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Franne Lee

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Franne Lee
Born
Frances Elaine Newman[1]

(1941-12-30)December 30, 1941
DiedAugust 27, 2023(2023-08-27) (aged 81)
OccupationsCostume and production designer
Notable workSaturday Night Live
PartnerEugene Lee (1970s)

Frances Elaine Newman (December 30, 1941 – August 27, 2023), known professionally as Franne Lee, was an American costume and production designer for stage, television, and film.[2] She won multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards.

Lee dated set designer Eugene Lee during the 1970s, and the couple had a son together. While the couple never married, she adopted his last name.[3] The two collaborated on productions including Candide, directed by Harold Prince at the Chelsea Theater Center in Brooklyn in 1973.[4] They shared the 1974 Tony Award for best scenic design, and Lee won a second Tony Award for Best Costume Design.[2] She would later win another Tony Award for costume design in 1979 for her costume designs, for her work on the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd.[2]

On television, Franne was the original costume designer for Saturday Night Live, and designed the costumes for characters such as the Coneheads, the Killer Bees, and Roseanne Roseannadanna.[5] She left the show in 1980.[2]

Franne Lee died in Atlantis, Florida on August 27, 2023, at the age of 81.[6][5]

References

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  1. "Franne Lee, Tony Winner Who Also Costumed Coneheads, Dies at 81". The New York Times. September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Genzlinger, Neil (September 1, 2023). "Franne Lee, Tony Winner Who Also Costumed Coneheads, Dies at 81". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  3. Genzlinger, Neil (February 10, 2023). "Eugene Lee, Set Designer for Broadway and 'S.N.L.', Dies at 83". New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  4. Barnes, Clive (December 21, 1973). "Stage: 'Candide' Returns in Triumph". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81". NPR. September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  6. "Franne Lee Dies: Broadway And 'SNL' Costume Designer Who Created Looks Of Coneheads, Blues Brothers & Roseanne Roseannadanna Was 81". Deadline. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
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