Frances Bavier was born in New York City on December 14, 1902. Her first Broadway appearance was in April 1925 in "The Poor Nut," the start of a successful Broadway career. She traveled with the USO to entertain the U.S. troops in the Pacific during World War II. Her last appearance on Broadway was in the 1951 play, "Point of No Return" starring
Henry Fonda. It ran for 356 performances.
Her first movie was the 1951 sci-fi classic
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), which was also the first time Frances appeared with
Olan Soule. He later went on to play Mayberry's choir director, John Masters, on the
The Andy Griffith Show (1960). In the movie, they were both boarders in the rooming house where the alien stayed. She made many movies during the 50s and appeared on TV as featured characters on shows like
It's a Great Life (1954) and
The Eve Arden Show (1957) before what would become her most famous role, that of Aunt Bee to Andy Taylor (
Andy Griffith) and Opie Taylor (
Ron Howard) on
The Andy Griffith Show (1960).
Benji(1974)as Lady with the Cat
Mayberry R.F.D.(1968)as Aunt Bee Taylor, Aunt Bea
The Andy Griffith Show(1960)as Aunt Bee Taylor, Aunt Bee
Gomer Pyle: USMC(1964)as Aunt Bee, Aunt Bee Taylor
Rawhide(1959)as Ellen Ferguson
Sleeping Beauty(1959)
The Carolina Camera(1970)as Self - Actress
CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley(1979)as Self
History of the Sitcom(2021)as Aunt Bee, Aunt Bea
WatchMojo(2006)as Self - Mrs. Fergusen
The Sixties(2014)as Aunt Bee Taylor
Pioneers of Television(2008)as Self, Aunt Bee
