later said entertaining the troops was a greatest thing in my life we were there just to do our job to help make them laugh and to be happy if they could at the end of World War II Francis did a radio comedy series beginning on September 8th 1946 for the NBC show titled the bickerson in 1947 the radio show moved to CBS and continued until August 28th 51 the bickerson was a radio comedy sketch and it was

very popular she teamed with donamichi for the TV show then and so it was Francis Langford and donamichi show in late 1951 a spin-off from the radio show The Duo played a feuding married couple Francis lenford and her husband John Hall visited and fell in love with the region of Jensen along the Indian River in the mid 40s they purchased 350 acres to build a home there the couple then wanted to develop some of the Acres so that others could share in this paradise area in February 1947 five buildings were constructed to make up what was known as The Langford Hall Terrace Cottages overlooking the Indian River The Cottages were of frame construction two bedrooms

each it is only the very beginning of development of these 358 Acres that Francis Langford and John Hall own together in 1948 they donated 20 acres of this land near her estate in Jensen Beach to the Martin County County Commissioners to serve the community as a park it would be named The Langford Hall Park located on Dixie Highway just south of the Jensen Arch the yacht Bas in Harbor was also being improved by February 1949 everyone loved John Hall and Francis lford they were The Darlings of Hollywood and here in Martin County Francis langford's special Polynesian Tiki Hut on her state was also known as The Hut by November 1949 plans were being developed for

a nightclub to be built on the peninsula besides the yacht Basin allowing access by cars and boats a hotel with a very large freshwater swimming pool was going to be built behind the lford hall estate and an additional four more Cottages were to be added along with a second row of cottages behind those that were already in operation francis's brother James was in charge of the Terrace cottages the interior of this new nightclub would feature a collection of art objects collected by John Hall from Tahiti and the Bahamas offering a true Island appearance there was plenty of property with 500 ft Frontage on the Indian River and 50 acres on the St Lucy some 200

acres in land they wanted the hotel the cottages and the nightclub to be a real nice winter Resort for everybody during all their planning of the resort the two continued to do shows and nightclubs and they were filming movies so the restaurant and additional Cottage didn't quite yet get developed in May 1951 a regular sail fishing charter boat service was added for the guests of the original Langford Hall Terrace Cottages the captain was Ronnie Hill on a 38t boat that they named the dolphin the resort was managed by francis's Brother Jim and his wife Peggy Langford The Langford Hall Park in Jensen opened up on July 1951 RAR of the Jungle television series starred John

Hall who played Dr Tom Reynolds rayar was an African title for a white Medicine Man the show ran October 7th 1952 to the end of 54 with a total of 52 half hour episodes most of the settings were supposed to be in Africa and some in India but the film was actually shot in Hollywood there were even some scenes shot along the South Fork of the St Lucy River and other locations near Hall's Jensen Beach home most of the filming in Martin County took place in early 1954 Hall created this TV series and was its star plus there were four theater movies that were produced between 1953 and 55 being expanded version of the TV

series many items were produced with the series tie-in such as Safari hats toy guns comic books board games costumes ronon transfers coloring books jigsaw puzzles and play sets for Francis things were different 1953 Francis with Bob Hope entertaining troops in Korea with their separate interests and careers France Francis divorced her first husband John Hall in August 1955 but they remained lifelong friends Langford acquired their Jensen home a large citus Grove the marina Dock and property along the Indian River plus the group of Terrace Cottages also by the River Hall got some of their other property which he would later sell while working up north Francis was singing in a nightclub and there she met Ralph

evanrude whose family developed the outboard motor for boats the two had a lot in common both loving boating and fishing they married in November 1955 together Francis and Ralph moved forward on those original plans of a Polynesian Resort and restaurant restaurant along the Indian River by 1960 the marina was part of the newly named Langford Terrace Villas which included accomodations for yaksmen among the 27 units were seven Cottages six duplexes eight apartments and six Waterfront Villas Francis Langford Outrigger Resort and restaurant became a reality by late December 1961 so that early Vision Francis had of developing the property along the Indian River as a place for people to enjoy a truly Tropical Paradise was accomplished

