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

  • CREDITS
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Extremities, Japan, 1983
  • Dorine, Tartuffe, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1984
  • Holding Patterns, Musical Theatre Works, New York City, 1984
  • Mary Hutton, Paris Bound, Long Wharf Theatre, 1985
  • 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.
  • Major Tours
  • Appeared in touring productions of Lend Me a Tenor and Quartermaine's Terms.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Television Appearances
  • 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
  • Movies
  • Suze Winter, Amber Waves, ABC, 1980
  • Debbie, Lip Service, HBO, 1988
  • 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
  • Sesame Street ... Twenty and Still Counting, NBC, 1989
  • 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
  • Renaissance, PBS, 1993
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • RECORDINGS
  • 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
  • Albums
  • Performed in the recordings Red, White, and Maddox (original castrecording), Metromedia Records; and The Muppet Show, Pye Records.
  • 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.