---
name: "Elizabeth Franz"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/elizabeth-franz"
fi1m_id: "elizabeth-franz"
imdb_id: "nm0291830"
tmdb_id: 138242
wikidata_id: "Q275192"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "18 June 1941"
died: "4 November 2025"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-04T20:04:34.832557+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Elizabeth Franz

## Identity

Elizabeth Franz

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/elizabeth-franz
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** elizabeth-franz
- **IMDb ID:** nm0291830
- **TMDB ID:** 138242
- **Wikidata ID:** Q275192
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Franz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q275192, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291830/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/138242

Actor. Born 18 June 1941 in Akron, Ohio, USA. Died 4 November 2025.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 18 June 1941, Akron, Ohio, USA
- **Died:** 4 November 2025
- **Active:** 1987–2000
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 73 (2), 2000s 81 (1)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Drama 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $111m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Franz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q275192, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291830/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/138242

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*The Secret of My Success*](https://film.one/film/the-secret-of-my-success.md) (62)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Elizabeth Franz was an American stage and television actress. Born Elizabeth Jean Frankovitch in Akron, Ohio, on 18 June 1941, she trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and began her career in regional theatre before making her Broadway debut in 1967.

She was best known for her stage work, including the role of Kate Jerome in Neil Simon’s *Brighton Beach Memoirs* (1983) and *Broadway Bound* (1986), and for her Tony Award-winning performance as Linda Loman in the 1999 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s *Death of a Salesman*. Her film and television credits include *The Secret of My Success* (1987) as Grace Foster, *Sabrina* (1995), *Thinner* (1996), *Christmas with the Kranks* (2004), *Gilmore Girls*, *Law & Order* and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*.

Franz was married to actor Edward Binns from 1983 until his death in 1990, and later to Christopher Pelham. She died on 4 November 2025 in Woodbury, Connecticut, aged 84.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), Fi1m 81, as Mia Halloway — [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)
- *Roseanne* (1988), Fi1m 84, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md)
- *The Secret of My Success* (1987), Fi1m 62, as Grace Foster — [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-of-my-success.md)

## Complete filmography (42)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Take Me to the River* (2015), as Evelyn
- *Homeland* (2011), series, as Isabel Samler — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/homeland.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Emma Carroll — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Christmas with the Kranks* (2004), as Bev Scheel
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Evelyn Shelby
- *An Unexpected Love* (2003), as Dorothy
- *Story of a Bad Boy* (2001), as Nun
- *A Girl Thing* (2001), series, as Josephine McCormack
- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), series, as Mia Halloway — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)
- *Death of a Salesman* (2000), as Linda Loman
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Jeannette Henley
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Vivian Galloway
- *A Fish in the Bathtub* (1999), as Bea Greenberg
- *Walking to the Waterline* (1998), as (uncredited)
- *Twisted* (1996), as Mrs. Bundress - A Social Worker
- *Thinner* (1996), as Leda Rossington
- *The Substance of Fire* (1996), as Miss Barzakian
- *The Pallbearer* (1996), as Aunt Lucille
- *Sabrina* (1995), as Joanna
- *Notes for My Daughter* (1995), as Alice Kelly
- *Shameful Secrets* (1993), as Maryanne's Mother
- *It's Nothing Personal* (1993), as Mrs. Stromberg
- *School Ties* (1992), as Jane Dillon
- *Face of a Stranger* (1991), as Becky Brown
- *Sisters* (1991), series, Actor
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Alison Bishop — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *A Town's Revenge* (1989), as Cecile Nelson
- *Jacknife* (1989), as Pru Buckman
- *Love and Other Sorrows* (1989), as Mother
- *Monsters* (1988), series, as Mother
- *Roseanne* (1988), series, Actor — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md)
- *Dear John* (1988), series, as Emma
- *The Equalizer - The Movie: Blood & Wine* (1987), as Mrs Thomas
- *The Secret of My Success* (1987), as Grace Foster — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/the-secret-of-my-success.md)
- *The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket* (1986), as Mrs. Rice
- *Spenser: For Hire* (1985), series, Actor
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Mrs. Thomas
- *The Joy That Kills* (1985), as Aunt Josephine
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Doctor, Aunt Josephine, Mrs. Rice, Dottie McCann, Mrs. Griffin
- *The House of Mirth* (1981), as Grace Stepney
- *Pilgrim, Farewell* (1980), as Doctor
- *Another World* (1964), series, Actor

## Awards

### Other awards — 2 won, 2 nominated

- Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress 2008: Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress (won)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 2002: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1999: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (won)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1983: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/elizabeth-franz