Frances Bay

Acting

Born January 23, 1919, Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada

Frances Evelyn Bay (née Goffman; January 23, 1919 – September 15, 2011) was a Canadian-American character actress known for playing a variety of quirky elderly women on film and television. In a career that spanned 35 years, she acted in a variety of roles both in film and television. After initial success in radio and stage plays, she became "The Girlfriend to the Canadian Forces" on CBC Radio during World War II, boosting troops' spirits. Marriage and a move to the U.S. led to a hiatus, during which she studied acting with Uta Hagen in New York. Returning to acting at 60, Bay featured in Foul Play and gained recognition in various TV shows like Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and films such as The Wedding Planner and Twins. Her versatile career spanned over 50 films and numerous TV series, earning her awards and nominations. Notably, she appeared in the final episodes of sitcoms Seinfeld, Who’s the Boss?, and Happy Days. Bay was inducted in Canada's Walk of Fame in 2008.

Filmography

• 2014Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces — Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
• 2011Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage — Aunt Barbara
• 2010Bare Knuckles — Rosie Mcintyre
• 2010Pickin' and Grinnin' — Grandma Johnson
• 2009Repo Chick — Granma De La Chasse
• The Middle — Aunt Ginny
• 2006Edmond — Fortune Teller
• Hannah Montana — Cathy
• 2006Ring Around the Rosie — Nanna
• 2005Annie's Point — Older Woman
• 2004In the Land of Milk and Money — Grandma Shallot
• 2003The Movie Hero — Wise Old Woman
• 2002Kiss The Bride
• Presidio Med — Joan Hart
• Bob Patterson — Laurie Evans
• 2001Finder's Fee — Mrs. Darmsetter
• My Wife and Kids
• 2001Oh, Baby — Edna Winchester
• 2001The Wedding Planner — Dottie
• 2000Stranger Than Fiction — Mrs. Steiner
• 2000The Operator — Mrs. Sloan
• 1999Goodbye Lover — Old Woman
• 1999Inspector Gadget — Thelma
• 1999The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn — Mrs. Lewis
• Charmed — Old Phoebe
• Da Vinci's Inquest
• 1998Forever Love — Martha Craddock
• 1998Krippendorf's Tribe — Edith Proxmire
• Style & Substance — Elizabeth Hadley
• The Hughleys — Mrs. Fitch
• Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction — Mildred Grayson (segment "The Gift")
• 1997Changing Habits — Midge
• 1997Sparkler — Raspy
• Clueless
• 1996Happy Gilmore — Grandma
• 1996Never Too Late — Elisabeth Kronner
• 1996Rossini's Ghost — Rosalie
• Suddenly Susan — Mrs. Tidgely
• 1995In the Mouth of Madness — Mrs. Pickman
• ER — Georgia
• The 5 Mrs. Buchanans
• 1994The Paperboy — Mrs. Rosemont
• Dave's World — Daisy
• 1993The Neighbor — Aunt Sylvia
• The X-Files — Dorothy
• 1992Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive — Iva Ruth McKinney
• 1992Inside Monkey Zetterland — Grandma
• 1992Single White Female — Elderly Neighbor
• 1992Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me — Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
• 1991Critters 3 — Mrs. Menges
• Pacific Station — Celia Linder
• The Commish
• 1991The Pit and the Pendulum — Esmeralda
• 1990Amazing Stories: The Movie II — Mrs. Santa Claus
• 1990Arachnophobia — Evelyn Metcalf
• 1990The Grifters — Arizona Motel Clerk
• True Colors — Tante Sylvia
• Twin Peaks — Mrs. Tremond
• 1990Wild at Heart — Madam
• Alien Nation — Mrs. Gillirue
• 1989Class Cruise — Grandma
• Father Dowling Mysteries — Victoria's Grandmother
• Quantum Leap — Millie Reynolds
• Seinfeld — Mabel Choate
• Tales from the Crypt — Witch
• 1989The Karate Kid Part III — Mrs. Milo
• 1988Big Top Pee-wee — Mrs. Haynes
• Police Story — Mary
• 1988Twins — Mother Superior
• 1987Medium Rare — Gertrude
• The Oldest Rookie
• ALF — Louise Beaumont
• 1986Blue Velvet — Aunt Barbara
• L.A. Law — Marian McConnell
• Matlock — Samantha Bergstrom, Rose Hayes
• 1986Nomads — Bertril
• Sidekicks
• Amazing Stories — Mrs Claus
• 1985Amos — Lydia
• 1985Movers & Shakers — Betty Gritz
• 1985The Eagle and The Bear
• The Golden Girls — Claire
• E/R
• Hunter — Emma Parsons, Mrs. Laskey
• Murder, She Wrote — Sarah McCoy
• 1984Second Sight: A Love Story — Old Woman
• 1984The Karate Kid — Lady with Dog
• 1983A Rose for Emily — Miss Wyatt
• 1983Little Red Riding Hood — Granny
• 1983Private School — Birdie Fallmouth
• 1983Wings — Mrs. Timmins
• American Playhouse — Mrs. Timmins
• Cagney & Lacey — Edna Kiss
• Cheers — Mrs. Brubaker
• 1982Double Exposure — Old Woman
• Faerie Tale Theatre — Granny
• Fame
• Family Ties — Mrs. Florence Menlo
• Newhart
• Remington Steele — Mother Trust
• St. Elsewhere — Mrs. Renninger
• T. J. Hooker — Mrs. Greene
• 1981A Whale for the Killing
• 1981Amy — Mrs. Lindey
• 1981Buddy Buddy — Female Patient
• 1981Callie & Son — Mabel Simpson
• Hill Street Blues — Elizabeth Mies
• 1981Honky Tonk Freeway — Mrs. Lewenowski
• Simon & Simon
• 1980The Attic — Librarian
• 1979Chilly Scenes of Winter — Mrs. Delillo
• Hart to Hart — Flower Vendor
• 1979Topper — Mrs. Quincy
• 1978Foul Play — Mrs. Russel
• Happy Days — Grandma Nussbaum