Francine Smith

Francine Smith (née Ling, previously Dawson) is a fictional character on the animated television series "American Dad!". She is the wife of Stan Smith and the mother of Steve and Hayley. Francine is voiced by Wendy Schaal.

Biography

Francine was adopted by Chinese-American parents at an age 7; she was abandoned at an airport by her wealthy Caucasian birth parents because they were not allowed to bring a baby into first class with them. Her Chinese-American parents have their own biological daughter, Gwen, who they are ashamed of for being supposedly very attractive but quite stupid (as her parents put it, "imagine a Chinese girl [that] can't do math!"). When Francine was about 14 years old in high school, she had an obsessive crush on her algebra teacher, Mr. Feeny. She became so obsessed with him, she was in his closet cutting herself and sniffing his T-shirts. Mr. Feeny's wife found her in the closet, and called the police. Francine lied to them and said that she and Mr. Feeny were lovers. Mr. Feeny was sent to jail and committed suicide there. [cite episode
title = Pilot
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Seth McFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. Directed by Ron Hughart
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
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season = 1
number = 1
minutes =] During the rest of high school, she was said to have been "very depressed," until she found the "miracle of marijuana".

Even though she was a party girl during her college years, she keeps her opinions mostly to herself in order to keep with Stan's conservative views. However, she does not keep her extremely intense hatred of George Clooney to herself. [cite episode
title = Deacon Stan, Jesus Man
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Nahnatchka Khan. Directed by John Aoshima
writers =
network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 7
minutes =] She hates him because he stole her spotlight in her only television appearance on "Scarecrow and Mrs. King", which would have guaranteed her a movie career. Since then, Francine's dream has been to, at the very least, make George Clooney cry, which Stan has helped her do. [cite episode
title = Tears of a Clooney
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series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Chris McKenna and Matt McKenna. Directed by Brent Woods
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network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 23
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Francine, then a groupie, first met her future husband Stan when he had just graduated from the CIA academy and offered a post as an operative. She was trying to hitchhike home, and Stan pulled over and gave her a ride. During the trip, Stan veered to avoid hitting a car and accidentally ran over a raccoon, which he then shot to put it out of its misery. This act of compassion attracted Francine so much she started dating Stan and married him soon after they had met. [cite episode
title = Francine's Flashback
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz. Directed by Caleb Meurer and Brent Woods
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network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 4
minutes =] When Stan was still oblivious to the fact that Greg Corbin and Terry Bates, their next door neighbours, were gay, he suggested that he and Francine fix them up with her sister Gwen. While Francine knows they're gay, Stan thinks her reluctance is because Gwen is "too hot" and then reminisces about her appearance at their wedding (though Stan does eventually discover the truth). [cite episode
title = Lincoln Lover
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Rick Wiener, Kenny Schwartz, and Nahnatchka Khan. Directed by Brent Woods
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network = FOX
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season = 2
number = 27
minutes =] In Office Spaceman, it was revealed that Francine is left-handed, though by the end of the episode it is apparent that she had been using her right hand so frequently she can no longer properly use her left.

Personality

Although she enjoys being a housewife, once criticizing Stan for locking her up without shirts to fold, as she "hates down time", as well as becoming aroused during spring cleaning, Francine occasionally yearns for something in her life more fulfilling. Sometimes this is in the form of a job - for a short while she was a successful realtor and even sold local newsreaders, Greg and Terry, the house next door to the Smith's own, [cite episode
title = Threat Levels
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by David Zuckerman. Directed by Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
airdate =
began =
ended =
season = 1
number = 2
minutes =] achieved her dream of owning a muffin kiosk (she has tried sleeping with Adam Ant, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Dexys Midnight Runners to get an investment for one when she was younger) at the mall, [cite episode
title = Finances With Wolves
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Neal Boushell and Sam O'Neal. Directed by Albert Calleros
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network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 18
minutes =] and even becoming a surgeon for a mafia made up of handicapped people. [cite episode
title = Helping Handis
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Nahnatchka Khan. Directed by Caleb Meurer
writers =
network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 21
minutes =] One time, she joined a group of ultra-chic local ladies by faking an affair with a valet. [cite episode
title = Not Particularly Desperate Housewives
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Dan Vebber. Directed by Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 16
minutes =] Stan often neglects Francine, ignores what she says, and has forgotten their wedding anniversary at least twice. Despite this, Francine loves him and seems to be unable to cheat on him; even when her life was threatened she still would not sleep with another man. However, Francine has offered Stan to cheat on her twice. [cite episode
title = Con Heir
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series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Steve Hely. Directed by Albert Calleros
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network = FOX
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season = 1
number = 11
minutes =] [cite episode
title = When a Stan Loves a Woman
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series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz. Directed by Rodney Clouden
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network = FOX
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season = 2
number = 39
minutes =In fact, she once temporarily divorced him so that he can relive the life of being a bachelor.] When Klaus, whose long-time attraction to Francine we are made well aware of, is put into the body of a handsome black man who was once in an Earth, Wind and Fire tribute band, he temporarily manages to win Francine over; however, she does resist him, noticing something familiar about him. It is only until Stan reveals Klaus's identity that she is turned off completely.

