Don Francks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don Francks
Francks in 2014
Born	(1932-02-28)February 28, 1932 Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Died	April 3, 2016(2016-04-03) (aged 84) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Other names	Iron Buffalo
Occupation	Actor, musician, singer
Years active	1954–2016
Spouse(s)	Nancy Sue Johnson ​ ​ (m. 1962; div. 1967)​ Lili Clark ​ (m. 1968)​
Children	5, including Cree Summer and Rainbow Sun Francks

Don Harvey Francks (February 28, 1932 – April 3, 2016) was a talented Canadian actor, musician, and singer. He was also known by his stage name, Iron Buffalo. Don Francks was famous for his many roles in TV shows and movies. He also lent his voice to popular cartoon characters.

Don Francks' Early Life

Don Harvey Francks was born on February 28, 1932. He was adopted when he was very young. His mother worked in a music store. His father was an electrician. As a child, Don loved to imitate singers on the radio in Vancouver. He left high school at age 15. After that, he worked in different jobs before starting his acting career.

Don Francks' Amazing Career

Acting Roles

Don Francks started his acting journey with CBC Television. He appeared in shows like Burns Chuckwagon from the Stampede Corral in 1955. He also acted in Riding High that same year. In 1959, he was in the drama The Fast Ones.

In 1957, he had a part in the American TV series The Adventures of Tugboat Annie. This show was filmed in Toronto, Canada. He returned to Canadian TV for Cannonball (1958) and Long Shot (1959). From 1959 to 1960, he starred in the CBC-TV series R.C.M.P.. He played Constable Bill Mitchell in this show.

In 1968, Don Francks acted alongside famous stars Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. This was for the movie version of Finian's Rainbow. He also performed on Broadway in musicals like On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

During the 1960s, he appeared in many American TV shows. These included Mission: Impossible and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. He was also in The Wild Wild West and Mannix.

Don Francks narrated This Land, a CBC-TV documentary series. This show explored Canadian nature and wildlife. He even played the writer Grey Owl in one episode.

Later, from 1997 to 2001, he played "Walter" in La Femme Nikita (TV series). In 2015, he played "Lizard" in the series Gangland Undercover. His film work includes My Bloody Valentine and Johnny Mnemonic.

Music Talents

Don Francks was also a talented musician. He wrote songs and played several instruments. These included the trombone, drums, and flute. He performed in famous jazz clubs. Some of these were George's Spaghetti House in Toronto. He also played at the Village Vanguard in New York City.

In 1963, he released his first solo album. It was called Jackie Gleason Says No One in This World Is Like Don Francks. He recorded it live at the Village Vanguard. Two years later, he released his second album, Lost... and Alone. His final album, 21st Century Francks, came out in 2014.

Don Francks also had an avant-garde jazz group called Three. They performed in Toronto and New York City. The group even appeared in a documentary called Toronto Jazz.

Voice Acting

Don Francks was a well-known voice actor. He voiced Archie Goodwin for a Canadian radio series in 1982. He was also the voice of "Skunk" in the animated TV show My Dad the Rock Star.

He voiced Boba Fett in an episode of Star Wars: Droids. He also voiced many characters in Inspector Gadget. His daughter, Cree Summer, also voiced Penny in the same show. Don Francks was the voice of Mok Swagger in the 1983 animated film Rock and Rule. He also voiced Sabretooth on X-Men.

Don Francks' Personal Life

Don Francks loved riding motorcycles. He also collected antique cars. His collection included twelve Model-T Ford racing cars. These cars were from 1912 to 1927. He cared about the environment and supported Greenpeace. He also supported the Tibetan independence movement.

Don Francks passed away in Toronto on April 3, 2016. He died from lung cancer.

Selected Filmography

Don Francks appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of his notable roles:

Film

Television

Videogames

Awards and Recognition

Don Francks received an ACTRA Award for Best Dramatic Performance. He won this award for his work in Drying Up the Streets and The Phoenix Team. These awards were given in 1980 and 1981.

Discography

Here is a list of albums released by Don Francks: