
Frances Bay
Known for department: Acting
Birthday: 1919-01-23 – 2011-09-15
Place of birth: Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Biography
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.
Known for

Inspector Gadget
1999Thelma
Blue Velvet
1986Aunt Barbara
Ring Around the Rosie
2006Nanna
The Wedding Planner
2001Dottie
In the Mouth of Madness
1995Mrs. Pickman
Finder's Fee
2001Mrs. Darmsetter
Big Top Pee-wee
1988Mrs. Haynes
Amos
1985Lydia
Twins
1988Mother Superior
Happy Gilmore
1996Grandma
Nomads
1986Bertril
Stranger Than Fiction
2000Mrs. Steiner
Bare Knuckles
2010Rosie Mcintyre
Chilly Scenes of Winter
1979Mrs. Delillo
Foul Play
1978Mrs. Russel
The Paperboy
1994Mrs. Rosemont
The Grifters
1990Arizona Motel Clerk
The Pit and the Pendulum
1991Esmeralda
Second Sight: A Love Story
1984Old Woman