Francine Valli is no more in this world, but her memory still resides, and feels as young. As the daughter of the famous American singer Frankie Valli, she still lives in the memory of music lovers and her father’s fans. Francine had just started her career when the tragedy struck the family. The youngest sibling among Frankie’s six children, Francine’s death still haunts the family.
But how did Francine Valli die? How was her relationship with her parents? Here is a detailed account of Frankie Valli’s youngest daughter in addition to her obituary.
Frankie Valli Profile Summary
- Full Name: Francine Valli
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: 1960
- Date of Death: 16th August 1980
- Age at the time of her death: 20-Years-Old
- Ethnicity: Italian
- Nationality: American
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Parents: Frankie Vallie and Marry Mandel
- Siblings: Five (Francesco Valli, Antonia Valli, Celia Valli, Brando Valli, and Emilio Valli)
Francine Valli Died At 20
Francine Valli was the daughter of American actor Frankie and his wife Marry Mandel. She was born in 1960, as Francine Castelluccio.
Though she was a lucky kid to be born into such an elite family, her life was not long-lived. At the time of her death, she was just aged 20 and was a University student.
How Did Francine Valli Die?
She died at the young age of 20, on August 16, 1980, in Newark, NJ. There are several rumors surrounding the reason behind Valli’s death. Though there were speculations that she committed suicide, that is untrue.
As per the reports, Francine died because of a drug overdose. Sources conclude that her death happened due to complications caused by the mixture of Quaaludes and alcohol; Quaaludes are a kind of sedative & hypnotic medication.
Prior to her death, Frankie, who was aware of his daughter’s addiction, even had her in rehab. But unfortunately, fate had different things in the store.
Valli was Pretty Close to Her Parents & Siblings
As we have mentioned above, Francine was the daughter of American singers Frankie and Mary Mandel. Like any daughter, she shared a pretty good relationship with her parents.
Her parents were married for around 14 years. Though they had a great start, the relationship between her parents turned sour later on. They married in 1957 but unfortunately got a divorce in 1971.
Francine Valli, in the middle, with her father and siblingsTalking about her siblings, she had five siblings, Francesco Valli, Antonia Valli, Celia Valli, Brando Valli, and Emilio Valli. As the youngest of all the siblings, Francine had a pretty great relationship with all of them.
Tragedy Before Her Death: Her Sister Preceded Her In Death
Just six months prior to Francine’s death, her oldest sister, Celia Sabin Selleck, born from her mother’s previous marriage, died in a tragic incident.
As per the report, Celia died after falling from a fire escape. If reports are to be believed, Celia fell in an attempt to get out through a fire escape of her NY apartment.
Not only this, but the family had to go through one more tragedy the same year with the death of Francine Valli’s paternal grandfather from a stroke.
Her Father Is Married Thrice and Divorced All Three Times
Francine’s father Frankie was not only married to her mother Mary but had two other marital relationships as well. Following his divorce from his first wife, he got married to MaryAnn Hannigan.
Francine Valli’s Parents Frankie Valli and Mary MandelThey got married in 1974. But this time again, their relationship didn’t go as expected. Just eight years into their marriage, they got a divorce in 1982.
Frankie married the third time to Randy Clohessy, two years after his divorce from MaryAnn. They tied the knot in 1984 but unfortunately separated in 2004.
What did Francine Valli do for a living before her demise? She Aspired To Become a Singer
As the daughter of a singer, Francine was very much inclined toward music. In fact, she had a great voice, and there are a few audio recordings of her available on the internet even until now.
She has sung songs like Midnight At The Oasis, Street Life, ‘I Try, and a lot more.
Her Death Was Portrayed in Jersey Boys
A small part of Francine’s life was played in the 2014 musical drama Jersey Boys. The musical which is based on the real-life of Frankie and his band members also showcased his daughter Francine’s death at 20.
In the play, Australian actress Freya Tingley played the character of Francine. The drama became hugely successful and even won six Tony Awards.
Francine Valli’s Father Still Performs on Stage
Francine’s singer father Frankie is still very much into music. He is the frontman of The Four Seasons and has given many hit songs to the band.
Some of his successful works include “Sherry” (1962), “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (1962), “Walk Like a Man” (1963), “Rag Doll” (1964), and “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).
The most interesting part about him is that he is already 86 and still performing. Just a couple of years back in February 2019, he made a tweet announcing his concert.
Looking forward to being on @ktlaENT and @samontv this Thursday, February 21st to discuss my upcoming concerts at @SabanTheatre Feb 28 & March 1. pic.twitter.com/UUM2mNZClz
— Frankie (@frankievalli) February 17, 2019
Apart from, singing, Frankie is also an actor and has also made a few acting works. He appeared in season 2, episode 5 of Miami Vice, where he played Frank Doss, a Mafia Boss.
Likewise, he played an important role in the TV movie Witness to the Mob. Further, he was a part of Seasons 5 and 6 of the HBO series The Sopranos as mobster Rusty Millio.
