Biography
Fran Bennett (August 14, 1937, in Malvern, Arkansas; † September 12, 2021, in Los Angeles, California) was an American actress known for her work in theater and television. She appeared in series such as Beauty and the Beast, Little House on the Prairie, Dallas, Falcon Crest, L.A. Law, ER, Boston Legal, and Scandal. Bennett had recurring roles in General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful and appeared in films like Promises in the Dark (1979), How I Got into College (1989), New Nightmare (1994), Foxfire (1996), and Jessabelle (2014). In addition to her acting career, she was the head of the acting program at the California Institute of the Arts from 1996 to 2003 and was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2005. She passed away at the age of 84.
Filmography
Cast Credits

The Manor
Character: Ruth
MOVIE • 2021

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Character: Mother Jefferson
MOVIE • 2019

Jessabelle
Character: Mrs. Davis
MOVIE • 2014

The Fosters
Character: Iris
TV • 2013

Scandal
Character: Louis
TV • 2012

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2010

Community
Character: Nana
TV • 2009

Grave Misconduct
Character: Mrs. Crutch
MOVIE • 2008

The Book of Daniel
Character: Lorraine
TV • 2006

Numb3rs
Character: Estelle Brown
TV • 2005

Boston Legal
Character: Judge Diane Avent
TV • 2004

NCIS
Character: Mary Elaine Smith
TV • 2003

Boomtown
Character: Beatrice Rahming
TV • 2002

Crossing Jordan
Character: Judge
TV • 2001

The Sky is Falling
Character: Mrs. Quinn
MOVIE • 2001

The Next Best Thing
Character: Judge Tracey Bennett
MOVIE • 2000

8MM
Character: Nun
MOVIE • 1999

Providence
Character: Chairwoman
TV • 1999

Sunset Beach
Character:
TV • 1997

Early Edition
Character: Judge A. Harding Joseph
TV • 1996