Frances Bay
Acting
- Born:
- 1919-01-23
- Died:
- 2011-09-15
- Place of birth:
- Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Biography
Frances Evelyn Bay (née Goffman; January 23, 1919 – September 15, 2011) was a Canadian-American character actress known for playing a variety of quirky elderly women on film and television. In a career that spanned 35 years, she acted in a variety of roles both in film and television. After initial success in radio and stage plays, she became "The Girlfriend to the Canadian Forces" on CBC Radio during World War II, boosting troops' spirits. Marriage and a move to the U.S. led to a hiatus, during which she studied acting with Uta Hagen in New York. Returning to acting at 60, Bay featured in Foul Play and gained recognition in various TV shows like Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and films such as The Wedding Planner and Twins. Her versatile career spanned over 50 films and numerous TV series, earning her awards and nominations. Notably, she appeared in the final episodes of sitcoms Seinfeld, Who’s the Boss?, and Happy Days. Bay was inducted in Canada's Walk of Fame in 2008.
Known For
Filmography
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
Pickin' and Grinnin'
Bare Knuckles
The Middle
Repo Chick
Edmond
Hannah Montana
Ring Around the Rosie
Annie's Point
In the Land of Milk and Money
The Movie Hero
Kiss The Bride
Presidio Med
Bob Patterson
Oh, Baby
Finder's Fee
My Wife and Kids
The Wedding Planner
Stranger Than Fiction
The Operator
Inspector Gadget
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
Goodbye Lover
Charmed
Da Vinci's Inquest
Forever Love
The Hughleys
Krippendorf's Tribe
Style & Substance
Sparkler
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Changing Habits
Clueless
Suddenly Susan
Never Too Late
Happy Gilmore
Rossini's Ghost
In the Mouth of Madness
The Paperboy
The 5 Mrs. Buchanans
ER
The Neighbor
Dave's World
The X-Files
Inside Monkey Zetterland
Single White Female
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive
Critters 3
The Commish
Pacific Station
The Pit and the Pendulum
Amazing Stories: The Movie II
True Colors
Wild at Heart
The Grifters
Arachnophobia
Twin Peaks
Class Cruise
Alien Nation
Seinfeld
The Karate Kid Part III
Tales from the Crypt
Quantum Leap
Father Dowling Mysteries
Twins
Police Story
Big Top Pee-wee
The Oldest Rookie
Medium Rare
Sidekicks
ALF
Blue Velvet
L.A. Law
Nomads
Matlock
Amos
Amazing Stories
The Golden Girls
Movers & Shakers
The Eagle and The Bear
Murder, She Wrote
Hunter
E/R
The Karate Kid
Second Sight: A Love Story
Little Red Riding Hood
A Rose for Emily
Private School
Wings
St. Elsewhere
Newhart
Remington Steele
Cheers
Family Ties
Faerie Tale Theatre
Double Exposure
Cagney & Lacey
T. J. Hooker
American Playhouse
Fame
Simon & Simon
Honky Tonk Freeway
Buddy Buddy
Amy
A Whale for the Killing
Hill Street Blues
Callie & Son
The Attic
Topper
Chilly Scenes of Winter
Hart to Hart
Foul Play
Happy Days