Elizabeth Franz, Known for Stage and Screen Roles, Dead at 84
Award-winning actress Elizabeth Franz has passed away at the age of 84 after a battle with cancer. Franz was a powerhouse on Broadway for decades and also had numerous significant roles in television and movies. Here is a look at her long, storied career.
Elizabeth Franz’s Broadway and Off-Broadway Career
Perhaps best known for her time on Broadway, Franz won a Tony for her role as Linda Loman in the 50th-anniversary staging of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” in 1999. She was also nominated for Tony Awards for her work in “Brighton Beach Memoirs” (1983) and “Morning’s at Seven” (2002). Some of her other major Broadway credits include: Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors,” “The Miracle Worker,” Dickens’ “Great Expectations” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”
Franz won awards for her off-Broadway work as well. She took home an Obie Award for her role in “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You” in 1982. In 2008, Franz won a Lucille Lortel Award for her role in “The Piano Teacher.”
On The Silver Screen
Over the years, Franz took on several notable movie roles. Her first silver screen role came as Grace Foster in the Michael J. Fox vehicle “The Secret of My Success.” Some of Franz’s other movie credits include “Jacknife,” “Sabrina,” “The Pallbearer,” “Thinner” and “Christmas with the Kranks.”
Franz’s Small Screen Roles
Over the years, Franz was nominated for three awards for her work on television. She received a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1990 for her work in the ABC Afterschool Special “A Town’s Revenge.” Franz was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2000 for her role in “Death of a Salesman.” She was also nominated for a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award in 2001 for that role. Many will remember Franz from her short stints on “Gilmore Girls” and “Roseanne.” She also made guest appearances on shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Law & Order,” “Spenser: For Hire,” “The Equalizer,” “Homeland” and “Cold Case.”
Closing the Curtain on a Stellar Career
Franz was a beloved actress for decades, getting her start in the business in 1967. Colleagues of stage and screen alike will sorely miss her talent and presence, as will her many fans.
