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Frances Bay

Highest Rated: 95% Blue Velvet (1986)

Lowest Rated: 15% The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

Birthday: Jan 23, 1919

Birthplace: Mannville, Alberta, Canada

Frances Bay's diminutive stature and doddering appearance certainly have her typecast. But the actress's tireless work ethic kept her incredibly active since she first appeared on screen in 1978 -- at the tender age of 60. Her bit part as the elderly Mrs. Russel in the comedic mystery "Foul Play," starring Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn, led to more bit parts as the old woman in everything from the legendary TV comedy series "The Jeffersons" to the big-screen classic coming-of-age story "The Karate Kid." She is probably most identifiable for her role in the 1996 comedy "Happy Gilmore," in which former hockey player (Adam Sandler) takes up professional golf to rescue the house owned by his grandmother (played by Bay) from seizure by the IRS. Devotees of the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld," however, will always remember her as Mrs. Choate, the woman Jerry refers to as an "old bag" as he steals her marble rye. She returned in two more episodes, including the series' conclusion, but this wasn't her first show finale; she had previously appeared in the closing acts of both "Happy Days" and "Who's the Boss?" Bay's own finale came in 2011 when, at the age of 92, she passed away from complications caused by pneumonia, just shortly after completing her finale role, Aunt Ginny on the family sitcom "The Middle."

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Highest rated movies

95% 88% Blue Velvet
Watchlist
89% 83% The Karate Kid Watchlist
75% 58% Inside Monkey Zetterland
Watchlist
74% 69% Foul Play
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62% 85% Happy Gilmore
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60% 58% Finder's Fee
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59% 74% In the Mouth of Madness
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53% 44% Single White Female
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50% 41% The Pit and the Pendulum
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45% 57% The Operator
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Short on Time Edith (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 25% Ring Around the Rosie Nanna (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet In the Land of Milk and Money Grandma Shallot (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 66% Annie's Point Older Woman (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 86% The Movie Hero Wise Old Woman (Character) - 2003
60% 58% Finder's Fee Mrs. Darmsetter (Character) - 2001
17% 59% The Wedding Planner Dottie (Character) $60.4M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bratty Babies Maggie Winchester (Character) - 2001
45% 57% The Operator Mrs. Sloan (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 85% The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Mrs. Lewis (Character) - 1999
20% 18% Inspector Gadget Thelma Burr (Character) $97.4M 1999
No Score Yet 91% Forever Love Dr. Berris (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 22% Changing Habits Midge (Character) - 1997
62% 85% Happy Gilmore Grandma Gilmore (Character) $38.8M 1996
No Score Yet 67% Rossini's Ghost Unknown (Character) - 1996
59% 74% In the Mouth of Madness Mrs. Pickman (Character) $8.9M 1995
No Score Yet 33% The Paperboy Mrs. Rosemont (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Neighbour Aunt Sylvia (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet By Way of the Stars Annie Pyle (Character) - 1992
75% 58% Inside Monkey Zetterland Grandma (Character) - 1992
53% 44% Single White Female Elderly Neighbor (Character) $46.2M 1992
50% 41% The Pit and the Pendulum Esmeralda (Character) - 1991
15% 35% The Karate Kid Part III Mrs. Milo (Character) $36.8M 1989
95% 88% Blue Velvet Aunt Barbara (Character) $8.6M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Amos Lydia (Character) - 1985
89% 83% The Karate Kid Lady with dog (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 38% Private School Birdie Fallmouth (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 30% The Attic Librarian (Character) - 1980
74% 69% Foul Play Mrs. Russel (Character) - 1978

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 88% The Middle Aunt Ginny (Guest Star) 2009-2011
No Score Yet 88% Hannah Montana Cathy (Guest Star) 2006
No Score Yet 72% My Wife and Kids Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet 90% Charmed Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
6% No Score Yet Bob Patterson Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet 85% ER Georgia (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hughleys Unknown (Guest Star) 1998-2000
33% No Score Yet Style & Substance Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction? Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
43% No Score Yet C-16 Miss Wilson (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Diagnosis Murder Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Life With Roger Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
89% 92% Seinfeld Mrs. Choate (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Courthouse Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Commish Ardith Cannon (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Marshal Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
74% 86% The X-Files Dorothy (Guest Star) 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dave's World Unknown (Guest Star) 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who's the Boss? Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
0% No Score Yet Baby Talk Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet 90% Quantum Leap Millie Reynolds (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Mrs. Laskey (Guest Star) 1988 1991
78% 92% Twin Peaks Mrs. Tremond (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet 79% ALF Virginia Russell (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Newhart Unknown (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet 94% The Golden Girls Claire (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Sister Sam Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Last Precinct Unknown (Guest Star) 1986
97% 85% Hill Street Blues Elizabeth Mies (Guest Star) 1986
87% 95% Cheers Mrs. Brubaker (Guest Star) 1986
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fame Unknown (Guest Star) 1985
68% No Score Yet E/R Unknown (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alice Unknown (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Happy Days Grandma Nussbaum (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Dukes of Hazzard Aunt Hortense (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jeffersons Mrs. Wilson (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hart to Hart Unknown (Guest Star) 1979-1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Mary Tyler Moore Show Maid (Guest Star) 1977