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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Johnny Brandon to Ric Burns
Fran Brill Biography (1946-)
Full name, Frances Joan Brill; born September 30, 1946, in Chester, PA; daughter of Joseph M. (a doctor) and Linette Brill; married Clint Ramsden, July 14, 1979 (divorced, 1983); married Francis Robert Kelly (a writer), June 17, 1988.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Actress, puppeteer
- Birth Details
- September 30, 1946
- Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Stage Appearances
- (Broadway debut) Student leader, Red, White, and Maddox, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1969
- Nancy Twinkle, Little Mary Sunshine, Equity Library Theatre, Master Theatre, New York City, 1970
- Ruth, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Washington Theatre Club, Washington, DC, 1970
- Mrs. Sullen, The Beaux' Stratagem, Center Stage, Baltimore, MD, 1971
- Essie, You Can't Take It with You, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 1972
- Margaret, A Man for All Seasons, Actors Theatre of Louisville, 1972
- Maggie Wylie, What Every Woman Knows, Roundabout Theatre, New YorkCity, 1975
- Lily Bart, The House of Mirth, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT,1976
- Portia, The Merchant of Venice, Meadow Brook Theatre, Rochester, MI, 1977
- Mrs. June, How He Lied to Her Husband, Counterpoint Theatre Company, New York City, 1977
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Overruled, Counterpoint Theatre Company, 1977
- Ersilia, To Clothe the Naked, Roundabout Theatre, 1977
- Lorraine, Scribes, Phoenix Theatre Company, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1977
- Fish, Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1978
- Helena Charles, Look Back in Anger, Roundabout Theatre, 1980
- Leona, Jacob's Ladder, Workshop of the Players Art Theatre, New York City, 1980
- Jenny Wilbur, Knuckle, Hudson Guild Theatre, New York City, 1981
- Jenny, Chapter Two, Meadow Brook Theatre, 1982
- Stella, A Streetcar Named Desire, Hartman Theatre Company, Stamford, CT, 1982
- Varya, The Cherry Orchard, Long Wharf Theatre, 1982
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Marathon of One-Act Plays '82, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York City, 1982
- Jenny, Real Estate, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1983
- Rita, Skirmishes, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1983
- Helen, Baby with the Bathwater, Playwrights Horizons, New York City, 1983
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Extremities, Japan, 1983
- Dorine, Tartuffe, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1984
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Holding Patterns, Musical Theatre Works, New York City, 1984
- Mary Hutton, Paris Bound, Long Wharf Theatre, 1985
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Festival of Original One-Act Comedies, Manhattan Punch Line, INTARTheatre, New York City, 1985-1986
- Lydia, A Delicate Situation, Young Playwright's Festival, Playwrights Horizons, 1986
- Elizabeth, Taking Steps, York Theatre Company, Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York City, 1986
- Sybil Swensen, Claptrap, Manhattan Theatre Club, 1987
- Betty Armstrong, Hyde in Hollywood, Playwrights Horizons, AmericanPlace Theatre, New York City, 1989
- Beth, Otherwise Engaged, Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 1988
- Emilia, Desdemona, a Play about a Handkerchief, Circle Repertory Company, New York City, 1993
- Made stage debut at Theatre Atlanta, 1968.
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Major Tours
- Appeared in touring productions of Lend Me a Tenor and Quartermaine's Terms.
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Film Appearances
- Sally Hayes, Franklin's mistress, Being There (also known as Chance and Willkommen, Mr. Chance), United Artists, 1979
- Helena Charles, Look Back in Anger, 1980
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Reuben, Reuben, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
- Mrs. Sloan, Old Enough, Orion Classics, 1984
- (Uncredited) Additional Muppet performer/news reporter, The Muppets Take Manhattan, 1984
- Mother, Seize the Day, 1986
- Dana Mardukas, Midnight Run, Universal, 1988
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Routed (short film), Izar, 1989
- Lily Marvin, What about Bob?, Buena Vista, 1991
- Angie, City Hall, Columbia/Castle Rock, 1996
- Voice of Mrs. Perigrew, Doug's 1st Movie (animated), Buena Vista,1999
- Voices of Zoe, Pestie, and Prairie Dawn, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Columbia, 1999
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: Zoe's Dance Moves, 2003
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Voice of Little Bird, Sesame Street (also known as Les amis deSesame,
Canadian Sesame Street,
The New Sesame Street,
Open Sesame, and Sesame Park), 1969-1988
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street (also known as Les amis deSesame,
Canadian Sesame Street,
The New Sesame Street,
Open Sesame, and Sesame Park), 1970-
- Fran Bachman, How to Survive a Marriage, NBC, 1974-1975
- Voice of Roxie Marie, Sesame Street (also known as Les amis deSesame,
Canadian Sesame Street,
The New Sesame Street,
Open Sesame, and Sesame Park), 1987-1996
- Vicky/Colleen Barker, The Jim Henson Hour, NBC, 1989
- Colleen, Dog City, 1992-1993
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street (also known as Les amis de Sesame,
Canadian Sesame Street,
The New Sesame Street,
Open Sesame, and Sesame Park), 1993-
- Terri, Dog City, 1993-1995
- Voices of Miss Elaine Perigrew, Mrs. Emily Kristal, and Mayonnaise, Brand Spanking New! Doug (animated; also known as Disney's Doug andNew Doug), Nickelodeon and ABC, 1996-1999
- Beverly, The Guiding Light (also known as Guiding Light), 1997
- Voice of the Stitch Sisters, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Cartoon Network, 1999
- (In archive footage) Voices of Prairie Dawn and additional Muppets, Play with Me Sesame, 2002
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Movies
- Suze Winter, Amber Waves, ABC, 1980
- Debbie, Lip Service, HBO, 1988
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Specials
- Kaye, "Oh, Boy! Babies!," NBC Special Treat, NBC, 1983
- Mother, "Seize the Day," American Playhouse, PBS, 1986
- (Uncredited) Prairie Dawn and Rhonda Subicede, The Adventures of SuperGrover, 1987
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Sesame Street ... Twenty and Still Counting, NBC, 1989
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The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, CBS, 1990
- Betty Armstrong, "Hyde in Hollywood," American Playhouse, PBS, 1991
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake, PBS, 1991
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Renaissance, PBS, 1993
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Sesame Street Stays Up Late! A Monster New Year's Eve Party, PBS,1993
- Mrs. DiFazio, "Same Difference," CBS Schoolbreak Specials, CBS, 1994
- Voices of Prairie Dawn and Zoe, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever, ABC, 1994
- Voice, Doug's Secret Christmas (animated), ABC, 1996
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Elmo Saves Christmas, PBS, 1996
- Voice of Zoe, Cinderelmo, Fox, 1999
- Voice of Zoe, "Sesame Street's Peter and the Wolf," Sesame Street,PBS, 2000
- Also appeared in Look Back in Anger, Showtime.
