Frances Bay
ActingFrances Evelyn Bay (née Goffman; January 23, 1919 – September 15, 2011) was a Canadian-American character actress known for playing a variety of quirky elderly women on film and television. In a career that spanned 35 years, she acted in a variety of roles both in film and television. After initial success in radio and stage plays, she became "The Girlfriend to the Canadian Forces" on CBC Radio during World War II, boosting troops' spirits. Marriage and a move to the U.S. led to a hiatus, during which she studied acting with Uta Hagen in New York. Returning to acting at 60, Bay featured in Foul Play and gained recognition in various TV shows like Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and films such as The Wedding Planner and Twins. Her versatile career spanned over 50 films and numerous TV series, earning her awards and nominations. Notably, she appeared in the final episodes of sitcoms Seinfeld, Who’s the Boss?, and Happy Days. Bay was inducted in Canada's Walk of Fame in 2008.
Known For
The Karate Kid
Lady with Dog
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
Happy Gilmore
Grandma
Blue Velvet
Aunt Barbara
Twins
Mother Superior
Wild at Heart
Madam
The Karate Kid Part III
Mrs. Milo
In the Mouth of Madness
Mrs. Pickman
The Wedding Planner
Dottie
Single White Female
Elderly Neighbor
Filmography — Acting
The Karate Kid
Lady with Dog
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
Happy Gilmore
Grandma
Blue Velvet
Aunt Barbara
Twins
Mother Superior
Wild at Heart
Madam
The Karate Kid Part III
Mrs. Milo
In the Mouth of Madness
Mrs. Pickman
The Wedding Planner
Dottie
Single White Female
Elderly Neighbor
Inspector Gadget
Thelma
Arachnophobia
Evelyn Metcalf
The Grifters
Arizona Motel Clerk
Foul Play
Mrs. Russel
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
Private School
Birdie Fallmouth
Big Top Pee-wee
Mrs. Haynes
Critters 3
Mrs. Menges
Nomads
Bertril
Goodbye Lover
Old Woman
Edmond
Fortune Teller
Krippendorf's Tribe
Edith Proxmire
Bare Knuckles
Rosie Mcintyre
Honky Tonk Freeway
Mrs. Lewenowski
Amy
Mrs. Lindey
Callie & Son
Mabel Simpson
Sparkler
Raspy
Chilly Scenes of Winter
Mrs. Delillo
Buddy Buddy
Female Patient
Double Exposure
Old Woman
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
Mrs. Lewis
The Pit and the Pendulum
Esmeralda
Movers & Shakers
Betty Gritz
Repo Chick
Granma De La Chasse
The Neighbor
Aunt Sylvia
Medium Rare
Gertrude
The Movie Hero
Wise Old Woman
Never Too Late
Elisabeth Kronner
Topper
Mrs. Quincy
Oh, Baby
Edna Winchester
A Rose for Emily
Miss Wyatt
Kiss The Bride
Ring Around the Rosie
Nanna
Second Sight: A Love Story
Old Woman
Finder's Fee
Mrs. Darmsetter
Inside Monkey Zetterland
Grandma
Amos
Lydia
A Whale for the Killing
Stranger Than Fiction
Mrs. Steiner
In the Land of Milk and Money
Grandma Shallot
The Operator
Mrs. Sloan
Annie's Point
Older Woman
Changing Habits
Midge
The Eagle and The Bear
The Attic
Librarian
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive
Iva Ruth McKinney
Pickin' and Grinnin'
Grandma Johnson
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
Aunt Barbara
Class Cruise
Grandma
Little Red Riding Hood
Granny
Forever Love
Martha Craddock
Wings
Mrs. Timmins
The Paperboy
Mrs. Rosemont
Rossini's Ghost
Rosalie