Fran Ryan

Fran Ryan (November 29, 1916 – January 15, 2000) was an American character actress featured in television and films. She was born in Los Angeles, California.

Fran Ryan began performing since the tender of of age of 6, at Oakland's Henry Duffy Theatre, in Northern California. Later ahe attended Stanford University for three years, and during World War II was a member of the USO entertaining troups. She had done comedy, singing and acting on stage, some in Chicago, prior to her television career. Another two decades would pass before Fran Ryan's roles came on the screen. He screen small debut came in an episode on Television's Batman, in 1966, followed by a bit part in Beverly Hillbillies. Soon after, came Ryan's best known television role on The Doris Day Show (in its first incarnation plotline theme) in a recurring role as Aggie Thompson, though the gig only lasted a few months. The role cut short, because she was offered the 'replacement' role on the hit series Green Acres as Doris Ziffel from 1969-1971. Fran was to replace the original actress to play the recurring role of 'Doris Ziffel', due to the poor health of veteran actress Barbara Pepper, who originated the character. Sadly, Miss Pepper died just 5 months later of heart ailments, on July 15, 1969.

Ryan also starred on the long running TV Western series Gunsmoke as Miss Hannah (Cobb). In 1987, she reprised the role of Miss Hannah in the TV movie Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.

Fran Ryan played the role of Sister Agatha in the soap opera General Hospital in (1979). She also did voices for cartoons such as Hong Kong Phooey, Mister T and Little Dracula. Fran starred on some TV shows for children like Sigmund and the Sea Monsters in 1975 as Gertrude Grouch, and in 1970s children's show The New Zoo Revue as Ms. Goodbody, the 1980s TV series No Soap, Radio as Mrs. Belmont, the short lived 1980s CBS TV series The Wizard as Tillie Russell from 1986-1987. Her last regular TV role was on The Dave Thomas Comedy Show.

She starred in many feature films, including Flush (1977), Big Wednesday (1978), Take This Job and Shove It (1981), Pale Rider (1985), Chances Are, and in her scene-stealing cameo in 1981's Stripes, as a tortured cab fare to Bill Murray as the cabbie, in the opening scenes of the comedy film.

Ryan made guest appearances on TV shows ranging from Batman, Adam-12, CHiPs, Quantum Leap, Night Court, Baywatch to The Commish.

Fran Ryan was often compared to actress Marjorie Main; they looked similar to one another. Miss Ryan died on January 15, 2000. She was 83, and was buried in the family plots along side her mother, at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, in Hayward, Ca.

Selected filmography

External links

• Fran Ryan at the Internet Movie Database
• Fran Ryan at the Internet Broadway Database
• The Wizard Official Fansite & Definitive Cyberhome