it remained a popular destination for locals and visitors alike for decades everyone loved going to the Outrigger you just never know who might be there including many of francis's Hollywood friends for years Ralph Evan and Francis lford were seen on the chandelier their beloved yacht she went to Vietnam in 1966 with Bob Hope and the Uso francis's first husband John Hall died December 13th 1979 in California in 1986 francis's second husband Ralph evu passed away francis's famed Outrigger was sold in 1988 to Chuck mural and Harold Kaplan who renamed the restaurant the Ki West featuring The Outrigger Island Grill francis's association with hope continued into the 80s in 1989 she joined him for a USO

tour to entertain the troops in the Persian Gulf meaning again that she and Bob had been through all of this during the second world war Korean War Vietnam and Beyond Harold C Stewart married Francis in November 1994 in 1998 Fred SS owner of Cony Joe's restaurant in town at the foot of the Jensen Causeway purchased the former Outrigger for $1.5 million the rest restaurant needed 2 years worth of Renovations which included tearing down the old nearby Langford Terrace Villas the restaurant now renamed the Dolphin bar and Shrimp House did open with Francis Langford present on opening day June 13th 200000 a special section in the lobby still contains original Outrigger and Francis Langford memorabilia francis's

dear friend Bob Hope died July 2003 Francis was a supportive member of the Jensen Beach Community and constantly donating money to this area she was a great for lampos and generosity to the Florida oceanographic Society located on Hutchinson Island was well known yet she did suffer from various illnesses in her later years Francis Langford passed away in her Jensen home in July 2005 in 2006 the Francis Langford Heart Center was made made possible by a requests from her estate opened at the Martin Memorial Hospital in Stewart the opening of The Francis Lanford Heart Center had taken some 20 years to bring to life these life-saving services to the community this journey started in 1985 when

Martin Health First applied for certificate of need to build an openart unit in 2005 a $5 million give from the Francis laner Foundation was a major step towards bringing the Heart Center to life bearing her name in 2008 was built the two-story Francis lford Dockside Pavilion named for her which is an air conditioned banquet space overlooking the gorgeous Indian River Lagoon the hall owned by Martin County located within the Indian Riverside Park includes more than 3,800 ft of space the there's a caterer's kitchen and a wraparound balcony it is a great addition to the county there are some wonderful exhibits related to Francis lford at the Elliot Museum on Hutchinson Island nearly all are personal

items from Francis and for her husband Ralph evard the singer actress and longtime Martin County resident who also owned the Outrigger Resort in Jetson was well known for giving to the community and being a star supporter of the Martin Health System when she passed away in July 2005 she left a legacy of generosity and caring for the needs of a community she so loved her War related papers during her Uso trips can be found at the institute on World War II at Florida State University which she donated to there are two books that have been written about Langford they are Flor thrust Francis Langford by Ferguson Addison and then Francis Langford Armed Forces sweetheart by

Ben Omar now enjoy some video films of her music and her life I'm in the mood for love simply because you're near me funny but when you're near me I in the mood for Love Heaven is in your eyes bright as the Stars we're under oh is it one day I'm in the mood for love why stop to think of whether this little dream might fade we put our hearts together now we are one I'm not afraid if there's a cloud above if it should rain we'll let it but for to my forget it I'm in the mood for love if there's a cloud above if it should rain we let it but for tonight

forget it I'm in the mood for love When A Star is Born they possess a gift or two one of them is this they have a power to make the wish come true when you wish a star makes no difference who you are anything your heart desires will come to you if your heart is in your dream no request is too extreme When You Wish up on a star as dreamers do they isard she brings to those who love the sweet fulfillment of their secret l like a bol out of the blue they steps in and sees you through When You Wish Upon a Star your dream comes true la