Francis was a child model and actress, and during her youth, she appeared on Broadway in small roles in White Horse Inn, Everywhere I Roam, and Lady in the Dark.

She began her career in Hollywood in the late1940s and continued working in films and television for nearly 60 years. She starred in the series Honey West, for which she received a Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award nomination.

Her many films included Susan Slept Here, Blackboard Jungle, Forbidden Planet, and Funny Girl, in which she played Georgia James.

She is survived by her daughters, Jane and Maggie.