Francine enjoys drinking alcohol, occasionally smokes cigarettes (particularly when under stress), and has a history of using marijuana. She seems to go on obsessive jaunts and can resort to violence when the need demands. However, she maintains a warmth for animals and an unstoppable maternal instinct regarding her family, including a nonchalant acceptance of Stan's murderous overreactions. She also has an extreme hatred of George Clooney. Stan has to occasionally arrest her due to having known information to crimes.In addition to English, Francine seems to be fluent in Spanish and Mandarin.

Despite never being mentioned specifically, her favorite color is apparently "pink".

Health

Francine has suffered great brain damage, and as such, she frequently plays a role similar to in that her brain suffers at the foolish hands of her husband. Stan once ran over her (twice) causing her brain to temporarily detach from her central nervous system. [cite episode
title = Roger n' Me
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz. Directed by Anthony Lioi
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
airdate =
began =
ended =
season = 1
number = 20
minutes =] Stan also accidentally erased the last 20 years of her memory, which he managed to restore. [cite episode
title = Francine's Flashback
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz. Directed by Caleb Meurer and Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
airdate =
began =
ended =
season = 1
number = 4
minutes =] Francine has told Steve that she used to stalk her old school teacher and she also willfully cut her own hand off when it was handcuffed to a pole so she could kill George Clooney (the hand was later reattached). [cite episode
title = Tears of a Clooney
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Chris McKenna and Matt McKenna. Directed by Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
airdate =
began =
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season = 1
number = 23
minutes =] She dyes her hair blonde and her natural color is brown which shows where Steve's brown hair comes from. Her lips appear oversized from collagen implants.Francine has two birth scars, a caesarian scar from Hayley's birth (although in The Most Adequate Christmas Ever Hayley was born in Africa and Francine only had the help of a baboon), [cite episode
title = Star Trek
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Chris McKenna and Matt McKenna. Directed by Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
station =
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airdate =
began =
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season = 1
number = 15
minutes =] and a scar on her perineum from Steve's birth. She also seems to have a case of empty nest syndrome, as she had problems coping with Steve's girlfriend, Debbie, and was more than willing to comfort Steve when Debbie broke up with him. [cite episode
title = Iced, Iced Babies
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
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credits = Written by Steve Hely. Directed by Caleb Meurer
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network = FOX
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season = 2
number = 29
minutes =] This has recently begun to take obsessive levels, including Francine using a CIA anti-aging formula to turn Steve into a toddler that she could coddle and baby, and sabotaging his surprisingly successful attempts at popularity to keep him home.

Age

Francine was originally 38, but she became 40 years old in the episode "Tears of a Clooney". The episode starts with her 39th birthday, she attempts to get revenge on George Clooney for a year, and the episode ends with her 40th birthday. It's unknown whether or not the other characters aged as well, except for presumably Stan; he says in one episode that she is ten months younger than he is. [cite episode
title = Bullocks to Stan
episodelink =
series = American Dad!
serieslink =
credits = Written by Alison McDonald. Directed by Brent Woods
writers =
network = FOX
station =
city =
airdate =
began =
ended =
season = 1
number = 8
minutes =] It could also be that the final scene was a jump cut into the future.

imilarites to other characters outside American Dad

*She bears similarites to the fictional character Hinawa from Mother 3, except Hinawa's hair is brown.

Notes and references