Don Francione photographs
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Abstract
The photographs document social and cultural events in Brooklyn and New York City and include informal group portraits of local and national celebrities such as Merv Griffin, Jimmy Durante, Mayor John Lindsay, Senator William Conklin, middleweight boxer Vito Antuofermo, and Eddie Fisher, among others.
Biographical note
Don Francione (1931-1992) was a Brooklyn-based photographer and writer. For over 40 years, Francione worked as a laborer at Bush Terminal in Brooklyn. At night, he also worked as a photographer and writer for several Brooklyn-based publications-- including the Home Reporter, the Sunset News (later the Home Reporter & Sunset News), and the Brooklyn Spectator--for which he covered local social, cultural, and sporting events in Brooklyn. As a young man, Francione studied acting and singing, was involved in local theater, and worked as a disc jockey and radio announcer. Francione became interested in photography when his mother gave him his first camera while still a child. He taught himself how to develop and print film and eventually purchased a professional 35mm camera. He started out photographing his family, but soon moved on to sporting events, in particular boxing, as his uncle, Frank Farina (known as Frankie Fay), was a boxer. Francione and his wife Florence had five children: Eddie, Deborah, Donna, Linda, and Jo Ann. He died in 1992.
Sources:
- Canade, Angela. "The Face Behind the Camera." Home Reporter & Sunset News, March 30, 1979.
Scope and Contents
The Don Francione photographs, dating from circa 1965 to 1989, is comprised of 38 black-and-white and color photographic prints taken by Francione (with the exception of the few photographs in which Francione appears). The photographs were primarily used for publication purposes in the Brooklyn-based newspaper, the Home Reporter (later the Home Reporter & Sunset News). The photographs document social and cultural events in Brooklyn and New York City and include informal group portraits of local and national celebrities such as Merv Griffin, Jimmy Durante, Mayor John Lindsay, Senator William Conklin, middleweight boxer Vito Antuofermo, and Eddie Fisher, among others. The collection also includes several group portraits that include Francione, as well as Alex Kalaf, who also worked for the Home Reporter & Sunset News. Interior views of local venues including the 46th Street Theatre, Griswold's Pub, the Walker Theatre, and the Golden Dove are represented in the collection. All photographs have handwritten captions on the verso, written by Francione, describing the people, events, and places depicted in the photographs.
Subjects
Organizations
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People
Conditions Governing Access
Open to users without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction rights for the photographs have not been evaluated. For information on securing rights to publish or reproduce, please see the Brooklyn Historical Society Reproduction Rights Policy.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Don Francione photographs, V1989.019, Box number, Object ID number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Don Francione, 1989.
Other Finding Aids
Item level description and digital versions of images from the collection are available for searching via the image database in the library. Please consult library staff for more information.
About this Guide
Processing Information note
Fully processed to the item level.
