Keywords Jazz Singers Popular Singers

After a hiatus, during which he lived on the Red Pheasant Reserve in western Saskatchewan, Francks resumed his career in the mid-1970s, appearing in several Canadian cities in jazz clubs and theatres. In 1975 in Saskatoon he staged The Insanity of One Man, using musicians from the reservation. Returning to live in Toronto he played Lugerio in 1977 in the musical adaptation by Alan Gordon and Doug Riley of Mandragola for a CBC broadcast performance and cast recording (LM-448). He again took dramatic roles on CBC TV and radio, winning ACTRA awards for his work in the TV movie Drying Up the Streets and the TV series 'The Phoenix Team' in 1980 and 1981 respectively. He also served as narrator for CBC TV's 'The Land' and has been seen in such productions as Riel (1979) and Labor of Love (1985). Concurrently Francks has performed in Toronto nightclubs (frequently at Basin Street in 1978 and on occasion at George's Spaghetti House thereafter) and appeared at the Ontario Place jazz festivals of 1979 and 1984.

Of Francks' varied career, Bob Blackburn (Toronto Telegram, 22 Aug 1963) suggested: 'He's furiously driven to communicate with people. He is full of things he wants to say, but so diversely gifted in means of expression that he can't settle on one way to communicate. He keeps trying them all'. Francks wrote the libretto for Ron Collier's Hear Me Talkin' to Ya (1964), basing his text on quotations from jazz musicians and writers. His Growing Up, a jazz waltz, has been recorded by Paul Hoffert and Moe Koffman. Francks also has written many songs.

Bibliography

Franklin, Stephen. 'Don Francks: snarling on top of the world,' Weekend Magazine, 30 Jan 1965