Fran Drescher
Blessed with one of the most recognizable voices in entertainment, Fran Drescher rose to fame by being her authentic self, in the most literal sense: her crowning achievement was a sitcom in which she played a Jewish beautician from Queens. In real life, Drescher was a Jewish beautician from Queens. In the ensuing years, Drescher has revealed deeper sides of her personality, advocating for gay rights, sharing her past as a survivor of rape, and turning a battle with uterine cancer into a rallying cry for better healthcare for women. Not bad for a Jewish beautician from Queens. Born on September 30, 1957 in Flushing, Queens, Drescher fell in love with performing at an early age. However, when all the acting classes at Queens College were filled, she instead applied to cosmetology school. In 1978, she married Peter Marc Jacobson, a producer/writer/director/actor, and the pair moved to L.A. Drescher's first onscreen appearance was a cameo as a dancer in "Saturday Night Fever" (1978). Throughout the eighties, Drescher made a number of appearances in film and television, most notably a scene-stealing turn as publicist Bobbi Flekman in "This Is Spinal Tap" (1984). Her big break came in 1993 when she and Jacobson created a sitcom that catapulted her to superstardom. "The Nanny" (CBS, 1993-99) starred Drescher as Fran Fine, a gaudy Queens beautician who cons her way into becoming caregiver to the three children of a stuffy, widowed Broadway producer. With her massive hairdos, high-pitched nasal voice, and infectious goat-like laugh, "The Nanny" made Drescher into a household name overnight. Over six seasons, she was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and an American Comedy Award. She also got the opportunity to work with big name directors like Francis Ford Coppola on "Jack" (1996), and Woody Allen on "Picking Up the Pieces" (2000). After "The Nanny" ended in 1999, Drescher found herself at a crossroads: she and Jacobson divorced that year, though they would continue to be close friends and business partners. She was also dealing with unspecified health issues, and after months of examinations by doctors, she was finally diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000, which required an immediate radical hysterectomy. Drescher later wrote a book, Cancer Schmancer (2002), about her experiences, and in 2007 founded the Cancer Schmancer Movement, a non-profit to raise awareness about women's health. Now cancer-free, Drescher returned to television, first with a new sitcom, "Living with Fran" (The CW, 2005-06), and then with her own daytime talk show, "The Fran Drescher Show" (FOX, 2010). Unsurprisingly, her biggest success came when she reunited with her ex-husband and "Nanny" co-creator, Peter Marc Jacobson, who since splitting with Drescher had come out as gay. "Happily Divorced" (TV Land, 2011-13) starred Drescher as a florist who is best friends with her gay ex-husband, played by John Michael Higgins. The show was well-received by critics and lasted for three seasons. On the big screen, Drescher voiced Eunice for four different iterations of the "Hotel Transylvania" (2012) franchise. Drescher was next seen starring in Dan Levy's network sitcom "Indebted" (NBC, 2020- ).
Photos
Fran Drescher
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | VC Andrews' Dawn: Midnight Whispers | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | DO NOT USEV.C. Andrews' Dawn | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
47% |
|
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania | Eunice (Voice) | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Christmas Setup | Kate Spencer (Character) | - | 2020 |
86% |
|
Safe Spaces | Diane (Character) | - | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Creatress | Carrie Robards (Character) | - | 2019 |
62% |
|
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation | Eunice (Voice) | $167.5M | 2018 |
57% |
|
Hotel Transylvania 2 | Eunice (Voice) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Skum Rocks! | Unknown (Character) | - | 2013 |
45% |
|
Hotel Transylvania | Eunice (Voice) | $167.9M | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
|
Shark Bait | Pearl (Voice) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Beautiful Girl | Amanda Wasserman (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Picking Up the Pieces | Sister Frida (Character) | - | 2000 |
22% |
|
The Beautician and the Beast |
Joy Miller (Character), Executive Producer |
$11.5M | 1997 |
17% |
|
Jack | Dolores 'D.D.' Durante (Character) | $58.6M | 1996 |
0% |
|
Car 54, Where Are You? | Velma Velour (Character) | $1.1M | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Without Warning: Terror in the Towers | Rosemarie Russo (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | We're Talkin' Serious Money | Valerie (Character) | - | 1993 |
58% |
|
Cadillac Man | Joy Munchack (Character) | $26.9M | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wedding Band | Veronica (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love and Betrayal | Germaine (Character) | - | 1989 |
96% |
|
This Is Spinal Tap | Bobbi Flekman (Character) | $188.8K | 1984 |
33% |
|
Doctor Detroit | Karen Blittstein (Character) | - | 1983 |
84% |
|
Ragtime | Mameh (Character) | - | 1981 |
14% |
|
The Hollywood Knights | Sally (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet |
|
Gorp | Evie (Character) | - | 1980 |
20% |
|
Stranger in Our House | Carolyn Baker (Character) | - | 1978 |
67% |
|
American Hot Wax | Sheryl (Character) | - | 1978 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 46% | V.C. Andrews' Dawn | Agnes Morris (Character) | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Superstar | Self | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2011-2012 2019-2023 |
No Score Yet | 60% | Mr. Mayor | Angelica Masters (Guest Star) | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nick Cannon | Guest | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 28% | The Drew Barrymore Show | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrity Family Feud | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 54% | The Kelly Clarkson Show | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest | 2009-2011 2014 2020 |
25% | 38% | Indebted | Debbie (Character) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | 55% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2020 |
64% | 81% | Alone Together | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Next Food Network Star | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Home & Family | Guest | 2016 2018 |
99% | 87% | Broad City | Beverly Baumgarten (Guest Star) | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Doctors | Guest | 2011 2013 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Dr. Oz Show | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2012 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tavis Smiley | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 63% | Hell's Kitchen | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Millionaire Matchmaker | Self | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrity Home Raiders | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Happily Divorced |
Fran (Character), Executive Producer |
2011-2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Larry King Now | Guest | 2012 |
36% | No Score Yet | Glenn Martin, DDS | Unknown (Guest Voice) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Guest | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2008 |
65% | 82% | Entourage | Mrs. Levine (Guest Star) | 2008 |
No Score Yet | 76% | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Elaine Dockerty (Guest Star) | 2006 |
85% | 76% | The Simpsons | Female Golem (Guest Voice) | 2006 |
0% | No Score Yet | Living With Fran |
Unknown (Character), Executive Producer, Writer |
2005-2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What I Like About You | Fran Reeves (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Strong Medicine | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Good Morning, Miami | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sesame Street | Music Performer | 2000 |
No Score Yet | 72% | The Nanny |
Fran Fine (Character), Writer, Creator, Executive Producer, Director, Producer |
1993-1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Space Ghost: Coast to Coast | Guest | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Civil Wars | Norma Baker (Guest Star) | 1992 |
No Score Yet | 79% | ALF | Roxanne (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Who's the Boss? | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1985-1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 227 | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fame | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1982 |