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Frances Fisher

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Not to be confused with Francis Fisher.
Frances Fisher
Fisher in 2014
Born
Frances Louise Fisher

(1952-05-11) 11 May 1952 (age 72)
Milford on Sea, Hampshire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present
Spouse
Billy Mack Hamilton
​
​
(m. 1970⁠–⁠1972)​
PartnerClint Eastwood (1990–1995)
ChildrenFrancesca Eastwood
AwardsHRIFF:
Award of Excellence
2012.

Frances Louise Fisher[1] (born 11 May 1952)[2] is a British-American actress.

Fisher began her career in theatre and later starred as detective Deborah 'Red' Saxon in the ABC daytime soap opera The Edge of Night (1976–1981). She has portrayed strong women on film and TV since the early 1980s.[3] In film, she is known for her roles in Unforgiven (1992), Titanic (1997), True Crime (1999), House of Sand and Fog (2003), Laws of Attraction (2004), The Kingdom (2007), In the Valley of Elah (2007), Jolene (2008), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), and The Host (2013). From 2014 to 2015, Fisher starred in the ABC drama series Resurrection.

Early life and education

Fisher was born in Milford on Sea, Hampshire, England, the daughter of American parents Olga Rosine (née Moen), a housewife, and William Irving "Bill" Fisher, Sr, an oil refinery construction superintendent.[4] Before she reached the age of fifteen, she had moved nine times and traveled because of her father's job, going to places like Italy, Turkey, Colombia, France, Canada, and Brazil.[2][5][6] When she was 15, her mother died and she took on the responsibility to help raise her younger brother.[5] She ultimately completed her high school at Lutcher Stark High School[2] in Orange, Texas, where she performed in theatre productions, and later worked as a secretary.[7]

Career

Theatre

Fisher at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles on March 5, 2010

Deciding to follow her interest in theatre, she moved to New York City, where she subsequently enjoyed a 14-year stage career in regional and off-Broadway productions. She became involved with the Actors Studio, where she studied with Lee Strasberg.[2] Fisher moved to Abingdon, Virginia, where she began her acting career at the Barter Theatre, a year-round repertory theatre.

During the next 10 years, she concentrated on theatre in New York and in regional theatres all over the East Coast. She has also returned to theatre; she appeared in Arthur Miller's last play, Finishing the Picture, produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and in a 2006 production of The Cherry Orchard at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Television

Fisher at the 2007 Jules Verne Adventure Film Special Awards Presentation

Fisher gained recognition playing Detective Deborah Saxon on the ABC daytime soap opera The Edge of Night from 1976 to 1981. She later joined the cast of CBS's Guiding Light as Suzette Saxon in 1985. After leaving daytime television, Fisher guest starred as a bartender, Savannah, at "The Lobo" in the first season of ABC comedy series Roseanne. She also appeared on Newhart, Matlock, and In the Heat of the Night.

Fisher was originally cast to play Jill Taylor on the ABC sitcom Home Improvement, but was replaced after initial filming of the pilot episode by Patricia Richardson due to a lack of chemistry with Tim Allen as well as with the studio audience who felt Fisher was too serious in the delivery of her lines.[8][9] In 1991, Fisher was cast as Lucille Ball in the television film Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter, which aired to strong ratings and good reviews. From 1994 to 1995 she starred in the Fox drama series Strange Luck. In 2000, Fisher portrayed Audrey Hepburn's mother, Ella Hepburn, in the biographical film of the actress. In same year she played the role of Janet Lee Bouvier in Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.[3]

Fisher had recurring roles in CBS sitcom Becker as Dr. Elizabeth 'Liz' Carson from 1999 to 2000, and on Fox's Titus as Juanita Titus (2000-2001). In 2002 she starred in the short-lived The WB series Glory Days, and in next year in another drama that was cancelled after single season, The Lyon's Den on NBC.[3] In 2005, she appeared on the ER episode "Just As I Am," as Helen Kingsley, the long-lost birth mother of Dr. Kerry Weaver, played by Laura Innes, even though Fisher is only five years older. She also starred in a pilot for NBC/USA entitled To Love and Die. In 2008, she appeared in a recurring role on the Sci-Fi Channel television series Eureka, portraying the character Eva Thorne.[10] Fisher also guest-starred on Grey's Anatomy, The Shield, Two and a Half Men, Private Practice, Sons of Anarchy, Torchwood, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case, and Castle.[11][12]

