Interesting Facts about Francis García, a Mexican Artist and Performer

Google Doodle honours Francis García, a Mexican artist and performer who was among the first transgender entertainers to gain national recognition, on her 66th birthday. Francis García, a Mexican artist, drag queen, dancer, and actress, is honored in this Doodle. She was among the first transgender performers to gain widespread recognition through appearances in the media, including a TV show of her own. On April 6, 1958, Francis was born in Campeche. Here are some interesting and fun facts about Francis García.

Who was Francis García?

• Birth date: April 6, 1958
• Birth place: Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
• Died on: October 10, 2007 (aged 49)
• Death place: Mexico City, Mexico

20 Interesting Facts about Francis García

1. Known by his stage name “Francis,” Francis García (born José Francisco García Escalante) was a well-known Mexican entertainer who was also a renowned actress, vedette, and stage costume designer.
2. Francisco Garcia Escalante, who was born in Campeche, first came to notice as a dancer in vedette productions at the renowned “Blanquita” theater. Some of these productions featured a ballet performed by transvestites.
3. When Francis was younger, her mother and aunt—two of her strongest supporters—taught her how to sew.
4. When she was just 17 years old, she began working at a dress shop in Mexico City and pursued costume design, creating clothing for fairs and carnivals.
5. Francis García was discovered at the Blanquita Theater, where she danced in vedette shows and performed as a drag queen.
6. She gained widespread recognition after landing a role in the well-known Mexican film Bellas de Noche.
7. Her first big break came in 1975 when she was cast for a role in the film “Bellas de Noche.” This led to her being given her own show at the Blanquita, “Francis, la fantasia hecha mujer” (Francis, Fantasy Becomes a Woman), which ran for 17 years with great success.
8. She also made her Los Angeles theater debut at “Los Pinos,” which served as the home of her touring shows. She performed as a lip-syncher, comedian, actress, choreographer, and dancer.
9. After her debut film achieved success, Francis García was able to launch her own program, El Show de Francis, which quickly gained popularity in both Mexico and the US.
10. She loved being in the spotlight, and her performances featured hilarious celebrity impersonations, stunning Vegas showgirl-style dance numbers, and ballads in exquisite gowns she had designed herself. One of the most well-liked programs hosted by a transgender person, the show ran from 1980 until 1998.
11. She performed stand-up comedy and Vegas-style dance routines in addition to impersonating well-known Latina female singers like Mexican Gloria Trevi, Alejandra Guzmán, and Lupita D’Alessio, as well as Colombian Shakira and Spanish Rocío Dúrcal.
12. Longtime friend and fashion designer Mitzi says Garcia helped launch his design business and supported him in his time of need.
13. She was a beloved public figure in Mexican showbiz and appeared in several movies, telenovelas, variety shows, and broadcasts of her theater comedy shows.
14. Most notable was her stage persona as a female impersonator. She was also the first openly gay celebrity in the country and, until her death, a passionate activist for equality and human and gay rights.
15. She was asked repeatedly throughout her life if she ever wanted to have surgery to become a woman. She angrily denied this, citing her religious convictions and jokingly saying that she would prefer to have surgery to enlarge her penis because women are more popular than men when they have “something extra” there.
16. Her rhinoplasty helped her achieve the renowned and critically acclaimed Lupita D’Alessio character, but she never had feminization surgeries.
17. In a Mexico City hospital, Francis García died on October 10, 2007, from a lung thrombosis. Her age was 49 years old.
18. Throughout her career, Francis starred in several movies and television shows, but her performances in Los Relajadores (The Relaxed Ones), De Super Macho a Super Hembra (From Super Male to Super Female), and Desde Gayola (From Gayola) are what made her most well-known.
19. Francis García was crowned the “Queen of Queens” by the Campeche Carnival in her hometown in 2005, and her mother kept a museum dedicated to her memory, showcasing her elaborate costumes for many years.
20. Francis García was one of the first openly LGBTQ+ celebrities in the country and has spent her whole life fighting for equal rights.
21. On April 6, 2024, Google featured a Google Doodle on its homepage for celebrating Francis García’s 66th Birthday.