Don Francks
| Don Francks | |
|---|---|
Francks in 1966.
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| Born |
Donald Harvey Francks February 28, 1932 Burnaby, British Columbia |
| Died | April 3, 2016 (aged 84) Toronto, Ontario |
| Cause of death | Lung cancer |
| Other names | Iron Buffalo |
| Occupation | Actor, singer, jazz musician |
| Years active | 1954–2016 |
| Spouse(s) | Lili Francks (1966-2016; his death) |
| Children | 4 (including Cree Summer and Rainbow Sun Francks) |
Donald Harvey "Don" Francks (February 28, 1932 – April 3, 2016), also known as Iron Buffalo, was a Canadian actor, singer, and jazz musician.
Francks was born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver.
He once attributed his voice talent and career to free elocution lessons by Muriel Davis from age eight. He performed in vaudeville, worked as a foundryman and was involved in summer stock before moving to Toronto. During his time in Hollywood he lived in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles.
An avid motorcycle rider, he had a collection of 12 antique cars, mostly Model-T Ford racing cars from 1912-27. He was a poet, native nations champion, author and peace activist. He supported Greenpeace and Tibet.
As a spokesman for Other Voices (Canadian TV series) in mid-1960s, he investigated a boy's murder at Saskatchewan Red Pheasant First Nation. He married and moved there with his second wife, Lili Francks, named there as Red Eagle. He was adopted as a Cree, and named Iron Buffalo "strong like iron. Like the buffalo who knows where to go, is a good provider and good for his family". Since 1979, he lived in Toronto with wife Lili and their son Rainbow Sun. His daughter, actress Cree Summer, resides and works in Hollywood. He also had two children by his first marriage.
Francks composed songs, and played the trombone, drums, and flute. He performed in many jazz clubs including George's Spaghetti House in Toronto, and the Village Vanguard in New York City, there taping the LP quoting Jackie Gleason for the title Jackie Gleason Says No One in This World Is Like Don Francks, (Kapp KRS-4501), in 1963. In New York, he recorded "Lost... and Alone" (1965, Kapp KS-3417).
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