As an American character actress, Fran Ryan was a familiar face on stage, screen and television from her theatrical stage debut in the 1950s and continuing for nearly three decades. Ryan's similarity to actress Marjorie Main was soon noticed in the late 1960s, and she frequently played tough, mean-lipped, earthy and gruff but lovable female characters. One of Ryan's first major television roles w ...
show all As an American character actress, Fran Ryan was a familiar face on stage, screen and television from her theatrical stage debut in the 1950s and continuing for nearly three decades. Ryan's similarity to actress Marjorie Main was soon noticed in the late 1960s, and she frequently played tough, mean-lipped, earthy and gruff but lovable female characters. One of Ryan's first major television roles was playing Aggie Thompson, the housekeeper on "The "Doris Day Show, The" (1968)" and quickly found her place as a last-minute replacement on several television shows. She replaced the late Barbara Pepper in playing Doris Ziffel on the final season of "Green Acres" (1965)". She also successfully succeeded 'Amanda Blake' to play Miss Hannah on the final season of "Gunsmoke" (1955)". Ryan's best-known TV credits include "General Hospital" (1963)" and "No Soap, Radio" (1982)". Ryan also had supporting roles in major motion pictures including "Big Wednesday (1978)", "Long Riders (1980)", "Stripes (1981)", "Savannah Smiles (1982)", "Private School (1983)", "Eyes of Fire (1983)" and Clint Eastwood's "Pale Rider (1985)". Although she was never far from television, she returned to play Hannah the Barbarian in short lived animated series "Little Dracula" (1991)". Fran Ryan passed away at her home in Burbank, California on January 15th 2000 of natural causes.
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