Francine Rufo
- Actress
Text: Francine Rufo is the only child of Francis J. Rufo and Pauline M.
Kelley Rufo. Francis Rufo was born in Newton, Massachusetts on 11
August 1906. His parents were both born in Italy. His father, Antonio
Rufo, was a mason. By the early 1930's, he was living in Washington
State, where he met Pauline M. Kelley, born 16 October 1910 in McElroy
(Pawnee County) Oklahoma. They were married at 8 PM, Wednesday, 6 April
1932 by Father P. J. Ryan in Lewis County, WA. The couple lived in
Hoquiam (Grays Harbor County) WA. By the time of the U. S. Census of
1940, Francis and Pauline Rufo, together with 6 year old daughter
Francine, were living in Glendale, CA, at 616 North Kenwood. They owned
their own home, valued at 3200 dollars. Francis Rufo, now age 33, had
two years of high school education and was listed as a salesman of
"aluminum ware". However, he had been out of work for 8 weeks and was
seeking employment. Pauline Rufo, 29, with four years of high school,
was employed in a 40 hour a week job as a telephone operator. The
family lived about 7 miles away from the Warner Brothers studio.
Francis Rufo served in the military during the Second World War, from
20 September 1943 until 7 December, 1945. After the war's end, the
family lived at 4005 West Verdugo, Burbank, CA, according to the 1946
Burbank city directory. In the autumn of 1951 Francine Rufo, not quite
18, enrolled in Washington State College, Pullman, WA. She is listed as
being from Nothridge, CA. In 1952, the family had moved to 606 Maple,
in Burbank, CA. Francis Rufo was now employed by Pacific Tel & Tel. In
February of the following year, 1953, Francine pledged the Sigma
Sorority at Washington State. She graduated in 1955. Her photograph in
the Chinook yearbook shows an attractive young woman whose blond hair
is worn short in the style of 1955. In 1956, now a 22 year old college
graduate, Francine and her parents take a trip to Honolulu, arriving
back in the United States aboard United Airlines flight 10 on October
25. Francine Rufo then meets and marries Bruce Kamba, born in 1933 and
a Korean War veteran. In September, 1963, Francine Rufo Kamba, now
living in Van Nuys, CA, is awarded her master's degree from Valley
State College (now California State Univerrsity, Northridge). Bruce
Kamba and Francine had two children: Nancy M. Kamba, born 9 March 1966
in Los Angeles County, CA and Diana J. Kamba, born 6 December 1969,
also in Los Angeles County. Nancy married Jeffrey Bray, born about
1968. Daughter Diane Kamba married Albert M. Biondini (born 5 November
1959 in Santa Barbara, CA.) According to the Chicago Tribune Obituary
Index, Diane M. Kamba Biondini died on 29 February 1996, at age 26
years.
In 1992, Francine, now 59 years old, received copyrights for the words and music of two songs: " What If?" and "It's About Time".
Later in life, Francine's parents lived in Northridge (Los Angeles County) California. There Francis Rufo died 30 April 1979, age 72. Pauline Rufo lived on until 9 August 2004, about two months short of her 94th birthday. Francine J. Rufo Kamba and husband Bruce Kamba eventually moved to Loveland (Larimer County) Colorado. There, on 21 November 2007, Bruce died at age 77. He is buried in Foothills Gardens of Memory, Longmont (Boulder County), CO. The public record is largely silent about Francine Rufo's show business career after her 1943 motion picture debut. There is no indication that the former child actress, who appeared with Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, ever again appeared in film, or on stage, or on television.
In 1992, Francine, now 59 years old, received copyrights for the words and music of two songs: " What If?" and "It's About Time".
Later in life, Francine's parents lived in Northridge (Los Angeles County) California. There Francis Rufo died 30 April 1979, age 72. Pauline Rufo lived on until 9 August 2004, about two months short of her 94th birthday. Francine J. Rufo Kamba and husband Bruce Kamba eventually moved to Loveland (Larimer County) Colorado. There, on 21 November 2007, Bruce died at age 77. He is buried in Foothills Gardens of Memory, Longmont (Boulder County), CO. The public record is largely silent about Francine Rufo's show business career after her 1943 motion picture debut. There is no indication that the former child actress, who appeared with Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, ever again appeared in film, or on stage, or on television.