Frances Bavier
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.
Known For
Credits
- 1974 · Benji as Lady with the Cat
- 1968 · Mayberry R.F.D. as Aunt Bee Taylor
- 1964 · Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. as
- 1960 · The Andy Griffith Show as Aunt Bee Taylor
- 1959 · It Started with a Kiss as Mrs. Tappe
- 1959 · Rawhide as
- 1958 · A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed as Mrs. Solitaire
- 1958 · 77 Sunset Strip as
- 1957 · Perry Mason as Louise Marlow
- 1957 · The Thin Man as
- 1957 · Sugarfoot as Nancy Thomas
- 1957 · The Eve Arden Show as
- 1956 · The Blessed Midnight as Mrs. Hayes
- 1956 · The Bad Seed as Woman at Dinner Party (uncredited)
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Mrs. Fergusen
- 1954 · It's a Great Life as Mrs. Amy Morgan
- 1953 · Man in the Attic as Helen Harley
- 1953 · The Danny Thomas Show as Henrietta Perkins
- 1953 · Letter to Loretta as Mrs. Logan
- 1953 · Letter to Loretta as Aunt Marty
- 1953 · Letter to Loretta as Aunt Meg
- 1953 · City Detective as
- 1953 · Revlon Mirror Theatre as
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Miss Trimingham
- 1952 · Horizons West as Martha Hammond
- 1952 · My Wife's Best Friend as Mrs. Chamberlain
- 1952 · The Ford Television Theatre as
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as Mrs. Hayes
- 1952 · Sally and Saint Anne as Mrs. Kitty 'Mom' O'Moyne
- 1952 · Bend of the River as Mrs. Prentiss
- 1952 · The Lady Says No as Alice Hatch
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Lou Bloor
- 1951 · Dragnet as
- 1951 · The Stooge as Mrs. Rogers
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as
- 1951 · The Day the Earth Stood Still as Mrs. Barley, boarder
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as Martha
- 1950 · Lux Video Theatre as
- 1931 · Girls About Town as Joy - Party Girl (uncredited)