Mary Frann (born Mary Frances Luecke, February , â€" September , )
was an American stage, film and television actress. Frann is best
known for her role as Bob Newhart's wife, Joanna Loudon, on the CBS
sitcom Newhart, which aired from to .Born in St. Louis, Missouri,
Frann was a child model and appeared in commercials for a local
television station while she attended Nerinx Hall High School. At the
age of , she was voted Missouri's "Junior Miss". She went on to win
the national title of America's Junior Miss and earned a college
scholarship to study drama at Northwestern University. As America's
Junior Miss, she starred in a Jam Handy educational film (Prom: It's a
Pleasure) extolling the etiquette and fun of the high school prom.
While attending Northwestern, Frann worked as a weather reporter for
the NBC station in St. Louis. After a year, she dropped out of
Northwestern and moved to Chicago where she co-hosted a morning show
on an ABC affiliate. While working as a host, Frann worked in local
theatre productions and began working in television and films. In ,
Frann made her television debut in an episode of the Kraft Suspense
Theatre. That same year, she appeared in the television movie
Nightmare in Chicago starring Carroll O'Connor. In , Frann made her
film debut in the low budget musical drama Nashville Rebel, starring
Waylon Jennings.After receiving an offer to host another morning show,
Frann realized she wanted to pursue a career as an actress rather than
a broadcaster. In , she moved to Los Angeles where she stayed with her
best friend, actress Joan Van Ark. Shortly after her arrival, Frann
won a role on the NBC crime drama series My Friend Tony. After winning
the role, Frann's agent told her that he felt she should change her
name to something more appealing. Frann adopted the stage name
"Jennifer Douglas," a name she picked from the phone book. After My
Friend Tony was canceled after one season, Frann returned to using the
name "Mary Frann" (which she had gone by since high school) as her
professional name.
was an American stage, film and television actress. Frann is best
known for her role as Bob Newhart's wife, Joanna Loudon, on the CBS
sitcom Newhart, which aired from to .Born in St. Louis, Missouri,
Frann was a child model and appeared in commercials for a local
television station while she attended Nerinx Hall High School. At the
age of , she was voted Missouri's "Junior Miss". She went on to win
the national title of America's Junior Miss and earned a college
scholarship to study drama at Northwestern University. As America's
Junior Miss, she starred in a Jam Handy educational film (Prom: It's a
Pleasure) extolling the etiquette and fun of the high school prom.
While attending Northwestern, Frann worked as a weather reporter for
the NBC station in St. Louis. After a year, she dropped out of
Northwestern and moved to Chicago where she co-hosted a morning show
on an ABC affiliate. While working as a host, Frann worked in local
theatre productions and began working in television and films. In ,
Frann made her television debut in an episode of the Kraft Suspense
Theatre. That same year, she appeared in the television movie
Nightmare in Chicago starring Carroll O'Connor. In , Frann made her
film debut in the low budget musical drama Nashville Rebel, starring
Waylon Jennings.After receiving an offer to host another morning show,
Frann realized she wanted to pursue a career as an actress rather than
a broadcaster. In , she moved to Los Angeles where she stayed with her
best friend, actress Joan Van Ark. Shortly after her arrival, Frann
won a role on the NBC crime drama series My Friend Tony. After winning
the role, Frann's agent told her that he felt she should change her
name to something more appealing. Frann adopted the stage name
"Jennifer Douglas," a name she picked from the phone book. After My
Friend Tony was canceled after one season, Frann returned to using the
name "Mary Frann" (which she had gone by since high school) as her
professional name.
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