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Woman Becomes A Model Resident

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By PAUL CATALA pcatala@mediageneral.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

Until five years ago, Francine Knocke was living a fairly routine retirement life, going on outings with friends and spending time with her hobbies, such as painting, playing bridge, gardening and ballroom dancing.

But a trip to a fashion boutique and shoe salon in Carrollwood led Knocke into a career quite different from the nursing field where she spent 46 years. That's when the owner suggested the then 69-year-old retired registered nurse work in front of the lights, rather than under them.

Since then, Knocke, who turned 74 Sunday, has turned a few portfolio pictures into a successful modeling career for companies around Florida, including Sun City Center, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami.

Knocke, an accomplished silk and dye painting artist, said the new experiences in modeling have been interesting and exciting, even in her later years.

"I really enjoy meeting new people and traveling to new places," she said, from her home off South Pebble Beach Boulevard. "It's fun; it's something different."

A native of Milford, N.J., Knocke moved to Sun City Center three years ago from Land O' Lakes, where her daughter lives, after living and working for 18 years in Detroit. While in Land O' Lakes, she began patronizing a Tampa boutique, Ahjaleah's, when the owner asked her to model for the store's magazine advertisements.

That led Knocke to getting some professional modeling composite photographs taken and began contacting modeling agencies.

Soon, jobs began coming in for TV commercials, live runway modeling, print ads and theater. Those included work for Morton Plant Hospital, the Starz Network, Beall's department store, the Home Shopping Network, a Tiger Woods commercial and a John Cusack movie filmed at Cypress Gardens.

Knocke has modeled locally for Jan's Boutique and also began acting with the Sun City Center's Pelican Players theater group. She said she looks forward to her time in front of audiences.

"When I'm in front of the camera, I like to act," she said. "It's all just so different from anything I've ever done."

In addition, as a breast cancer survivor, Knocke has volunteered her modeling talents for the American Cancer Society, hitting the runway for their luncheon and fashion show two years ago.

To help her improve in her new-found profession, Knocke said she's also begun formal industry education, taking runway instruction classes, on-camera acting and script study and acting technique classes - all of them important, according to a modeling agency owner who has signed Knocke.

Louise Kahle, owner of Louise's People Model and Talent Inc. in St. Petersburg, said Knocke has the ability to portray herself as a "real" person, not a human substitute for a mannequin.

Kahle, who helped sign Knocke for Kane's furniture and Plant hospital commercials, said Knocke has a lot of confidence and got into the groove of modeling quickly.

"She's definitely not a diva. She does all we ask from her," said Kahle, who also has offices in Tampa and Orlando. "As long as I'm able to, I'll keep doing this," she said. "I think like any performer, in modeling, you need to keep cultivating and honing your skills. That's what I plan to do."

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