Fran Drescher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fran Drescher
Drescher in 2018
3rd National President of SAG–AFTRA
Incumbent
Assumed office October 15, 2021
Preceded by	Gabrielle Carteris
Personal details
Born	Francine Joy Drescher (1957-09-30) September 30, 1957 (age 67) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Peter Marc Jacobson ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1999)​
Domestic partner	Shiva Ayyadurai (2014–2016)
Education	Queens College, CUNY (no degree)
Signature

Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress and a leader in a trade union. She is currently the national president of SAG-AFTRA, which is a union for actors and other media professionals. Fran Drescher is widely known for playing Fran Fine in the TV show The Nanny (1993–1999). She also helped create and produce this show with her former husband, Peter Marc Jacobson.

Drescher first appeared on screen in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. She then acted in other movies like American Hot Wax (1978) and Stranger in Our House (1978). In the 1980s, she became known for her comedic roles in films such as Gorp (1980) and UHF (1989). She also made guest appearances on several TV shows.

In 1993, she became very famous with her own sitcom, The Nanny. For her role in this show, she was nominated for two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Later, in the 2000s, Drescher starred in other sitcoms like Living with Fran and Happily Divorced. From 2012 to 2022, she also lent her voice to characters in the animated Hotel Transylvania film series. In 2014, Drescher performed on Broadway for the first time in Cinderella. In 2020, she starred in the NBC sitcom Indebted.

In 2021, members of the SAG-AFTRA union, which represents actors and other media workers, chose Drescher as their president. She started this role on October 15, 2021. Drescher led the union during a five-month strike by actors that began on July 14, 2023. This strike happened at the same time as a strike by writers, which had started in May 2023. She was re-elected for a second two-year term as SAG-AFTRA president in August 2023.

Fran Drescher's Early Life

Francine Joy Drescher was born on September 30, 1957, in Queens, a part of New York City. Her mother, Sylvia Drescher, was a bridal consultant, and her father, Morty Drescher, worked as a naval systems analyst. Her family is Jewish and has roots in parts of Europe like Romania and Poland. She has an older sister named Nadine. In 1973, when she was a teenager, Drescher was the first runner-up for "Miss New York Teenager."

She went to Parsons Junior High School and then Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, Queens. At Hillcrest, she met Peter Marc Jacobson, who would later become her husband in 1978. They divorced in 1999. Drescher graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1975. One of her classmates was the comedian Ray Romano. Fran Drescher's character, Fran Fine from The Nanny, and Ray Romano's character, Ray Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond, even met at a high school reunion in an episode of The Nanny. Drescher and Jacobson started at Queens College, City University of New York, but they left during their first year because all the acting classes were full. They then decided to go to cosmetology school.

Fran Drescher's Acting Career

Starting Out in Movies and TV

Drescher's first big chance in acting was a small part as a dancer named Connie in the movie Saturday Night Fever (1977). In this film, she had a memorable line to John Travolta's character. A year later, she started getting more attention in movies like American Hot Wax (1978) and Summer of Fear (1978). She also took on a serious role in the 1981 film Ragtime.

During the 1980s, Drescher became a successful character actress. She appeared in films such as Gorp (1980), The Hollywood Knights (1980), Doctor Detroit (1983), and UHF (1989). She was especially remembered for her role as publicist Bobbi Flekman in This Is Spinal Tap (1984). She also made guest appearances on several TV shows, including Who's the Boss? in 1985 and Night Court. In 1991, Drescher co-starred in the CBS sitcom Princesses, which was short-lived.

The Nanny and Film Success

Drescher in 1996

In 1993, Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson created their own TV show called The Nanny. The show was on CBS from 1993 to 1999, and Drescher quickly became a big star. In this sitcom, she played Fran Fine, a woman who accidentally became the nanny for three children: Margaret, Brighton, and Grace Sheffield. With her funny personality and charm, she won over their father, Maxwell Sheffield, a proper British gentleman and Broadway producer (Charles Shaughnessy). Drescher also appeared in the films Jack (1996), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and The Beautician and the Beast (1997), which she also helped produce. She was also the voice of "Pearl" in the animated movie Shark Bait (2006).

Returning to Television Roles

In the 2000s, Drescher returned to television with both main and guest roles. In 2005, she starred in the sitcom Living with Fran. In this show, she played Fran Reeves, a mother of two who was living with a much younger man. Her former Nanny co-star, Charles Shaughnessy, appeared as her ex-husband. Living with Fran was canceled in 2006 after two seasons.

