- Born
- Died
- Birth nameFrances Evelyn Goffman
- Height5′ (1.52 m)
- 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 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 Drama-Logue 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.
- IMDb mini biography by: woodyanders
- SpouseCharles Irwin Bay(June 13, 1946 - June 18, 2002) (his death, 1 child)
- Hospitalized as the result of being struck by a car in Glendale, CA, on November 21st, 2002. As a result of the accident, she has had part of her right leg amputated and had to walk with a prosthetic right leg.
- Her son, Eli Joshua Bay, passed away at the age of 23. Born in Canada on March 14, 1947, he died in Duval County Florida on June 6, 1970.
- She began her career as a radio actress but took a long break from the business after marrying and having a son, who died in his 20s.
- Frances Bay died at Providence Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana (Los Angeles). She had been ill with various infections. In keeping with her Jewish faith, Bay was buried within 24 hours at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, CA.
- Inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2008.
- I always wanted to be an actress. And it wasn't ego. I felt so little about myself, considered myself such a sparrow. Not just my size. I thought I was so plain ... I did plays not to show off but because if I did that -- I didn't realize it at the time -- I would be somebody other than this person I didn't really approve of. I think that's true of a lot of actors.
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