Frances heflin biography

Frances Heflin

American actress (–)

Frances Heflin

Heflin in an undated publicity photo

Born

Mary Frances Heflin


()September 20,

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

DiedJune 1, () (aged&#;73)

New York City, U.S.

OccupationActress
Years&#;active–
Spouses

Sidney Kaufman

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(m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;

Sol Kaplan

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(m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Children3; including Jonathan Kaplan
Relatives

Mary Frances Heflin (September 20, &#; June 1, ) was an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mona Kane Tyler on the soap opera All My Children (–).

Early life

Heflin was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the daughter of Fanny Bleecker (née Shippey) and Dr. Emmett Evan Heflin, a dentist. She had two older brothers, Martin, a public relations executive, and the actor Van Heflin.[1][2] Through Martin, she was the aunt of actress Marta Heflin.[3]

Career

Heflin made her Broadway debut in her teens and was later featured in the original productions of The Skin of Our Teeth (), The World's Full of Girls (), I Remember Mama (), and the U.S. premiere of Bertolt Brecht's Galileo on July 30, in Los Angeles. Other Broadway credits included The Physicists, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Tempest, Sheppey, All in Favor, and The Walrus and the Carpenter.[4] She starred in London's West End, in John Gielgud's UK premiere of The Glass Menagerie as Laura opposite Helen Hayes.[5]

Heflin's film debut came in The Molly Maguires (), as she portrayed the wife of a leader of that Irish secret society.[6]

A life member of The Actors Studio,[7] Heflin had varying roles on many television series in the s and s, including small roles on Kraft Television Theatre and The Patty Duke Show. But her most notable and enduring role was of Mona Kane Tyler, mother of Erica Kane, on the soap opera All My Children. She played the role from January until her death in June

Heflin began her professional career on radio, where she was heard on Aunt Jenny, Betty and Bob, Cavalcade, Columbia Workshop, Grand Central Station, and other programs.[8] She portrayed Nora Holiday in the CBS radio comedy Holiday and Company.[9]

Personal life

Heflin was briefly married to filmmaker Sidney Kaufman from to , before marrying composer Sol Kaplan in Heflin and Kaplan remained together until his death in , and had three children: Jonathan Kaplan, a film director, and Nora Heflin and Mady Kaplan, both actresses.[10][11]

Death

Heflin died of lung cancer on June 1, in New York City. She was 73 years old.[10][11]

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio appearances

References

  1. ^"Obituary for Martin Heflin". The Daily Oklahoman. February 14,
  2. ^"Martin Heflin Rites". The New York Times. April 28,
  3. ^Vitello, Paul (September 26, ). "Marta Heflin, Actor, Dies at 68; Waif Seen in Altman Films". The New York Times.
  4. ^"Search for Frances Heflin". Playbill. Retrieved April 23,
  5. ^"The Glass Menagerie". Theatricalia. Retrieved May 7,
  6. ^"Frances Heflin in screen debut". Nevada State Journal and Reno Evening Gazette. May 11, p.&#;10 - Entertainment. Retrieved December 13, &#; via
  7. ^Garfield, David (). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January ". A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  8. ^"Understudy Makes Good: Frances Heflin Won Chance By Pinch-Hitting Roles". The Sunday Star. District of Columbia, Washington. November 1, p.&#;E 3. Retrieved December 13, &#; via
  9. ^Aitchison, Marion (February 1, ). "Radio Programs". The Miami Herald. p.&#; Retrieved December 13, &#; via
  10. ^ ab"Frances "Fra" Heflin Kaplan". The Oklahoman. June 4,
  11. ^ ab"Frances Heflin; Stage, Film, TV Actress". Los Angeles Times. June 6,
  12. ^"Those Were the Days". Nostalgia Digest. 42 (2): Spring

External links