Frances Bavier
| Frances Bavier | |
|---|---|
Frances in 1964.
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| Born |
Frances Elizabeth Bavier December 14, 1902 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 1989 (aged 86) Siler City, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Resting place | Oakwood Cemetery, Siler City, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Other names | Hazel Howard |
| Alma mater |
Columbia University American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1927–1974 |
| Known for |
The Andy Griffith Show Mayberry R.F.D. |
Frances Elizabeth Bavier (December 14, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American stage and television actress. Originally from New York theatre, Bavier worked in film and television from the 1950s. She is best known for her role of Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. from 1960–70. Aunt Bee logged more Mayberry years (ten) than any other character. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Comedy Actress for the role in 1967.
Born in New York City in a brownstone on Gramercy Park to Charles S., a stationary engineer, and Mary S. (née Birmingham) Bavier, Frances originally planned to become a teacher after attending Columbia University. She first appeared in vaudeville, later moving to the Broadway stage.
After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925, she was cast in the stage comedy The Poor Nut. Bavier's big break came in the original Broadway production of On Borrowed Time. She later appeared with Henry Fonda in the play Point of No Return.
Bavier had roles in more than a dozen films, as well as playing a range of supporting roles on television. Career highlights include her turn as Mrs. Barley in the classic 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still. In 1955, she played the rough and tough "Aunt Maggie" Sawtelle, a frontier Ma Barker-type character, in a Lone Ranger episode "Sawtelle's Saga End". In the episode, she fights with Tonto while the Lone Ranger fought with her nephew. At the conclusion, Tonto says that he would like to trade opponents next time. In 1957, she played Nora Martin, mother to Eve Arden's character on The Eve Arden Show, despite the fact that Arden was only 6 or 7 years younger than Bavier. That same year, Bavier guest-starred in the eighth episode of Perry Mason as Louise Marlow in "The Case of the Crimson Kiss".
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