My Name Is Frances - Not Aunt Bee! Quiz

Answer: Frances Elizabeth Bavier

Bavier's parents, Charles and Mary, lived in Gramercy Park, New York City. After originally planning to become a teacher, Bavier instead became involved in vaudeville, and later, with Broadway productions. At one time she used Hazel Howard as her stage name.

She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1925; her big break, which came in 1938, was starring in the stage production of "On Borrowed Time". She played the grandmother of the orphan, John 'Pud" Northrup. Together with her husband, they took Pud in and raised him after the death of his parents. Death, however, had other plans for Pud and his grandparents. Over her long career, Bavier appeared in thirteen films, and had supporting roles in many well-known television shows, such as "Rawhide", "Wagon Train", and "Dragnet", where she appeared in three episodes as Hazel Howard.

Answer: Point of No Return

Bavier's first appearance on Broadway was in 1925 in "The Poor Nut". Her last appearance there was in 1951 in the play, "Point of No Return", which ran for 356 performances. Written by Paul Osborn, the play was based on a novel by John P. Marquand, who wrote the story about a man, Charles Gray, who is seeking a job promotion at the bank where he works.

Not only does Gray think about his current life, but he also flashes back to other times, pondering on the choices he had made and wondering how his present situation might have been changed by making different decisions. Bavier played the role of Esther Gray, who was Charles's mother. "Point of No Return" premiered in New Haven on October 29, 1951, and moved to Boston and Philadelphia before its run at the Alvin Theater, known today as the Neil Simon Theater, from December 13, 1951-November 22, 1952.

Answer: The Lone Ranger

Playing the title character in "Sawtelle's Saga End", Bavier was featured as the lawless aunt of two criminal nephews who was being sought by the Lone Ranger; at the end it was revealed that she managed their activities. In a fight scene, while her "nephew" battled the Lone Ranger, she fought with Tonto.

At the end of the episode, Tonto indicated that he and the Lone Ranger should exchange adversaries the next time!

Answer: The Danny Thomas Show

In the episode, "Danny Meets Andy Griffith", Andy Griffith and Ron Howard played Andy and Opie Taylor. Andy, a small town lawman, arrested Danny Williams in the town of Mayberry, North Carolina, for running a stop sign. Bavier played one of the townspeople, a character named Henrietta Perkins.

When the episode (which aired February 15, 1960) was made into a show, she was offered the role of Aunt Bee and accepted. "The Andy Griffith Show" premiered on October 3, 1960.

Answer: She was easily offended.

Ron Howard was quoted as saying that he "just didn't think she enjoyed being around children that much." While Andy Griffith said that he and Frances did not always get along, he was quoted as saying that he believed "there was just something about me that she did not like". He said that she called him four months before she died and apologized for being "difficult".

Answer: Studebaker

Some sources say that Bavier, who loved Studebakers, enjoyed driving herself to and from the studio. A member of the Studebakers Drivers Club, she had been a fan of the brand since the 1930s, and her last one was a green 1966 Daytona 2 Door Sports Sedan.

It is believed that the last time she drove the car before her death in 1989 was on a trip to the grocery store in 1983. It was eventually sold at auction for $20,000.

Answer: False

In 1967, Frances Bavier won the Primetime Emmy Award Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy. It was the only time she was nominated for the award; in spite of the lack of recognition, John Meroney, founder of "The Andy Griffith Show" Appreciation Society, believed that Bavier was an "essential" member of the cast.

He stated that not only was her character, Aunt Bee, featured in many of the episodes of the show, but Bavier was the most experienced actor in the cast members.

Answer: Mayberry R.F.D.

After playing the role of Aunt Bee for eight seasons on "The Andy Griffith Show", she continued on in the same role for two seasons of "Mayberry R.F.D.". The show began with the long-awaited wedding of Andy his long-time girlfriend, Helen; however, they eventually left the series after "moving to Raleigh". Aunt Bee became the housekeeper for Sam Jones and his young son, who had been introduced in the last season of "The Andy Griffith Show".

Answer: North Carolina

Rather than returning to New York, Bavier purchased a home in Siler City, North Carolina, after she retired. She said, "I fell in love with North Carolina, all the pretty roads and the trees." Before you think that she fell in love with the filming location, however, it should be noted that "The Andy Griffith Show" was filmed at various locations in California! She lived in her new home from 1972-1989.

Answer: Cats

After retiring in 1972, Bavier appears to have become a bit of a loner and rarely left the house. The majority of her estate was willed to a hospital foundation. The home in which she lived was kept in poor condition, due in large measure by damage done by her 14 cats.

It appears that she converted a 250 square-foot bathroom in her home into a litter box for all the cats; the few visitors she had - deliverymen and the like - commented on the prevailing odor in the house. One article claimed that her cats were released from the home after it was taken over by the local hospital, and they contributed greatly to a feral cat problem in town that lasted for many years.

The contents of the house were said to be quite sparse, and consisted of two trunks of fan mail and studio portraits, some rare leather-bound books, a collection of lace, and table linens. Only one cookbook was found in her kitchen.