Frances Bavier

Born: 1902-12-14

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Frances Elizabeth Bavier (December 14, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American stage and television actress. Originally from New York theatre, Bavier worked in film and television from the 1950s. She is best known for her role of Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. from 1960–70. Aunt Bee logged more Mayberry years (ten) than any other character. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Comedy Actress for the role in 1967. Bavier had roles in more than a dozen films, as well as playing a range of supporting roles on television. Career highlights include her turn as Mrs. Barley in the classic 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still. In 1955, she played the rough and tough "Aunt Maggie" Sawtelle, a frontier Ma Barker-type character, in the Lone Ranger episode "Sawtelle's Saga End". In the episode, she fights with Tonto while the Lone Ranger battles with her nephew. At the conclusion, Tonto says that he would like to trade opponents next time. In 1957, she played Nora Martin, mother to Eve Arden's character on The Eve Arden Show, despite the fact that Arden was only 6 or 7 years younger than Bavier. That same year, Bavier guest-starred in the eighth episode of Perry Mason as Louise Marlow in "The Case of the Crimson Kiss". She was in an episode of Make Room for Daddy, which featured Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor and Ron Howard as Opie Taylor. She played a character named Henrietta Perkins. The episode led to The Andy Griffith Show, and Bavier was cast in the new role of Aunt Bee. Bavier had a love-hate relationship with her famous role during the run of the show. As a New York City actress, she felt her dramatic talents were being overlooked, yet after playing Bee for eight seasons, she was the only original cast member to remain with the series in the spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D., for two additional seasons.


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The Day the Earth Stood Still

as Mrs. Barley, boarder
Released: 1951-09-28

An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face...

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Man in the Attic

as Helen Harley
Released: 1953-12-23

London, 1888: on the night of the third Jack the Ripper killing, soft-spoken Mr. Slade, a...

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The Bad Seed

as Woman at Dinner Party (uncredited)
Released: 1956-09-12

Air Force Colonel Kenneth Penmark and his wife, Christine, adore their daughter Rhoda, despite...

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Bend of the River

as Mrs. Prentiss
Released: 1952-01-23

Two men with questionable pasts, Glyn McLyntock and his friend Cole, lead a wagon-train load of...

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Benji

as Lady with the Cat
Released: 1974-10-17

Benji is a stray who has nonetheless worked his way into the hearts of a number of the...

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The Stooge

as Mrs. Rogers
Released: 1951-11-15

Bill Miller is an unsuccessful Broadway performer until his handlers convince him to enhance his...

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Horizons West

as Martha Hammond
Released: 1952-10-11

Brothers Dan and Neil Hammond return to Texas after the Civil War. Ambitious Dan turns to...

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Sally and Saint Anne

as Mrs. Kitty 'Mom' O'Moyne
Released: 1952-07-01

An Irish-American girl asks the saint to guide her family and save them from an alderman.

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It Started with a Kiss

as Mrs. Tappe
Released: 1959-08-19

While on leave in New York, a serviceman both weds a chorus girl and wins a red convertible in a...

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The Lady Says No

as Alice Hatch
Released: 1952-01-06

The feminist author of a national best-seller titled The Lady Says No meets a sexist magazine...

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Girls About Town

as Joy - Party Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1931-11-07

A dynamic duo in silk and ermine entertain hick businessmen looking for a good time while in...

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A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed

as Mrs. Solitaire
Released: 1958-12-01

Two bunglers (Tom Ewell, Mickey Rooney) rob a bank and buy a racehorse, then try to rob another...

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The Blessed Midnight

as Mrs. Hayes
Released: 1956-12-18

When a boy steals a cake for his beloved aunt on Christmas Eve, his young friend tries to set...

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My Wife's Best Friend

as Mrs. Chamberlain
Released: 1952-10-09

When a man confesses to his wife that he has been unfaithful, she imagines all the different...

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Perry Mason

as Louise Marlow
First aired: 1957-09-21

The cases of master criminal defense attorney Perry Mason and his staff who handled the most...

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The Andy Griffith Show

as Aunt Bee Taylor
First aired: 1960-10-03

The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised on CBS between October 3, 1960 and...

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77 Sunset Strip

as uncredited
First aired: 1958-10-10

Stu Bailey and Jeff Spencer are the wisecracking, womanizing private-detective heroes of this...

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Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

as uncredited
First aired: 1964-09-25

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September...

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Mayberry R.F.D.

as Aunt Bee Taylor
First aired: 1968-09-23

Mayberry R.F.D. is an American television series produced as a spin-off and direct continuation...

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The Ford Television Theatre

as uncredited
First aired: 1952-10-02

This show started in New York City, with Broadway actors and actresses. It then moved to...

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Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Mrs. Fergusen
First aired: 1955-10-02

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

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Dragnet

as uncredited
First aired: 1951-12-16

Follows the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his...

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The Thin Man

as uncredited
First aired: 1957-09-20

Nick Charles was a private detective who married the wealthy Nora and decided to settle down and...

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Cavalcade of America

as Mrs. Hayes
First aired: 1952-10-01

Cavalcade of America is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company,...

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Lux Video Theatre

as Martha
First aired: 1950-10-02

Lux Video Theatre is an American anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1959. The...

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Lux Video Theatre

as uncredited
First aired: 1950-10-02

Lux Video Theatre is an American anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1959. The...

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Rawhide

as uncredited
First aired: 1959-01-09

The tale of trail boss Gil Favor and his trusty foreman Rowdy Yates as they drives cattle across...

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The Danny Thomas Show

as Henrietta Perkins
First aired: 1953-09-29

Danny Thomas, an entertainer, tries to balance his home life with the needs of his career, with...

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Sugarfoot

as Nancy Thomas
First aired: 1957-09-17

Sugarfoot is an American western television series that aired on ABC from 1957 to 1961. The...

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Letter to Loretta

as Mrs. Logan
First aired: 1953-09-20

Letter to Loretta is an American anthology drama series telecast on NBC from September 1953 to...

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Letter to Loretta

as Aunt Marty
First aired: 1953-09-20

Letter to Loretta is an American anthology drama series telecast on NBC from September 1953 to...

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Letter to Loretta

as Aunt Meg
First aired: 1953-09-20

Letter to Loretta is an American anthology drama series telecast on NBC from September 1953 to...

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City Detective

as uncredited
First aired: 1953-09-07

Crime drama starring Rod Cameron as 43-year-old Bart Grant, a tough 1950s New York City police...

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Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Lou Bloor
First aired: 1951-12-24

Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark...

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General Electric Theater

as Miss Trimingham
First aired: 1953-02-01

General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was...

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