Frances Bavier

Frances Elizabeth Bavier (December 14, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American stage and television actress. Originally from New York theatre, she worked in film and television from the 1950s until the 1970s. She is widely known for her role as Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. from 1960 to 1970. Aunt Bee logged more Mayberry years (ten) than any other character. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Comedy Actress for the role in 1967. Bavier was also known for playing Amy Morgan on It's a Great Life (1954–1956).

Early life and career Bavier was born in New York City in a brownstone on Gramercy Park to Charles S. Bavier, a stationary engineer, and Mary S. (née Birmingham) Bavier. She originally planned to become a teacher after attending Columbia University. She first appeared in vaudeville, later moving to the Broadway stage.

After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925, she was cast in the stage comedy The Poor Nut. Bavier's big break came in the original Broadway production of On Borrowed Time. She later appeared with Henry Fonda in the play Point of No Return.

Bavier had roles in more than a dozen films, and played a range of supporting roles on television. Career highlights include her turn as Mrs. Barley in the classic 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still. In 1955, she played the rough and tough "Aunt Maggie" Sawtelle, a frontier Ma Barker–type character, in the Lone Ranger episode "Sawtelle's Saga End". In 1957, she played Nora Martin, mother of Eve Arden's character on The Eve Arden Show, despite the fact that Arden was less than six years younger than Bavier. That same year, Bavier guest-starred in the eighth episode of Perry Mason as Louise Marlow in "The Case of the Crimson Kiss".

She was in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show, which featured Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor and Ron Howard as Opie Taylor. She played a character named Henrietta Perkins. The episode led to The Andy Griffith Show, and Bavier was cast in the role of Aunt Bee. Bavier had a love-hate relationship with her famous role during the run of the show. As a New York City actress, she felt her dramatic talents were being overlooked, yet after playing Bee for eight seasons, she was the only original cast member to remain with the series in the spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D., for two additional seasons.

Bavier was easily offended on the set of The Andy Griffith Show and the production staff took a cautious approach when communicating with her. Series star Andy Griffith once admitted the two sometimes clashed during the series’ run. On an appearance on Larry King Live (November 27, 2003), Griffith said Bavier phoned him four months before she died and apologized for being "difficult" during the series’ run. Bavier confessed in an interview with Bill Ballard for Carolina Camera that "it is very difficult for an actress ... to create a role and to be so identified that you as a person no longer exist and all the recognition you get is for a part that is created on the screen."

Bavier won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy in 1967.

Later years In 1974, Bavier retired from acting and bought a home in Siler City, North Carolina.

Death

Bavier was described "as living a sparse life in her later years, a very quiet life". On November 22, 1989, she was admitted to Chatham Hospital, where she was kept in the coronary care unit for two weeks. She was discharged on December 4, 1989. Bavier died at 7 p.m. on December 6, 1989, two days after being released from the hospital. Bavier is interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Siler City. Her headstone includes the name of her most famous role, "Aunt Bee", and reads, "To live in the hearts of those left behind is not to die."

Filmography Year Title: Role: Notes 1931 Girls About Town Joy Uncredited 1943 O, My Darling Clementine Mrs. Asbury 1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still Mrs. Barley 1951 Mrs. Rogers 1952 The Lady Says No Aunt Alice Hatch 1952 Bend of the River Mrs. Prentiss Alternative title: Where the River Bends 1952 Sally and Saint Anne Mrs. Kitty "Mom" O'Moyne 1952 My Wife's Best Friend Mrs. Chamberlain 1952 Horizons West Martha Hammond 1953 Man in the Attic Helen Harley 1956 Woman in dinner party scene Uncredited 1958 A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed Mrs. Solitaire Alternative title: How to Rob a Bank 1959 It Started with a Kiss Mrs. Tappe 1974 Benji Lady with cat (final film role)

Television credits Year Title Role Notes 1952 Racket Squad Martha Carver 1 episode 1952–1953 Gruen Guild Playhouse Sarah Cummings 2 episodes 1953 Hallmark Hall of Fame Lou Bloor 1 episode 1953–1954 City Detective Various roles 3 episodes 1953–1954 Letter to Loretta Various roles 3 episodes 1953–1955 Dragnet Hazel Howard 3 episodes 1954 Thelma 2 episodes 1954–1955 Waterfront MarthaAmy 2 episodes 1954–1956 It's a Great Life Mrs. Amy Morgan 62 episodes 1955 Aunt Maggie Sawtelle Season 4 Episode 29: "Sawtelle Saga's End" 1955 Soldiers of Fortune Amelia Lilly 1 episode 1955 Damon Runyon Theater 1 episode 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mrs. Fergusen Season 1 Episode 1: Revenge 1956 Lux Video Theatre 1 episode 1956 Cavalcade of America Mrs. Hayes 1 episode 1957 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre 1 episode 1957 General Electric Theater Miss Trimingham 1 episode 1957 Perry Mason Louise Marlow 1 episode 1957–1958 Mrs. Nora Martin 5 episodes 1958 Colgate Theatre Season 1 Episode 8: "If You Knew Tomorrow" 1959 Mrs. Wallace 1 episode 1959 The Thin Man 1 episode 1959 Sugarfoot Aunt Nancy Thomas 1 episode 1959 Wagon Train Sister Joseph 1 episode - "The Sister Rita Story" 1959 77 Sunset Strip Grandma Fenwick 1 episode 1960 Henrietta Perkins 1 episode 1960 Rawhide Ellen Ferguson 1 episode 1960–1968 Aunt Beatrice "Bee" Taylor 175 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Comedy Series (1967) 1967 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Aunt Bee Taylor 1 episode 1968–1970 Mayberry R.F.D. Aunt Bee Taylor 24 episodes