Francesco Stephen Castelluccio, better known as Frankie Valli, was born on May 3, 1934 in Newark, NJ. He co-founded the Four Seasons alongside his brothers and became a popular singer. He was married to three times. His first wife Mary Mandel had a toddler daughter Celia from her previous relationship and Valli adopted her. She died of a mixture of Quaaludes and alcohol.
Mary Mandel
Mary Mandel is the first wife of Frankie Valli, who became famous for his role as lead singer of The Four Seasons. The group also included Bob Gaudio, who wrote many of their hits, guitarist Tommy DeVito and bassist Nick Massi. Mary had two daughters, Celia and Francine with Valli. The couple divorced in 1971. Later, Valli married MaryAnn Hannigan in 1974 and Randy Clohessy in 1984. They had three sons together, Francesco, Emilio, and Brando.
Frankie Valli was born as Francesco Stephen Castelluccio in New Jersey, USA. He started his music career at the age of seven when his mother took him to see a young Frank Sinatra at NYC’s Paramount Theater. That magical performance automatically kindled the music flame in him. He never looked back after that. He has said that he wouldn’t give up show business for anyone because it is what makes him happy.
Celia Valli
Francine Valli is the youngest daughter of Frankie Valli and his first wife Mary Mandel. She was born in 1960, though her exact birth date is unknown. She was raised by her parents along with her elder stepsister Celia and younger sister Antonia.
Unfortunately, her life was filled with tragedy. She died in 1980 following a fall accident. She was trying to escape from her New York apartment when she slipped off the fire exit and fell to her death.
Six months later, her oldest sister Celia Sabin Selleck from her mother’s previous marriage also died. Sadly, the entire family was left devastated by their loss.
Francine Valli
Francine Valli was Frankie Valli’s only daughter from his first marriage. She was a talented singer and hoped to follow in her father’s footsteps. Unfortunately, she was not able to accomplish her dreams. She died on August 16, 1980, due to a combination of alcohol and Quaaludes.
It was a tragic year for the family as six months earlier, Frankie Valli’s stepdaughter Celia Sabin Selleck from his mother’s previous marriage died after falling off of her New York apartment’s fire escape. Additionally, Francine’s paternal grandfather died of a stroke.
April Kirkwood was a lifelong fan of Frankie and The Four Seasons, starting when she was only six years old. She would attend shows with her aunt and mother, making a beeline for Valli backstage after the show. One night, she attempted to give him a book that she had inscribed, but was rebuffed by eight bodyguards. Kirkwood still says that it is the most significant moment of her life.
Randy Clohessy
There is not much information about her life after the divorce. She stayed away from the public eye and focused on her children. She is believed to have chosen a career as a housewife and has also involved herself in some charity and voluntary work.
Clohessy and Valli had three children together. Their first child, Francesco Valli, went on to become a prominent actor. Their other children are Emilio and Brando. The couple separated in 2004.
Clohessy is 62 years old and was born in 1960. She is not as well-known as her husband, but has been able to make a name for herself as an actress and songwriter. She has a huge age gap with her husband, but they both appear to get along very well. The couple has a large estate in New Jersey that is worth millions. They also receive royalties from the popular Broadway show, Jersey Boys. This has made the singer quite wealthy over the years.
