Fran Ryan Movies, TV Shows, and Filmography
Fran Ryan
Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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 at the age of 6, at Oakland's Henry Duffy Theatre, in Northern California. She attended Stanford University for three years, and during World War II was a member of the USO entertaining troops. She performed comedy, singing and acting on stage in California and Chicago but was not to launch her television career for two decades. Her small screen debut came in an episode on Television's Batman, in 1966, followed by a bit part in Beverly Hillbillies. Ryan's best known television role was as Aggie Thompson in The Doris Day Show (in its first incarnation plotline theme), though the gig only lasted a few months. This role was 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 Barbara Pepper, who by then was in poor health. Sadly, Miss Pepper died just five months later of heart ailments, on July 15, 1969. Ryan also starred on the long running TV Western series Gunsmoke during its twentieth and final season 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. Ryan died on January 15, 2000, at age 83. She is buried in the family plots alongside her mother, at the Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, in Hayward, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Fran Ryan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography Movies
Acting
The Long Riders
The origins, exploits and the ultimate fate of the James gang is told in a sympathetic portrayal of the bank robbers made up of brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge.
Private School
Private-school student Christine loves Jim. But her classmate, Jordan, is also vying for Jim's attention and trying to end his relationship with Christine. Meanwhile, Jim's friend Bubba embarks on a series of sexual escapades, including dressing up as a woman to access the girls' locker room. Despite Jim and Christine's efforts to spend some time alone, various shenanigans and schemes interfere.
Quiet Cool
Joe Dylanne, a tough New York City police officer, is summoned to Northern California at the behest of Katy Greer, an old flame. Katy desperately needs Joe's help after the brutal killings of much of her family at the hands of rural marijuana dealers. Upon arriving in the area, Joe discovers that local law enforcement isn't helpful, and he must team up with Katy's survivalist nephew, to take down the murderous criminals.
Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge
Will Mannon, "product of the Devil's loins", is released from a frontier prison and promptly goes in search of the people who put him there around twelve years ago, Marshal Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty Russell.
Suture
A man named Clay flies into Phoenix for a reunion with his long-lost half-brother Vincent.
Hog Wild
A Chicago man and his family move to an Idaho pig farm, where he's crippled by an angry sow.
River of Rage: The Taking of Maggie Keene
A white water rafting vacation turns into a nightmare when divorced mother Maggie Keene must confront the deadly and charismatic killer who is stalking her. The hunt is on, and Maggie's desperation to stay alive proves to be a worthy match for her killer, the river, and the dangerous elements she is forced to survive.
The Adventures of Nellie Bly
A "Classics Illustrated" account of pioneer female journalist Nellie Bly, who became a legend through her exposes of corruption and inhumane conditions in New York of the 1880s in "The New York World."
Ghost Dancing
Farm widow Sarah Bowman has been impoverished by the siphoning of her water supply. A nearby big-city aqueduct has priority over water rights, leaving the rural outskirts virtually dry. Attempting to bring her cause to the forefront, Sarah dynamites the reservoir, half-hoping that she'll be "martyred" in the process. When she fails to arouse public support, she targets the local power plant for her next blast. Assistant DA Anne Greyfeather, who as an orphaned Indian girl was virtually raised by Sarah, decides to challenge the water-department bureaucracy on McGuire's behalf.
Johnny Belinda
While attempting to set up a communal garden in a poverty stricken rural community, Bill Richmond becomes aware of a mute, disheveled girl named Belinda. Written off as mentally handicapped by the community, including her harsh father, Belinda intrigues Bill. He persists in making contact, discovering that Belinda is in fact deaf. Bill finds that he can communicate with Belinda using sign language, and teaches her to sign.
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