Fran Bennett

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Born

1937-08-14

Place of Birth

Malvern, Arkansas, USA

Fran Bennett

Biography

Fran Bennett (August 14, 1937, in Malvern, Arkansas; † September 12, 2021, in Los Angeles, California) was an American actress known for her work in theater and television. She appeared in series such as Beauty and the Beast, Little House on the Prairie, Dallas, Falcon Crest, L.A. Law, ER, Boston Legal, and Scandal. Bennett had recurring roles in General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful and appeared in films like Promises in the Dark (1979), How I Got into College (1989), New Nightmare (1994), Foxfire (1996), and Jessabelle (2014). In addition to her acting career, she was the head of the acting program at the California Institute of the Arts from 1996 to 2003 and was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2005. She passed away at the age of 84.

Gallery

Gallery Image

Acting History

2021
The Manor as Ruth
2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" as Mother Jefferson
2014
Jessabelle as Mrs. Davis
2013
The Fosters as Iris
2012
Scandal as Louis
2010
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy as Self
2009
Community as Nana
2008
Grave Misconduct as Mrs. Crutch
2006
The Book of Daniel as Lorraine
2005
Numb3rs as Estelle Brown
2004
Boston Legal as Judge Diane Avent
2003
NCIS as Mary Elaine Smith
2002
Boomtown as Beatrice Rahming
2001
Crossing Jordan as Judge
2001
The Sky is Falling as Mrs. Quinn
2000
The Next Best Thing as Judge Tracey Bennett
1999
8MM as Nun
1999
Providence as Chairwoman
1997
Sunset Beach
1996
Early Edition as Judge A. Harding Joseph
1996
Foxfire as Judge Holifield
1996
Arli$$ as Amelia Halimon
1994
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor as Judge Donna Andrews
1994
New Nightmare as Dr. Christine Heffner
1994
Once in a Lifetime as Dr. Liz Wells
1994
ER as Phyllis
1994
ER as Michelle
1994
Chicago Hope as Andrea Porter
1992
Majority Rule as Jane
1992
Melrose Place as Dr. Miller
1992
Breaking the Silence as Judge Virginia Richards
1991
The Doctor as Admissions Secretary
1990
The Knife and Gun Club as Nurse Mary Falk
1990
Capital News
1989
Mancuso, F.B.I.
1989
Nasty Boys
1989
My Dad Can't Be Crazy... Can He? as Nurse Etting
1989
How I Got Into College as Mrs. Cook
1989
Quantum Leap as Ada Simpson
1989
Quantum Leap as Marie Billings
1989
Nightingales as Head Nurse Lenore Ritt
1988
Roots: The Gift as May
1988
Nightingales as Nurse Ritt
1987
Star Trek: The Next Generation as Fleet Admiral Shanthi
1987
Jake and the Fatman as Thornton
1987
Jake and the Fatman as Judge (uncredited)
1987
Tour of Duty as Mrs. Johnson
1987
A Year in the Life as Mrs. Caldwell
1986
The Morning After as Airline Clerk
1986
ALF as Mrs. Watson
1986
L.A. Law as Judge Hillary Miller Johnson
1986
Between Two Women as Night Nurse
1986
Matlock as Betty Harding
1985
Shadow Chasers as Dr. Frolov
1985
The Twilight Zone as UN Chairman (segment "A Small Talent for War")
1984
Murder, She Wrote as Detective MacKenzie
1984
Highway to Heaven as Flora
1984
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1984
Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter as Miss Deal
1983
Romantic Comedy as Doctor #1
1982
St. Elsewhere as Nurse Julie Attucks
1982
Remington Steele as Coroner
1982
Matt Houston as Lucille
1982
Cagney & Lacey
1981
Falcon Crest as Nurse
1981
Simon & Simon as Wanda Tale
1981
The Violation of Sarah McDavid as Ms. Merriam
1979
Knots Landing as Bev Tolner
1979
Knots Landing as Dr. Faulkner
1979
Knots Landing as Kimya Haman
1979
Friendships, Secrets and Lies as Clarissa
1978
Diff'rent Strokes
1977
Lou Grant as Sarah
1977
Lou Grant as Chaney
1972
ABC Afterschool Special as Nurse Etting