Cute, tiny, and prolific little old lady character actress Frances Bay worked constantly in both films and TV shows alike after making her debut at the age of 59 in life with a small part in the comedy
Foul Play (1978) in 1978.
She frequently portrayed eccentric elderly women and good-hearted grandmothers in all kinds of pictures and television programs. Frances acted several times for
David Lynch: she's
Kyle MacLachlan's sweet doddery aunt in
Blue Velvet (1986), a gruff, profane whorehouse madam in
Wild at Heart (1990), and the spooky Mrs. Tremond in the cult TV series
Twin Peaks (1990) and its spin-off feature
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992).
Frances popped up in two movies for director
Stuart Gordon: she's a kind witch in
The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) and a fortune teller in
Edmond (2005).
Other notable film roles include a snippy librarian in
The Attic (1980), a mysterious blind nun in the offbeat
Nomads (1986), another librarian in
In the Mouth of Madness (1994), and
Adam Sandler's loving grandmother in the hit comedy
Happy Gilmore (1996).
Frances had the unique distinction of guesting on the final episodes of the TV shows
Happy Days (1974),
Who's the Boss? (1984), and
Seinfeld (1989).
Among the many TV series Bay had guest spots on are
Charmed (1998),
ER (1994),
Matlock (1986),
The X-Files (1993),
Murder, She Wrote (1984),
The Commish (1991),
L.A. Law (1986),
Hill Street Blues (1981),
Touched by an Angel (1994),
The Golden Girls (1985), and
Amazing Stories (1985).
She won a Gemini Award for her performance in the Disney TV program
Avonlea (1990).
Frances was also in the music video for
Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend." In addition to her substantial movie and TV credits, Bay also acted in both Off-Broadway stage productions and regional theater; these plays include "Finnegan's Wake," "Grease," "Genuis," "The Caucasion Chalk Circle," "Number Our Days," "Uncommon Women," "Sarcophagus," and "The Pleasure of His Company." Frances won two Drama-Logue Awards and was nominated for a Los Angeles Dramatic Critics' Award.
In 2002 Bay was the unfortunate victim of an automobile accident which resulted in having part of her right leg amputated. Her husband
Charles sadly died in 2002 as well.
In real life Frances Bay was a very practical and unassuming woman with an avid love for jazz music.
Blue Velvet Lost Footage(2014)as Aunt Barbara
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces(2014)as Mrs. Tremond (Chalfont)
The Middle(2009)as Aunt Ginny
Bare Knuckles(2010)as Rosie Mcintyre
Pickin' & Grinnin'(2010)as Grandma Johnson
Futurestates(2010)
VideoZone(1989)as Self
Happy Gilmore 2(2025)as Self
What Happens in A Wife's Nightmare?(2022)as Self
18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards(2012)as Self - In Memoriam
Seinfeld: Inside Look(2004)as Self
Happy Gilmore: Deleted Scenes(2005)as Grandma
