Hollywood Touch

Maxine Avis (Ewart) Gifford was born to Dr. Thomas Alexander Ewart Sr. (1873-1958) and Ona Mae Heath (1891-1974) in Los Angeles California. She had four siblings, Jessie C., Margaret E., Vicki Elaine, and Thomas Alexander Ewart Jr. According to the 1930 Census, Maxine was approximately 1 year old living at 918 Daisy in Long Beach California with her father Thomas who was 56 at the time, and Ona H. who was 38, and her siblings Jessie and Margaret Ewart. In 1946, Maxine lived in Long Beach California and attended the Long Beach Polytechnic High School. A few years later Maxine began dating Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford, a football player at USC. They were living in Long Beach California and married in Las Vegas Nevada on January 13th 1952 after Maxine became pregnant. As being pregnant before marriage was frowned upon during the 1950s, they publicly stated that they had secretly married in June 1951. See a photo of them in 1958 at Maxine Avis (Ewart) Gifford. A copy of their wedding announcement from The Fresno Bee is below at Marriage of USC's Frank GIfford In June Is Revealed. Maxine and Frank divorced in 1978 after being married for nearly 26 years and Maxine moved to Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut. Frank went on to marry Kathie Lee (Johnson) Gifford. they were married for 29 years, until Frank's death and had two children.