Actress. She was an American actress of the stage, screen, and radio. Frances Langford, the diminutive five-foot one-inch star, was in the forefront of the American entertainment scene for thirty five years as a recording artist, radio star, and actress. Mainly, her fame came from performing and singing on shows during the Golden Age of Radio, from the 1920s to the 1950s. She became known as the "GI Nightingale," touring with Bob Hope as he visited the United States military. Although her roles were mostly of a minor nature, she appeared in 30 films, usually portraying herself. In spite of marginal acting ability, she managed to introduce major hit songs in her musical films, such as "Every Night at Eight," in her 1935 film debut in "I'm in the Mood for Love; "Broadway Rhythm" and "You Are My Lucky Star" in the film "Broadway Melody of 1936;" and "Hooray for Hollywood" in the 1937 film "Hollywood Hotel." She appeared with her first husband Jon Hall in the Western film "Deputy Marshal," and her final film was "The Glenn Miller Story" in 1954. Born Julia Frances Langford in rural central Florida, she began singing at an early age. Studying for a career in opera, her voice was affected by a throat operation, causing her voice to drop from a soprano to the lowest female voice of contralto. After some stage work, mostly in vaudeville, she established a reputation as a nightclub singer, which led to the opportunity to perform on the radio. Langford began singing on radio during the early 1930s and was heard by Rudy Vallee, who invited her to become a regular on his radio show. After a brief stint in the Broadway musical "Here Goes the Bride" in 1931, she moved to Hollywood, appearing on the Louella Parsons' radio show "Hollywood Hotel," while starting her film career. The actress became very famous in the 1940s as the insufferable wife, Blanche, opposite Don Ameche on the radio comedy "The Bickersons." She was a singer on Bob Hope's "Pepsodent Show" when he held his first military entertainment program at March Field in California, in 1941. With positive reviews, he continued broadcasting from training bases around the country and asked Langford to join him. With World War II raging in Europe and many American troops deployed overseas, the variety show began touring. Langford wrote a daily column for Hearst Newspapers, "Purple Heart Diary" about her war experiences and later starred in a movie of the same name. The troupe entertained at military bases and hospitals in Great Britain, Italy, North Africa, and the South Pacific. During a USO show in the Pacific Theater, she was invited to take a joy ride in a P-38 fighter plane. During the excursion, a Japanese cargo ship was encountered, and her ride was postponed until the pilot finished strafing the ship as she watched in trepidation. Langford was still performing when a new generation of soldiers were entertained in Korea and Vietnam, with her last public concert being in Vietnam in 1966. A guest on early television shows such as Perry Como and Jackie Gleason motivated her to venture into television with little success. She was the host of two self-titled variety television programs, "Frances Langford Presents" in 1959 and "The Frances Langford Show" in 1960. In her post-Hollywood life, her pastimes became boating and sport fishing. While nightclub singing, she met and married outboard motor heir Ralph Evinrude. The famous couple built a Polynesian-themed restaurant and marina in Florida on the Indian River called the "Frances Langford Outrigger Resort" where she sang as a performer at times. Locals and celebrities flocked to the site. Langford Park is also located in Martin County. In 1994, a widow, she married Harold Stuart, assistant secretary of the Air Force under Harry Truman, and they spent the summers in Canada on Georgian Island. They journeyed to the Island from their home in Florida aboard their 110 foot yacht "The Chanticleer," which was a popular tourist attraction when moored at the Outrigger Resort. As she aged, her health declined with congestive heart failure, claiming her at her residence at the age of 91. According to her wishes, she was cremated and the ashes strewn off the coast of Florida near her residence. She was a great philanthropist and her generosity to the Florida Oceanographic Society, which is located on Hutchinson Island in Florida, was well-known. The site provides education and research of the ocean, reefs, and environment in the Florida area. The visitors center bears her name and also houses some of her artifacts. She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio and for Motion Pictures. She married three times, divorced once, was a widow once, and left a widower with her third marriage. She had no children.