Frances Bay

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.

Cast

Inspector Gadget
Thelma
Blue Velvet
Aunt Barbara
Ring Around the Rosie
Nanna
The Wedding Planner
Dottie
In the Mouth of Madness
Mrs. Pickman
Finder's Fee
Mrs. Darmsetter
Big Top Pee-wee
Mrs. Haynes
Amos
Lydia
Twins
Mother Superior
Happy Gilmore
Grandma
Nomads
Bertril
Stranger Than Fiction
Mrs. Steiner
Bare Knuckles
Rosie Mcintyre
Chilly Scenes of Winter
Mrs. Delillo
Foul Play
Mrs. Russel
The Paperboy
Mrs. Rosemont
The Grifters
Arizona Motel Clerk
The Pit and the Pendulum
Esmeralda
Second Sight: A Love Story
Old Woman
Double Exposure
Old Woman
Rossini's Ghost
Rosalie
Class Cruise
Grandma
The Neighbor
Aunt Sylvia
Amy
Mrs. Lindey
Sparkler
Raspy
Pickin' and Grinnin'
Grandma Johnson
Topper
Mrs. Quincy
Inside Monkey Zetterland
Grandma
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
Aunt Barbara
Callie & Son
Mabel Simpson
The Karate Kid Part III
Mrs. Milo
A Whale for the Killing
Unknown
Wild at Heart
Madam
The Eagle and The Bear
Unknown
The Attic
Librarian
Critters 3
Mrs. Menges
Arachnophobia
Evelyn Metcalf
Edmond
Fortune Teller
Oh, Baby
Edna Winchester
Little Red Riding Hood
Granny
Annie's Point
Older Woman
Repo Chick
Granma De La Chasse
Private School
Birdie Fallmouth
Single White Female
Elderly Neighbor
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
Mrs. Lewis
A Rose for Emily
Miss Wyatt
Forever Love
Martha Craddock
Buddy Buddy
Female Patient
Medium Rare
Gertrude
The Karate Kid
Lady with Dog
Never Too Late
Elisabeth Kronner
Goodbye Lover
Old Woman
Honky Tonk Freeway
Mrs. Lewenowski
Movers & Shakers
Betty Gritz
Krippendorf's Tribe
Edith Proxmire
The Movie Hero
Wise Old Woman
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive
Iva Ruth McKinney
Changing Habits
Midge
Wings
Mrs. Timmins
Kiss The Bride
Unknown
The Operator
Mrs. Sloan
In the Land of Milk and Money
Grandma Shallot