Frances Barber has worked in a string of award-winning productions for the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, taking roles as diverse as Eliza in Pygmalion and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Among her film appearances are roles in Stephen Frears' Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987), Dennis Potter's Secret Friends (1991) and John Irvine's Shiner (2000) with Michael Caine, Peter Greenaway's A Zed & Two Noughts (1985), Peter Capaldi's Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992), and Still Crazy (1998). Most recently she has appeared in Mauvaise passe (1999) (The Escort) with Daniel Auteuil and Esther Kahn (2000). Frances made her television breakthrough in Mike Leigh's Play for Today: Home Sweet Home (1982). Subsequent TV work includes Kenneth Branagh's Twelfth Night, or What You Will (1988) as Viola, a role she reprised for Branagh on stage, BBC's Annie Besant, Inspector Morse (1987), Spitting Image (1984) and the BBC's adaptation of the Nancy Mitford classic Love in a Cold Climate (2001). On stage, Frances won the 1984 Olivier award for Most Promising Newcomer as Marguerite in the RSC production of Camille. She has worked in some of the UK's most prestigious theatres, including the Royal National Theatre, the RSC, Hull Truck, Oxford Playhouse, the Royal Exchange, the Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Court. Frances was most recently seen on stage in Patrick Marber's production of Closer at The Lyric, Hammersmith. She attended Bangor university.
Frances Bavier was born in New York City on December 14, 1902. Her first Broadway appearance was in April 1925 in "The Poor Nut", the start of a successful Broadway career. She traveled with the USO to entertain the U.S. troops in the Pacific during World War II. Her last appearance on Broadway was in the 1951 play, "Point of No Return" starring Henry Fonda. It ran for 356 performances. Her first movie was the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), which was also the first time Frances appeared with Olan Soule. He later went on to play Mayberry's choir director, John Masters, on the The Andy Griffith Show (1960). In the movie, they were both boarders in the rooming house where the alien stayed. She made many movies during the 50s and appeared on TV as featured characters on shows like It's a Great Life (1954) and The Eve Arden Show (1957) before what would become her most famous role, that of Aunt Bee to Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and Opie Taylor (Ron Howard) on The Andy Griffith Show (1960).
Cute, tiny, and prolific little old lady character actress Frances Bay worked constantly in both films and TV shows alike after making her debut at the age of 59 in life with a small part in the comedy Foul Play (1978) in 1978. She frequently portrayed eccentric elderly women and good-hearted grandmothers in all kinds of pictures and television programs. Frances acted several times for David Lynch: she's Kyle MacLachlan's sweet doddery aunt in Blue Velvet (1986), a gruff, profane whorehouse madam in Wild at Heart (1990), and the spooky Mrs. Tremond in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990) and its spin-off feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Frances popped up in two movies for director Stuart Gordon: she's a kind witch in The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) and a fortune teller in Edmond (2005). Other notable film roles include a snippy librarian in The Attic (1980), a mysterious blind nun in the offbeat Nomads (1986), another librarian in In the Mouth of Madness (1994), and Adam Sandler's loving grandmother in the hit comedy Happy Gilmore (1996). Frances had the unique distinction of guesting on the final episodes of the TV shows Happy Days (1974), Who's the Boss? (1984), and Seinfeld (1989). Among the many TV series Bay had guest spots on are Charmed (1998), ER (1994), Matlock (1986), The X Files (1993), Murder, She Wrote (1984), The Commish (1991), L.A. Law (1986), Hill Street Blues (1981), Touched by an Angel (1994), The Golden Girls (1985), and Amazing Stories (1985). She won a Gemini Award for her performance in the Disney TV program Road to Avonlea (1990). Frances was also in the music video for Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend." In addition to her substantial movie and TV credits, Bay also acted in both Off-Broadway stage productions and regional theater; these plays include "Finnegan's Wake," "Grease," "Genuis," "The Caucasion Chalk Circle," "Number Our Days," "Uncommon Women," "Sarcophagus," and "The Pleasure of His Company." Frances won two DramaLogue Awards and was nominated for a Los Angeles Dramatic Critics' Award. In 2002 Bay was the unfortunate victim of an automobile accident which resulted in having part of her right leg amputated. Her husband Charles sadly died in 2002 as well. In real life Frances Bay was a very practical and unassuming woman with an avid love for jazz music.
Frances Ben is an actress, known for Celebrity Marriage (2017), The Wingman (2020) and Hold Hands (2021).
Frances Berry is an actress, known for Darkest Corner (2019), Palm Beach (2019) and Home and Away (1988).
Frances Blackburn is an actress and producer, known for Post Love (2020), Supervized (2019) and Damo & Ivor: The Movie (2018).
Frances, known for The World Made Straight & Nubbin & Friends, joined the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain at the age of 17 and then subsequently trained for 3 years at LAMDA. She has had a varied career in theatre, film and television, and has worked regularly in the UK, USA and Germany. She is now based in Atlanta, USA.
Frances Callier was born on May 17, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for He's Just Not That Into You (2009), Hannah Montana (2006) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000). She is married to Thomas Greene.
Frances Catalano is known for Doraemon (1979) and TMS: Friends In-Deed (2016).
Director Frances Causey is an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and TED contributor with 15 years experience as a Senior Producer at CNN and previous work hailed as a New York Times Critic's Pick. Her body of work has been featured on Netflix, PBS, and The History Channel-among other international outlets.