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Frances Bavier
Actor
Born December 14, 1902Died December 6, 1989 (86 years)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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 the Lone Ranger episode "Sawtelle's Saga End". In the episode, she fights with Tonto while the Lone Ranger battles 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".
She was in an episode of Make Room for Daddy, which featured Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor and Ron Howard as Opie Taylor. She played a character named Henrietta Perkins. The episode led to The Andy Griffith Show, and Bavier was cast in the new role of Aunt Bee. Bavier had a love-hate relationship with her famous role during the run of the show. As a New York City actress, she felt her dramatic talents were being overlooked, yet after playing Bee for eight seasons, she was the only original cast member to remain with the series in the spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D., for two additional seasons.
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.
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 the Lone Ranger episode "Sawtelle's Saga End". In the episode, she fights with Tonto while the Lone Ranger battles 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".
She was in an episode of Make Room for Daddy, which featured Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor and Ron Howard as Opie Taylor. She played a character named Henrietta Perkins. The episode led to The Andy Griffith Show, and Bavier was cast in the new role of Aunt Bee. Bavier had a love-hate relationship with her famous role during the run of the show. As a New York City actress, she felt her dramatic talents were being overlooked, yet after playing Bee for eight seasons, she was the only original cast member to remain with the series in the spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D., for two additional seasons.
Filmography
| 2003 | The Andy Griffith Show Reunion: Back to Mayberry · as Aunt Bee Taylor |
| 1974 | Benji · as Lady With The Cat |
| 1968 | Mayberry R.F.D. (TV Series) · as Aunt Bee Taylor |
| 1964 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as Aunt Bee Taylor |
| 1959 | It Started with a Kiss · as Mrs. Tappe |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Ellen Ferguson |
| 1958 | A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed · as Mrs. Solitaire |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) |
| 1958 | The Ann Sothern Show (TV Series) · as Mrs. Wallace |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Louise Marlow |
| 1957 | The Thin Man (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Sister Joseph |
| 1957 | The Eve Arden Show (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Sugarfoot (TV Series) · as Nancy Thomas |
| 1956 | The Blessed Midnight · as Mrs. Hayes |
| 1956 | The Bad Seed · as Woman At Dinner Party (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Mrs. Fergusen |
| 1955 | The Jane Wyman Show (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1955 | Damon Runyon Theater (TV Series) · as Abigail |
| 1955 | Soldiers of Fortune (TV Series) · as Amelia Lilly |
| 1954 | Climax! (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1954 | It's a Great Life (TV Series) · as Mrs. Amy Morgan |
| 1954 | Waterfront (TV Series) · as Amy Jackson |
| 1953 | Man in the Attic · as Helen Harley |
| 1953 | The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (TV Series) · as Helen Collins |
| 1953 | Make Room for Daddy (TV Series) · as Henrietta Perkins |
| 1953 | The Loretta Young Show (TV Series) · as Aunt Meg |
| 1953 | The Revlon Mirror Theater (TV Series) |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Miss Trimingham |
| 1952 | My Wife's Best Friend · as Mrs. Chamberlain |
| 1952 | Horizons West · as Martha Hammond |
| 1952 | Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) · as Mrs. Hayes |
| 1952 | Sally and Saint Anne · as Mrs. Kitty 'mom' O'moyne |
| 1952 | Bend of the River · as Mrs. Prentiss |
| 1951 | The Lady Says No · as Alice Hatch |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Lou Bloor |
| 1951 | Dragnet (1951) (TV Series) |
| 1951 | The Stooge · as Mrs. Rogers |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) |
| 1951 | The Day the Earth Stood Still · as Mrs. Barley, Boarder |
| 1950 | Racket Squad (TV Series) · as Martha Carver |
| 1950 | The Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) · as Martha |
| 1949 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) · as Aunt Maggie Sawtelle |
| 1931 | Girls About Town · as Joy - Party Girl (uncredited) |