Elizabeth Jean Frankovitch (June 18, 1941 – November 4, 2025), known professionally as Elizabeth Franz, was an American stage and television actress.
Early life Franz was born Elizabeth Jean Frankovitch in Akron, Ohio, on July 18, 1941.Abbotson, Susan C. W. (2007). Critical Companion to Arthur Miller: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Facts on File. p. 392. . Her father, Joseph Frankovitch, worked in a tire factory. Her half Irish, half Native American mother, Harriet, had mental problems that sometimes frightened Franz when she was a child. In childhood she decided to become an actress as a way of releasing emotions that she had to hold in while dealing with her parents. She had two brothers and a sister, and she graduated from Copley High School in Copley Township, Ohio, in 1959.
Although her mother never thought Franz would succeed as an actress, she wanted to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) and worked as a secretary at Ohio Edison to save enough money to enroll there. An AADA teacher warned her that despite being a good actress, she might not get roles before she reached age 40.
Life and career Billed as Betty Frankovitch, Franz acted at the Weathervane Theater in Akron. She acted with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 1968–1970.
In 2004–05, she appeared at the Royal National Theatre in London, in the Sam Shepard play Buried Child. She starred in numerous Off-Broadway and regional theater productions, including the American premiere of Frank McGuinness's Bird Sanctuary. She also appeared in Long Day's Journey into Night, The Glass Menagerie, The Comedy of Errors, Madwoman of Chaillot, The Lion in Winter, A View from the Bridge, The Matchmaker, The Wizard of Oz, Great Expectations, The Model Apartment, and Woman in Mind.
Her "subtly layered performance" as Grandma Kurnitz in the 2017 Weston Playhouse Theatre Company production of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers was duly noted by Rutland Herald critic Jim Lowe, who deemed Franz's portrayal the "dramatic backbone" of the production, "allowing only traces of the octogenarian's love and humanity to seep through."Lowe, Jim (July 25, 2017). "'Lost in Yonkers' Deeply Satisfying; Review (Continued from Page B1)". pp. B1, B2. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
Franz's Tony-winning performance as Linda Loman in the 50th anniversary production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman proved a revelation to audiences and author alike, as evidenced by Miller's brief but pointed tribute. She has discovered in the role the basic underlying powerful protectiveness, which comes out as fury, and that in the past, in every performance that I know of, was simply washed out.
On television, Franz was most notably a character actor. She became best known for her role as the villainous Alma Rudder on Another World, which she portrayed from 1982–83, while she was performing Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway. She played Helen Wendall on As the World Turns from 1994–95, and appeared as free-spirited beauty salon owner Marsha in three episodes of Roseanne.
She appeared in the series Gilmore Girls, as the inn owner, Mia, and in Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Cold Case, Dear John, and Judging Amy.
Franz appeared in such feature films and motion pictures as Sabrina, Christmas with the Kranks, The Substance of Fire, The Pallbearer, Thinner, The Secret of My Success, School Ties, and Jacknife.
Personal life and death Franz married actor Edward Binns in 1983, and they remained wed until his death in 1990. She died from cancer at her home in Woodbury, Connecticut on November 4, 2025, at the age of 84. At the time of her death, she was married to Christopher Pelham.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 Pilgrim, Farewell Doctor 1987 The Secret of My Success Grace Foster 1989 Jacknife Pru Buckman 1992 School Ties Jane Dillon 1993 It's Nothing Personal Unknown 1995 Sabrina Joanna 1996 The Pallbearer Aunt Lucille The Substance of Fire Miss Barzakian Thinner Leda Rossington Twisted Mrs. Bundrass 1999 A Fish in the Bathtub Bea Greenberg 2004 Christmas with the Kranks Bev Scheel Loopy Doris Highsmith Short Film 2005 The Reader Sissel Short Film 2009 In Memoriam Woman Short Film Alone SarahShort Film 2015 Take Me to the River Evelyn
Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 The House of Mirth Grace Stepney TV movie 1982 American Playhouse Doctor Episode: "Pilgrim, Farewell" 1982 Another World Alma Rudder Episode: "July 30, 1982" 1985 Spenser: For Hire Mrs. O'Rourke Episode: "Original Sin" 1986 American Playhouse Mrs. Rice Episode: "The Rise and Rise and Daniel Rocket" 1987 The Equalizer Mrs. Thomas Episode: "Blood and Wine" 1987 American Playhouse Dottie McCann Episode: "Dottie" 1989 ABC Afterschool Special Cecile Nelson Episode: "A Town's Revenge" 1989 American Playhouse Unknown Episode: "Love and Other Sorrows" 1990 Roseanne Marsha 3 episodes 1991 Face of a Stranger TV movie 1993 Shameful Secrets Maryanne's Mother TV movie 1994–1995 Sisters Gladys Lear 2 episodes 1995 ABC Afterschool Special Alice Kelly Episode: "Notes for My Daughter" 2000 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman TV movie 2000–2001 Judging Amy Vivian Galloway 2 episodes 2001 A Girl Thing Josephine McCormack TV movie 2001 Gilmore Girls Mia Episode: "The Ins and Outs of Inns"2003 Cold Case Evelyn Shelby Episode: "Look Again" An Unexpected Love Dorothy TV movie 2004 Law & Order Alison Bishop Episode: "Married with Children" 2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jeannette Henley Episode: "Scavenger" 2011 Homeland Isabel Samler Episode: "Marine One" 2012 Grey's Anatomy Emma Carroll Episode: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1960 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Ambassador/Soldier Alvin Theatre, Broadway 1967 The Death of the Well-Loved Boy The Daughter St. Marks Playhouse, Off-Broadway 1975 Augusta Perfromer Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway 1975 Long Day's Journey Into Night Mary Tyrone Indiana Repertory Theatre 1977 The Cherry Orchard Sharlotta Ivanovna Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway 1981 Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You Sister Mary Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway 1981 A View From the Bridge Beatrice Carbone Berkshire Theatre Festival 1983 Brighton Beach Memoirs Kate Jerome Alvin Theatre, Broadway 1985 The Octette Bridge Club Nora Music Box Theatre, Broadway 1985 Children of the Sun Yelena Mirror Repertory Company, Off-Broadway 1986 Broadway Bound Kate (Replacement) Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway 1990 The Cemetery Club Ida Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway 1991 Getting Married Mrs. Bridgenorth Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 1992 The Wizard of Oz The Wicked Witch of the West Paper Mill Playhouse 1992 Great Expectations Miss Havisham Paper Mill Playhouse 1993 The Madwoman of Chaillot Mlle. Gabrielle Williamstown Theatre Festival 1993 The Lion in Winter Eleanor of Aquitaine Cleveland Playhouse 1994 The Matchmaker Mrs. Dolly Levi McCarter Theatre 1995 Uncle Vanya Maria Vasilyevna Voinitskaya Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 1997 Minutes from the Blue Route Mother Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway 1997 Woman in Mind Susan Berkshire Theatre Festival 1998 The Cripple of Inishmaan Kate The Public Theater, Off-Broadway 1999 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway 2000 Long Day's Journey Into Night Mary Tyrone Syracuse Stage 2001 The Model Apartment Lola Long Wharf Theatre 2002 Morning's at Seven Aaronetta Gibbs Lyceum Theatre, Broadway 2003 Such Small Hands Cassandra/Lucy Syracuse Stage 2004 Buried Child Halie Royal National Theatre 2005 Bird Sanctuary Eleanor Pittsburgh Public Theater 2006 Driving Miss Daisy Daisy Werthan Syracuse Stage 2007 Howard Katz Ellie Roundabout Theatre Company, Off-Broadway 2007 The Piano Teacher Mrs. K Vineyard Theatre, Off-Broadway 2007 The Autumn Garden Mrs. Mary Ellis Williamstown Theatre Festival 2010 The Miracle Worker Aunt Ev Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 2010 Fifth of July Sally Friedman Williamstown Theatre Festival 2015 A Month in the Country Anna Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway 2017 Lost in Yonkers Grandma Kurnitz Westport Country Playhouse
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 1982 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actress in a Play Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You 1982 Obie Awards Obie Award for Performance Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You 1983 Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Play Brighton Beach Memoirs 1990 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special ABC Afterschool Special 1999 Joseph Jefferson Awards Actress in a Supporting Role in a Play Death of a Salesman 1999 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actress in a Play Death of a Salesman 1999 Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Play Death of a Salesman 2000 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Death of a Salesman 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Death of a Salesman 2001 Elliot Norton Awards Outstanding Actress, Large Company Death of a Salesman 2001 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Awards Lead Actress in a Play Death of a Salesman 2002 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Morning's at Seven 2002 Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Play Morning's at Seven 2008 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actress The Piano Teacher
References
Sources Isherwood, Charles (November 19, 2007). "In a Quiet Suburb, a Quiet Life Darkened", New York Times
External links
The Piano Teacher (review), nytimes.com; accessed November 8, 2016.