The Four Husbands Of Connie Francis: A Look At Her Turbulent Marriages And True Love

The legendary American singer Connie Francis, who passed away on July 16, 2025, lived a life defined by extraordinary professional success and, tragically, a volatile personal journey marked by four brief marriages. Her quest for a lasting partnership was a recurring theme in her life, often overshadowed by heartbreak and the lingering memory of the one true love her father prevented her from marrying.

This article provides a comprehensive look at the men who married the "Where the Boys Are" star, detailing the timelines of her four short-lived unions and revealing who held the title of her 'one true love'—a story that remains a poignant part of her enduring legacy. As of the current date, December 2025, the details of her life and marriages are being widely revisited following her passing.

Connie Francis: Complete Biography and Profile

The life of Connie Francis, born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, was a dramatic blend of chart-topping success and profound personal tragedy. Her career, which spanned decades, established her as one of the biggest-selling female singers of the late 1950s and early 1960s, but her private life was a constant struggle for stability.

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• Full Name: Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero
• Born: December 12, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
• Died: July 16, 2025, at the age of 87, in Pompano Beach, Florida
• Occupations: Singer, Musician, Actress, Author
• Genres: Traditional Pop, Rock and Roll, Country Pop, Vocal Jazz
• Notable Hits: "Who's Sorry Now," "Where the Boys Are," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "Stupid Cupid"
• Spouses: Dick Kanellis (m. 1964; div. 1964), Izzy Marion (m. 1971; div. 1971), Joseph Garzilli (m. 1973; div. 1978), Bob Parkinson (m. 1985; div. 1986)
• Children: Joseph Garzilli Jr. (adopted son)
• Net Worth: Estimated at $25 million at the time of her death

The Four Short-Lived Marriages of the Pop Icon

Connie Francis married four different men, yet none of the marriages lasted more than five years, and two were over in less than a year. Her search for a stable, loving relationship was often complicated by her fame, her tumultuous family background, and the emotional scars from a brutal attack that derailed her career in the 1970s.

1. Dick Kanellis (1964: Three Months)

Francis married her first husband, Dick Kanellis, in 1964. Kanellis was a publicist. The union was exceptionally brief, lasting only three months before the couple decided to divorce.

2. Izzy Marion (1971–1972: Less Than a Year)

Her second attempt at marriage came in January 1971 with Izzy Marion, a hairdresser. Like the first, this marriage was also short-lived, with the couple separating and divorcing in 1971, or early 1972, after less than a year together. The rapid dissolution of these early marriages highlighted the difficulty Francis had in balancing her intense public life with a private partnership.

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3. Joseph Garzilli (1973–1978: The Longest Union)

Joseph Garzilli, a restaurateur, was Francis's third husband and the one with whom she shared her longest marriage, lasting five years. They married in 1973. During this time, they adopted a son, Joseph Garzilli Jr., who became the center of Francis's life and her sole child. Despite the adoption, the marriage ended in divorce in 1978.

4. Bob Parkinson (1985–1986: The Final Attempt)

Francis's final marriage was to Bob Parkinson, a real estate developer, in 1985. This marriage was another brief chapter, ending in divorce in 1986. Following the end of this fourth marriage, Connie Francis never remarried.

The True Love Her Father Forbade: Bobby Darin

While she had four husbands, the man often cited as the great love of Connie Francis's life was the singer and songwriter Bobby Darin. Their romance began when they were both young, rising stars in the late 1950s. Their connection was deep, and they reportedly wanted to marry.

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However, Francis's father, George Franconero, vehemently disapproved of Darin, believing he was not good enough for his daughter. The opposition was so strong that her father reportedly threatened Darin with a gun backstage, effectively ending the relationship. This tragic, forced separation was a profound source of pain for Francis throughout her life, and she later reflected that never marrying Darin was her biggest regret.

The theme of forbidden love and lost opportunity, epitomized by the Darin romance, is a crucial entity in understanding Francis's personal narrative, casting a long shadow over her subsequent, unsuccessful marriages.

Life After Marriage: Tony Ferretti and Final Years

After her four divorces, Francis remained single, focusing on her family and her career, which saw several comebacks despite her long battles with mental health and the lasting trauma of the 1974 hotel attack.

However, she did find a long-term, committed relationship later in life with Tony Ferretti. Ferretti was her partner from 2003 until his death in 2022. Although they never married, this two-decade-long partnership provided a significant source of emotional stability and companionship for Francis in her later years. This relationship with Ferretti is a key entity for understanding her personal life in the 21st century, showing that a lasting bond did not necessarily require the formality of marriage for the pop legend.

Connie Francis’s life was a testament to resilience, but also a poignant reminder that immense professional success does not guarantee personal happiness. Her legacy is one of a powerhouse vocalist whose personal life was a series of dramatic chapters, ending not with a husband, but with the quiet companionship of a devoted partner and the love of her adopted son, Joseph Garzilli Jr.