In 2014, Fisher was starring in the ABC drama series Resurrection about the residents of Arcadia, Missouri, whose lives are upended when their loved ones return from the dead, unaged since their deaths. She played the role of Lucille Langston.[13]

Film

Fisher made her film debut in Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983) and later appeared in Patty Hearst directed by Paul Schrader.[3] In 1989 she appeared in Pink Cadillac opposite Clint Eastwood, and the pair began a six-year offscreen relationship.[3] In next year she appeared in Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael.

In 1992, Fisher had her breakout role in Unforgiven, an Academy Award-winning film directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred.[3] In later years she began acting regularly in major and independent films. Her most famous role in film was as the society matron Ruth DeWitt Bukater, the mother of the character played by Kate Winslet, in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. She appeared in True Crime (1999) with Eastwood as D.A.[3]

Fisher had a role in House of Sand and Fog (2003), another Academy Award-nominated film. In 2004, she appeared in Laws of Attraction as Julianne Moore's mother, even though she is only 8 years older. Fisher worked on four films in 2006, including Peter Berg's The Kingdom, and Paul Haggis' In the Valley of Elah. That same year she appeared in the film Jolene with Jessica Chastain as her lover. She served as an official festival judge for the 2011 Noor Iranian Film Festival in Los Angeles. In 2011, she appeared in The Lincoln Lawyer and The Roommate.[14]

Fisher appeared as Maggie Stryder in the 2013 film The Host with Saoirse Ronan and William Hurt.[15] She is set to be in the upcoming films The Potters and You're Not You, both set to release in 2014.[16]

Fisher appeared in the film Woman in Gold (2015), playing the mother of Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds).[17]

Personal life

In 1970, when Fisher was 18, she married her high school sweetheart Billy Mack Hamilton. They divorced two years later.[5]

Fisher was in a relationship with fellow actor Clint Eastwood for six years in the early 1990s. During that time, the couple had a daughter, Francesca Eastwood (b. 1993).[5][18]

Filmography

Main article: Frances Fisher filmography

References

  1. ^ "A baby girl was born prematurely Aug. 7". News Bank. 20 August 1993. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Flint Marx, Rebecca. "Frances Fisher - Biography - Movies & TV - NY Times". NY Times. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Overview for Frances Fisher". Tcm.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  4. ^ "Frances Fisher Film Reference biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  5. ^ a b c d Schenden, Laurie K. (15 September 1995). "How's Life After Clint? Look at Frances Fisher's Schedule". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. ^ museumofthegulfcoast.org Archived 2006-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Frances Fisher Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  8. ^ Harris, Will (2012-09-13). "Frances Fisher on Titanic and her lost comedy roles · Random Roles · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  9. ^ Ishita Singh (2014-02-27). "'Home Improvement' Star Patricia Richardson Wasn't The First Choice To Play Jill Taylor (VIDEO)". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  10. ^ People (2008-05-12). "Frances Fisher joining Sci Fi Channel's ˜Eureka'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  11. ^ Matt Webb Mitovich (2013-12-10). "Castle Casts Frances Fisher as a Woman from Beckett's Fashion Model Past". TVLine. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  12. ^ "'Castle's' Frances Fisher on Arc, Striking a Chord With 'Resurrection'". Hollywood Reporter. 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Zach Cregger Joins NBC's 'Assistance', Frances Fisher Boards ABC's 'The Returned'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  14. ^ Doctor Who Magazine (435). June 2011. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ Brooks, Brian. "Frances Fisher Joins Cast Of 'The Host'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  16. ^ Kit, Borys (2012-11-12). "'You're Not You' Adds Loretta Devine, Ali Larter, Jason Ritter to Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  17. ^ Yamato, Jen (July 9, 2014). "Frances Fisher Joins Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds In 'Woman In Gold'". deadline.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  18. ^ DeNinno, Nadine. "Francesca Eastwood, Daughter Of Clint Eastwood And Frances Fisher, Named Miss Golden Globe 2013". International Business Times. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
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