Frances Bavier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frances Bavier
Frances Bavier (1964)
Born	Frances Elizabeth Bavier (1902-12-14)December 14, 1902 Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Died	December 6, 1989(1989-12-06) (aged 86) Siler City, North Carolina, U.S.
Resting place	Oakwood Cemetery, Siler City, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma mater	Columbia University American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1927–1974
Known for	The Andy Griffith Show Mayberry R.F.D. It's a Great Life

Frances Elizabeth Bavier (born December 14, 1902 – died December 6, 1989) was an American actress. She was famous for her work on stage, in movies, and on television.

Frances Bavier is best known for playing Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show. She played this role from 1960 to 1968. She continued playing Aunt Bee in the spin-off show, Mayberry R.F.D., until 1970. Aunt Bee was on screen for ten years, longer than any other character from Mayberry. Frances Bavier won an Emmy Award in 1967 for her role as Aunt Bee. She also played Amy Morgan in the TV series It's a Great Life from 1954 to 1956.

Early Life and Acting Career

Frances Bavier was born in New York City. Her family lived in a brownstone building near Gramercy Park. Her father, Charles S. Bavier, was an engineer.

Frances first wanted to be a teacher and studied at Columbia University. But she soon found her love for acting. She started performing in vaudeville shows. Later, she moved to the famous Broadway stage in New York.

After finishing her studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925, she got a part in a play called The Poor Nut. A big moment in her career was when she acted in the Broadway play On Borrowed Time. She also performed with famous actor Henry Fonda in the play Point of No Return.

Frances Bavier acted in many movies and TV shows. In 1951, she played Mrs. Barley in the classic science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. In 1955, she was "Aunt Maggie" Sawtelle in an episode of The Lone Ranger. She also appeared in an episode of Perry Mason in 1957.

Becoming Aunt Bee

Frances Bavier appeared in an episode of Make Room for Daddy. This episode was special because it introduced characters like Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffith, and Opie Taylor, played by Ron Howard. Frances played a character named Henrietta Perkins in this episode.

This episode led to the creation of The Andy Griffith Show. Frances Bavier was then chosen to play the beloved character of Aunt Bee. Even though she became very famous as Aunt Bee, Frances sometimes found it hard. As a serious New York actress, she felt her other acting talents were not always recognized.

She played Aunt Bee for eight seasons on The Andy Griffith Show. She was the only main cast member to stay with the show when it became Mayberry R.F.D. for two more seasons.

Andy Griffith, the show's star, once said that he and Frances sometimes had disagreements on set. However, he shared that Frances called him a few months before she passed away. She apologized for being "difficult" during the show's filming. Frances Bavier once explained in an interview that it was hard for her to be so known for one role. She felt that people sometimes forgot her as a person and only saw her as Aunt Bee.

In 1967, Frances Bavier won the Emmy Award for her amazing performance as Aunt Bee.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1972, Frances Bavier decided to stop acting. She moved to Siler City, North Carolina, and bought a home there. She said she loved North Carolina's beautiful roads and trees.

Frances Bavier was known for being very private in her later years. She lived a quiet life in Siler City. She enjoyed promoting Christmas and Easter Seal Societies. She often wrote kind letters to fans who asked for her autograph.

She also left a generous gift for the police force in Siler City. She set up a trust fund of $100,000. The money earned from this fund is given as a bonus to the police employees every December.

Death

Frances Bavier's gravestone in 2017

Frances Bavier passed away on December 6, 1989. She was almost 87 years old. She had been in the hospital for a couple of weeks before she died.

She is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Siler City, North Carolina. Her gravestone has her famous character's name, "Aunt Bee," on it. It also has a special message: "To live in the hearts of those left behind is not to die."

Filmography

Television Credits

See also

In Spanish: Frances Bavier para niños