Francesca Hilton

Francesca Hilton
Born	Template:Birth date New York City, U.S.
Died	January 5, 2015(2015-01-05) (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actress, comedian, photographer
Years active	1967–2008
Known for	Daughter of Conrad Hilton and Zsa Zsa Gabor

Constance Francesca Gabor Hilton (March 10, 1947 – January 5, 2015), widely recognized as Francesca Hilton, was an American actress and comedian linked to the prominent Hilton family. She was the sole offspring of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton and his second spouse, the actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Early life and family

Born in New York City in 1947, Hilton entered the world shortly after her parents finalized their divorce in 1946. Her father, Conrad Hilton, was the originator of the Hilton Hotels empire. Her mother, Zsa Zsa Gabor, alongside her aunts (Eva and Magda), were actresses and socialites of Hungarian descent. In her 1991 memoir One Lifetime Is Not Enough, Gabor claimed that Francesca's conception was the result of rape by Conrad Hilton.

As the only child of Zsa Zsa Gabor and the last direct descendant of the Gabor sisters, Francesca was also Conrad Hilton’s only daughter. She had three half-brothers: Conrad Hilton Jr., Barron Hilton, and Eric Hilton. During her childhood, she accompanied her mother to film premieres and participated in equestrian events. In 1947, she was threatened by an armed intruder during a burglary at their home, which led to the loss of jewelry valued at over $750,000.

In her teenage years, Francesca spent summers working in the reservations department at the Beverly Hilton Hotel located in Beverly Hills. At the time of her passing, she was engaged to Michael Natsis and was in the process of writing her autobiography. Additionally, she was employed by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Upon Conrad Hilton’s death in 1979, the majority of his fortune was bequeathed to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Francesca challenged this will—where she was left only $100,000—but ultimately lost the legal battle. In 2005, her stepfather, Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt, initiated lawsuits accusing her of fraud involving a loan secured against her mother’s residence and alleged manipulation concerning Zsa Zsa’s will; these claims were dismissed due to insufficient evidence after Gabor failed to participate or provide sworn statements. Hilton refuted all such allegations. In 2012, she successfully obtained an independent conservatorship for her incapacitated mother, although Von Anhalt was appointed as temporary conservator.

Residing mainly in Los Angeles, Francesca faced financial hardship shortly before her death in 2015, living in weekly rentals and even spending nights in her car.

Performing career

Her acting credits include roles in A Safe Place (1971) and The Gravy Train (1974). During the 1980s, she pursued work as a photographer. By 2008, she had begun performing comedy at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, delivering a routine centered on her family experiences. She wittily referred to her great-nieces, Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton, jokingly labeling them "pole dancers and porn stars."

Death

Francesca Hilton passed away on January 5, 2015, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles following a severe stroke at age 67. At that time, her mother—then aged 97 and afflicted with dementia—was reportedly not informed about her daughter’s death. Her stepfather attempted unsuccessfully to gain custody of her remains; after several days spent in the morgue undergoing an autopsy, custody was assumed by her half-brother Barron Hilton.

Her funeral service took place at St Ambrose Catholic Church in West Hollywood. She was cremated with her ashes laid to rest at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, close to her aunt Eva Gabor.

Film

Year	Title	Role	Remarks
1971	A Safe Place	Noah's Friend #5
1973	Cleopatra Jones	Shoplifter	Uncredited appearance
1974	The Gravy Train	Girl in Restaurant
1995	Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story	Woman #1	Television film
1997	Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills	Helene
1999	Forever Fabulous	PTA Mother	Last film role

Television

Year	Title	Role	Remarks
1967	Good Company	Herself	Single episode
1970	Philbin's People	Herself	One episode
1973	Cannon	Carrie	Guest appearance, one episode
1974	V.I.P.-Schaukel	Herself	Featured in one episode
1984	Tattletales	Herself	One episode appearance
1998	Intimate Portrait	Herself	Single episode feature
1998	E! True Hollywood Story	Herself	One episode
2000	Biography	Herself	Single episode participation
2007-2008	Entertainment Tonight	Herself	Appeared in two episodes
2015	Inside Edition	Herself	Archive footage used in one episode