Broadway and TV Mourn Elizabeth Franz

Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Franz has died at 84, her husband Christopher Pelham confirmed.

She passed at her Connecticut home after battling cancer and treatment complications.

Acclaimed Stage Career

Described as “America’s Judi Dench,” Franz’s career spanned six decades.

She earned an Obie for originating Sister Mary Ignatius in Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You and

was celebrated for her Linda Loman in the 1999 Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman.

Arthur Miller praised her, saying she “rediscovered a fierce protectiveness in Linda.”

Film and TV Work

Franz appeared in Jacknife, Sabrina, and Christmas with the Kranks,

and on TV in Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy,

and Homeland, bringing warmth and depth to every role.

Legacy and Life

Overcoming a difficult childhood, Franz studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Her performances radiated “honesty, vulnerability, strength, and humanity,” inspiring actors and audiences alike.