Frances Bavier

Frances Bavier Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Place Of Birth

Manhattan, USA

Age

120 years old

Birth Date

December 14 1902

Frances Bavier Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Actress

Education & Qualifications

Columbia University

Net Worth

$1,500,000

Parents

Mary Birmingham Bavier, Charles S. Bavier

Frances Bavier was an American TV, film, and stage actress.
From the '50s to '70s, Frances Bavier was regularly seen in movies and on television. She was popularly known for her role as Aunt Bee on 'The Andy Griffith Show'.
Frances Bavier was born on December 14, 1902, in Manhattan, New York, in the United States to parents Mary Birmingham Bavier and Charles S. Bavier. She attended Columbia University as well as the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. The actress was married to Russell Carpenter. She was just 25 years old when she started her career. She featured in a few films and made appearances in a supporting role in multiple television shows.
The actress died on December 6, 1989, eight days before her birthday. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, arthritis, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The cause of her death was congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery disease.
Frances Bavier is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Siler City, North Carolina, in the United States and her headstone includes the name 'Aunt Bee', her most famous role in 'The Andy Griffith Show' and the quote 'To live in the hearts of those left behind is not to die' on it.
Let's discover more about Frances Bavier's personal and professional life in this article.

What was Frances Bavier’s net worth?

The stage actor Frances Bavier had an estimated net worth of $1.5 million at the time of her death. The actress made her fortune from appearing in movies and TV shows as well as from her stage performances.

How much did Frances Bavier earn per year?

Frances Bavier made much of her income from movies and TV shows. However, the exact annual earnings of Bavier are not known.

How tall was Frances Bavier?

The stage actor Frances Bavier was 5 ft 8 in (172 cm) tall.

How old was Frances Bavier?

Frances Bavier was 86 years of age when she died. She died eight days before her 87th birthday, on December 6, 1989, after suffering from major health issues. She is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Siler City, North Carolina, in the United States.

Frances Bavier was born on December 14, 1902, in Manhattan, New York City, in the United States, to parents Mary S. (née Birmingham) Bavier and Charles S. Bavier, a stationary engineer.
She graduated from Columbia University and planned on becoming a teacher. She got an opportunity to make her Broadway debut in the play 'The Poor Nut'. She enjoyed it so much that she made the decision of pursuing acting as a full-time career. She later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925 and her acting career was boosted.

Who was Frances Bavier’s partner?

Frances Bavier was married to Russell Carpenter, a military man. The couple got married in 1928 and got divorced in 1933, due to conflicts arising because of different career prospects.

Best Known For…

Originally from New York Theatre, Frances Bavier worked in many films and TV shows and was just 25 years of age when she started her career. Let's look into a few of her significant works.
Frances Bavier made her Broadway debut with the play 'The Poor Nut' and decided on pursuing acting as a full-time career. She later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and appeared in 'On Borrowed Time', an original Broadway production. This was one of the most successful stage performances of hers. She then appeared in the play 'Point Of No Return'.
In 1931, the actress made her film debut with the romantic comedy film 'Girls About Town'. She played the uncredited role of Joy. She played another uncredited role in the movie 'The Bad Seed'. In 1951, Frances Bavier made her first classic film 'The Day The Earth Stood Still', and played the role of Mrs. Barley. This movie was a commercial success making money that is twice its budget. She played another significant role as Aunt Alice Hatch in the 1952 movie 'The Lady Said So'.
In 1952, she made her first appearance on a TV show as Martha Carver in the series 'Racket Squad'. She appeared as Aunt Maggie Sawtelle in the show 'The Lone Ranger' that aired in 1955. She also appeared in 'The Danny Thomas Show' as Henrietta Perkins in 1960. Her second-longest appearance with 62 episodes was in the series 'It's A Great Life' that aired between 1954 and 1956, where she played the character of Mrs. Amy Morgan. With 175 episodes, her longest appearance was in 'The Andy Griffith Show', where she played the role of Aunt Beatrice Taylor. The show aired from 1960 to 1968 and the actress won an award for her performance. Although her relationship on the show was bitter-sweet with everyone, especially with Andy Griffith, she made herself a major part of the show for eight seasons. Her last film 'Benji' was released in 1974 where she played the role of the lady with the cat. The film had a huge commercial success.
Frances Bavier is best known for her role as Aunt Bee in 'The Andy Griffith Show'. The show has 175 episodes. The actress was 58 years old when she starred in the show. She didn't get along with Andy Griffith as they had communication barriers. They weren't able to express their chemistry on-screen and it didn't appear believable. Bavier felt her talent was being ignored and she decided to leave the show.
In an interview, Griffith mentioned that he called Frances Bavier four months before her death and apologized for being hard on her.

Charity Work

Frances Bavier left a $100,000 trust fund for the police force in Siler City, North Carolina. Every December, the money is divided among 20 employees approximately as a bonus.

What awards did Francis Bavier win?

In the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Frances Bavier won the Primetime Emmy Award in 1967 for her performance in 'The Andrew Griffith Show'.

• Frances Bavier's full name is Frances Elizabeth Bavier.
• She never had any children.
• Frances Bavier was easily offended in 'The Andy Griffith Show' and had a love-hate relationship with her character.
• She played the character of Nora on 'The Eve Arden Show'. She also played Mrs. Kitty in 'Sally And The Saint Anne'.
• She retired from acting in 1972 and bought a home in Siler City, North Carolina and fell in love with the city.
• She often wrote inspirational letters to her fans.
• Frances Bavier promoted Christmas and Easter Seal Societies from her home in North Carolina.
• She lived a very quiet life in her later years.
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