Frances Chaney (July 23, 1915 - November 23, 2004) was an actress on
stage, on old-time radio and on television. She was perhaps best
known, however, for being "ostracized as pro-communist along with her
late blacklisted husband, Ring Lardner Jr."The daughter of Leon
Lipetz, Chaney was born Fanya Lipetz on July 23, 1915, in Odessa,
Ukraine, but her family moved to Istanbul, and she began her education
in an English school there. The family later moved to the United
States, to the Bronx, New York City.She attended Hunter College, but
eventually dropped out to take a job at Macy's department store and
gained an evening apprenticeship at Provincetown Playhouse in New York
City. That led to her getting a scholarship at the Neighborhood
Playhouse School of the Theatre, also in New York City, where she
studied acting for two years. After finishing at the Neighborhood
Playhouse School, she changed her name to Frances Chaney, thinking
that producers might be more likely to hire her that way than if she
used her Russian name.
stage, on old-time radio and on television. She was perhaps best
known, however, for being "ostracized as pro-communist along with her
late blacklisted husband, Ring Lardner Jr."The daughter of Leon
Lipetz, Chaney was born Fanya Lipetz on July 23, 1915, in Odessa,
Ukraine, but her family moved to Istanbul, and she began her education
in an English school there. The family later moved to the United
States, to the Bronx, New York City.She attended Hunter College, but
eventually dropped out to take a job at Macy's department store and
gained an evening apprenticeship at Provincetown Playhouse in New York
City. That led to her getting a scholarship at the Neighborhood
Playhouse School of the Theatre, also in New York City, where she
studied acting for two years. After finishing at the Neighborhood
Playhouse School, she changed her name to Frances Chaney, thinking
that producers might be more likely to hire her that way than if she
used her Russian name.
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