In 2006, Drescher was a guest star in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She also appeared in an episode of Entourage and voiced a female golem in The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XVII". In 2011, the sitcom Happily Divorced, which Drescher created with her ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobson, began airing on TV Land. The show was renewed for a second season and ran until 2013.

Broadway Performances

Drescher made her Broadway debut on February 4, 2014, in the musical Cinderella. She played the stepmother, Madame, for a 10-week period. She also played this role during the North American tour in Los Angeles in 2015. Drescher has also performed in other stage productions, including Love, Loss, and What I Wore and Camelot at the Lincoln Center. In 2020, it was announced that Drescher and Jacobson were writing a musical version of The Nanny.

Leading the Actors' Union

In 2021, Drescher decided to run for president of the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union. She mentioned her experience in entertainment and her background in politics as reasons for her candidacy. On September 2, 2021, SAG-AFTRA announced that Drescher had won the election.

On July 13, 2023, after SAG-AFTRA members voted to allow a strike, Drescher announced that the SAG-AFTRA strike would begin the next day. This strike happened at the same time as the Writers Guild of America strike (WGA strike). The actors' strike ended with a temporary agreement between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which the SAG-AFTRA board approved. Drescher was elected for a second two-year term as SAG-AFTRA president in August 2023.

On July 25, 2024, Drescher announced that SAG-AFTRA would begin a strike against major video game publishers. This strike officially started on July 26, 2024. The strike ended on July 9, 2025, after SAG-AFTRA members voted to approve a new agreement. This agreement included better safety measures for performers, especially for motion capture actors, and increased pay.

Fran Drescher's Personal Life

Fran Drescher met Peter Marc Jacobson when she was 15 years old. They were high school sweethearts and got married when she was 21. They divorced in 1999. They did not have any children. Drescher and Jacobson are still good friends and work together on projects. She has said that their love is "unique, rare, and unconditional."

In September 2014, Drescher and Shiva Ayyadurai had a ceremony at Drescher's beach house. While it was widely reported as a marriage, Ayyadurai later clarified it was a spiritual celebration of their friendship. They separated two years later.

Health and Advocacy

Drescher at a press conference for the Austrian charity Dancer Against Cancer, 2010

After experiencing symptoms for two years and being misdiagnosed by several doctors, Drescher was diagnosed with uterine cancer on June 21, 2000. She had surgery to treat the disease and was declared cancer-free. Drescher wrote about her experiences in her book, Cancer Schmancer. She wrote this book to help people learn about the early signs of cancer and to feel more in control of their health.

Cancer Schmancer Movement

On June 21, 2007, seven years after her surgery, Drescher started the Cancer Schmancer Movement. This is a non-profit organization that works to make sure all women's cancers are found early, when they are easiest to cure. She celebrated being cancer-free for ten years on June 21, 2010. Drescher believes that people need to take charge of their health and work with their doctors. She also wants people to speak up to lawmakers about improving healthcare and early cancer detection. Her work as a healthcare advocate in Washington, D.C., helped pass a law known as Johanna's Law.

Public Service and Charity

Drescher and Goli Ameri in 2008

In September 2008, Drescher, who is a Democrat, was appointed as a U.S. diplomat by the George W. Bush administration. Her official title was Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women's Health Issues. In this role, she traveled around the world to support U.S. efforts to raise awareness about women's health, cancer detection, and patient advocacy. Her first trip included visits to Serbia, Hungary, and her family's home countries of Romania and Poland.

Drescher has also supported various charities. In April 2014, she helped raise donations for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. She also became an ordained minister so she could legally perform wedding ceremonies for LGBT couples.

Awards and Recognition

Elke Winkens, Fran Drescher and Bill Clinton at the Life Ball, 2009

Fran Drescher has received many awards for her work and advocacy. These include the John Wayne Institute's Woman of Achievement Award and the City of Hope Woman of the Year Award. In 2006, she received the City of Hope Spirit of Life Award, which was presented to her by Senator Hillary Clinton. In 2010, she was honored at the "Dancer against Cancer" charity ball in Vienna, Austria, where she received the first "My Aid Award" for her efforts in cancer prevention. In 2021, Drescher was given the LifeSaver Award by ELEM/Youth in Distress.

Fran Drescher's Film and TV Work

Movies

Television Shows

Theater Performances

Books Written by Fran Drescher

See also

In Spanish: Fran Drescher para niños