Fran Ryan

Fran Ryan

  • Birthday: 1916-11-29
  • Deathday: 2000-01-15
  • Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Biography

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Fran Ryan (November 29, 1916 – January 15, 2000) was an American character actress featured in television and films. She was born in Los Angeles, California. Fran Ryan began performing at the age of 6, at Oakland's Henry Duffy Theatre, in Northern California. She attended Stanford University for three years, and during World War II was a member of the USO entertaining troops. She performed comedy, singing and acting on stage in California and Chicago but was not to launch her television career for two decades. Her small screen debut came in an episode on Television's Batman, in 1966, followed by a bit part in Beverly Hillbillies. Ryan's best known television role was as Aggie Thompson in The Doris Day Show (in its first incarnation plotline theme), though the gig only lasted a few months. This role was cut short because she was offered the 'replacement' role on the hit series Green Acres as Doris Ziffel from 1969-1971. Fran was to replace Barbara Pepper, who by then was in poor health. Sadly, Miss Pepper died just five months later of heart ailments, on July 15, 1969. Ryan also starred on the long running TV Western series Gunsmoke during its twentieth and final season as Miss Hannah (Cobb). In 1987, she reprised the role of Miss Hannah in the TV movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge. Fran Ryan played the role of Sister Agatha in the soap opera General Hospital in (1979). She also did voices for cartoons such as Hong Kong Phooey, Mister T and Little Dracula. Fran starred on some TV shows for children like Sigmund and the Sea Monsters in 1975 as Gertrude Grouch, and in 1970s children's show The New Zoo Revue as Ms. Goodbody, the 1980s TV series No Soap, Radio as Mrs. Belmont, the short lived 1980s CBS TV series The Wizard as Tillie Russell from 1986-1987. Her last regular TV role was on The Dave Thomas Comedy Show. She starred in many feature films, including Flush (1977), Big Wednesday (1978), Take This Job and Shove It (1981), Pale Rider (1985), Chances Are, and in her scene-stealing cameo in 1981's Stripes, as a tortured cab fare to Bill Murray as the cabbie, in the opening scenes of the comedy film. Ryan made guest appearances on TV shows ranging from Batman, Adam-12, CHiPs, Quantum Leap, Night Court, Baywatch to The Commish. Fran Ryan was often compared to actress Marjorie Main; they looked similar to one another. Ryan died on January 15, 2000, at age 83. She is buried in the family plots alongside her mother, at the Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, in Hayward, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Fran Ryan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

The Front Line

1965

As Haughty Customer

Christmas Mountain

1981

As Flora

Lucky Stiff

1988

As Ma

Private School

1983

As Miss Dutchbok

Rebel Love

1985

As Granny Plug

Eyes of Fire

1983

As Sister (Calvin's Wife)

Fuzzbucket

1986

As Mrs. Langendorf

Johnny Belinda

1982

As Aunt Aggie McAdam

Father of Hell Town

1985

As Mother Maggie

Suture

1993

As Mrs. Lucerne

Nick Knight

1989

As Jeannie

Stalk the Wild Child

1976

As Ellen Mott

Tough Enough

1983

As Gert Long

Goldie and the Boxer

1979

As Ethel

Quiet Cool

1986

As Ma

Americana

1981

As Colonel

Out Cold

1989

As Arlene

Deadly Game

1977

As Frieda Beezly

Savannah Smiles

1982

As Farmer Wilma

The Adventures of Nellie Bly

1981

As Mrs. Roman

Scandalous John

1971

As Farm Woman

Straight Time

1978

As Cafe Owner

Long Way Home

1975

As Marvis Bidwell

Pale Rider

1985

As Ma Blankenship

Chances Are

1989

As Mavis Talmadge

Hog Wild

1974

As Flora

The Apple Dumpling Gang

1975

As Mrs. Stockley

The Great Brain

1978

As Aunt Bertha

The Long Riders

1980

As Mrs. Samuel

Ghost Dancing

1983

As Judge

Stripes

1981

As Dowager in Cab

Big Wednesday

1978

As Lucy

Thanksgiving Day

1990

As Lois

Family Plot

1976

As Registrar Clerk (uncredited)

The Million Dollar Duck

1971

As Mrs. Purdham (uncredited)

The Sure Thing

1985

As Lady in Car

Rocky II

1979

As Adrian's Nurse (uncredited)

Stewardess School

1986

As Fainting Lady

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