Frances Bay, a petite and prolific character actress, made her screen debut at the age of 59 in the 1978 comedy film Foul Play, marking the beginning of a long and fruitful career in both films and television shows.
Throughout her career, Bay frequently portrayed eccentric elderly women and good-hearted grandmothers in a wide range of pictures and television programs. Her versatility as an actress allowed her to take on a variety of roles, from sweet and dotty to gruff and profane.
Frances Bay had the privilege of working with acclaimed director David Lynch on several occasions, including the iconic films Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, as well as the cult TV series Twin Peaks. She also appeared in two films directed by Stuart Gordon, The Pit and the Pendulum and Edmond.
Bay's filmography includes a diverse array of roles, such as a snippy librarian in The Attic, a mysterious blind nun in Nomads, and a fortune teller in Edmond. She also had notable roles in Happy Gilmore, In the Mouth of Madness, and The Commish.
In addition to her work in film, Bay had a prolific career in television, with guest appearances on popular shows such as Happy Days, Who's the Boss?, Seinfeld, Charmed, ER, Matlock, The X-Files, Murder, She Wrote, The Golden Girls, and Touched by an Angel. She won a Gemini Award for her performance in the Disney TV program Avonlea.
Frances Bay was also an accomplished stage actress, with Off-Broadway and regional theater credits including "Finnegan's Wake," "Grease," "Genuis," "The Caucasion Chalk Circle," "Number Our Days," "Uncommon Women," "Sarcophagus," and "The Pleasure of His Company." She won two DramaLogue Awards and was nominated for a Los Angeles Dramatic Critics' Award.
Despite facing challenges, including an automobile accident in 2002 that resulted in the amputation of part of her right leg, Bay remained a strong and unassuming individual with a deep love for jazz music.