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Pilots
- Voices of the receptionist, Janice, Ohreally Bird, Leafy Green Vegetables, Piggy and the dancer, The Muppet Show (also known as Sex and Violence), ABC, 1975
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Episodic
- Muppet performer, The Muppet Show, 1976
- Mrs. Brennon, The Edge of Night, 1978
- Pauline Enders, "Master of Deception," Barnaby Jones, CBS, 1979
- "Too Late the Rebel," Kate and Allie, CBS, 1986
- (As Francesca Brill) Angie Fry, "We Love You, That's Why We're Here," A Very Peculiar Practice, 1986
- Joan Cahill, "My Brother's Keeper," Spenser: For Hire, ABC, 1987
- Jill, All My Children, ABC, 1987
- Katherine, A Year in the Life, NBC, 1988
- Voice, "Dive to the Coral Reefs," Reading Rainbow, 1989
- Various Muppets, "Bad Sausage Sandwich" (also known as "Cliff's Nightmare"), The Cosby Show, 1990
- Sondra More, "Prisoner of Love," Law & Order, NBC, 1990
- Eileen, As the World Turns, ABC, 1991
- (As Francesca Brill) Friend, "Mrs. Hat and Mrs. Red," Murder Most Horrid, 1991
- Herself, "Secrets of the Muppets," The Jim Henson Hour, 1992
- Voice of Mrs. Elaine Perigrew, "Doug Meets the Rulemeister/Doug's a Genius," Doug, 1992
- Anne Bartlett, "Privileged," Law & Order, NBC, 1995
- Robbie Winston, All My Children, ABC, 1996
- Beverly, The Guiding Light, 1997
- Mrs. Stark, "Carrier," Law & Order, NBC, 1998
- Mrs. Simpson, "Welcome to Camelot," Third Watch, NBC, 1999
- Also appeared as Vazh, The Land of Gorch; in Nurse, CBS; Family, ABC; Today's F.B.I., ABC; Conan O'Brien, NBC; Against the Law, Fox.
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RECORDINGS
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Albums; Contributor; as Sesame Street characters
- Voices of Prairie Dawn and Roxie Marie, Sesame Street: Sesame Road, 1995
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Platinum: All-Time Favorites, 1995
- Voices of Zoe, Prairie Dawn, and Roxie Marie, Sesame Street: Sing-Along Travel Songs, 1996
- Voices of Prairie Dawn and a little girl, Sesame Street: Sing the Alphabet, 1996
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Dreamytime Songs, 1996
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Bert and Ernie's Greatest Hits, 1996
- Voices of Prairie Dawn and Zoe, Sesame Street: A Sesame Street Christmas, 1996
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: The Best of Elmo, 1997
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Platinum Too, 1997
- Voices of Prairie Dawn, Zoe, and Polly Darton, Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs, 1997
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs,1997
- Voices of Prairie Dawn, Zoe, and the Countess, Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas, 1997
- Voice of Polly Darton, Sesame Street: Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown, 1998
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: Elmo Says Boo!, 1998
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: Cinderelmo, 1999
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: Elmo's World-Dancing, Music, and Books, 2000
- Voice of Zoe, Sesame Street: Elmo's Musical Adventure-The Story of Peter and the Wolf, 2001
- Voices of Prairie Dawn and Zoe, Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs 2, 2001
- Voices of Signora Barbara F. Seville and Penelope Pinfeathers, SesameStreet: Elmo and the Orchestra, 2001
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Elmo's World-Springtime Fun,2002
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Computer Caper, 2002
- Voice of Prairie Dawn, Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play, 2002
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Albums
- Performed in the recordings Red, White, and Maddox (original castrecording), Metromedia Records; and The Muppet Show, Pye Records.
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Taped Readings
- Read "The Ugly Duckling," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Princess andthe Pea," "The Little Match Girl," and the stories of Hans Christian Andersonin Listen and Read the Ugly Duckling, DoverPublications.
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