Frances Bavier
Birth Name:
Frances Elizabeth Bavier
Birth Place:
New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack

Fast Facts
- Graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925
- After a long battle with cancer and heart disease, she passed away at 86-years-old at her home in North Carolina in 1989
- After a three-decade career on Broadway, she would transition to film and television by the early '50s with several supporting roles before earning her most well-known credit to date as Aunt Bea on "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960
- Initially a Broadway performer, she would make her debut at 23-years-old before traveling the globe as an entertainer of troops during WWII before returning to New York
- After working in North Carolina for several years, she decided to retire there in the mid-70s, stating "I fell in love with the state and all the pretty roads and trees․"
- Her love of Studebaker automobiles was well-known, as she owned one of the maker's last models made in the mid-60s and was a member of the Studebaker Drivers Club
- Often remembered as temperamental and difficult to work with on "The Andy Griffith Show" as she felt her dramatic acting chops were not being properly utilized
Awards
- 1967Gold Medal - Favorite TV Program:Nominated
- 1967Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy:Winner