Elizabeth Franz

American stage and television actress
the actress

Elizabeth Franz is an American stage and television actress.

In 2004–05, she appeared at the Royal National Theatre in London, in the Sam Shepard play Buried Child. She has starred in numerous Off Broadway and regional theater productions, including the American premiere of Frank McGuinness's Bird Sanctuary. She also appeared in Long Day's Journey into Night, The Glass Menagerie, The Comedy of Errors, Madwoman of Chaillot, The Lion in Winter, A View from the Bridge, The Matchmaker, The Wizard of Oz, Great Expectations, The Model Apartment, and Woman in Mind. On television, Franz is most notably a character actor. She became best known for her role as the villainous Alma Rudder on Another World, which she portrayed from 1982–83, while she was performing Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway. She played Helen Wendall on As the World Turns from 1994–95, and appeared as free spirited beauty salon owner Marsha in three episodes of Roseanne. She appeared in the series Gilmore Girls, as the inn owner, Mia, and in Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Cold Case, Dear John and Judging Amy. She has appeared in such feature films and motion pictures as Sabrina, Christmas with the Kranks, The Substance of Fire, The Pallbearer, Thinner, The Secret of My Success, School Ties and Jacknife.

Year Title Role Notes 1981 The House of Mirth Grace Stepney Television movie 1987 The Secret of My Success Grace Foster 1989 Jacknife Pru Buckman 1991 Face of a Stranger TV movie 1992 School Ties Jane Dillon 1993 It's Nothing Personal Unknown Shameful Secrets Maryanne's Mother TV movie 1995 Sabrina Joanna 1996 The Pallbearer Aunt Lucille The Substance of Fire Miss Barzakian Thinner Leda Rossington Twisted Mrs. Bundrass 1999 A Fish in the Bathtub Bea Greenberg 2000 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Television movie 2001 A Girl Thing Josephine McCormack TV movie 2004 Christmas with the Kranks Bev Scheel Loopy Doris Highsmith Short Film 2005 The Reader Sissel Short Film 2009 In Memoriam Woman Short Film Alone SarahShort Film 2015 Take Me to the River Evelyn

Year Title Role Notes 1982 American Playhouse Doctor Episode: "Pilgrim, Farewell" 1982 Another World Alma Rudder Episode: "July 30, 1982" 1985 Spenser: For Hire Mrs. O'Rourke Episode: "Original Sin" 1986 American Playhouse Mrs. Rice Episode: "The Rise and Rise and Daniel Rocket" 1987 The Equalizer Mrs. Thomas Season 3: Episodes 1&2: Blood & Wine 1987 American Playhouse Dottie McCann Episode: "Dottie" 1989 ABC Afterschool Special Cecile Nelson Episode: "A Town's Revenge" 1989 American Playhouse Unknown Episode: "Love and Other Sorrows" 1990 Roseanne Marsha 3 episodes 1994–1995 Sisters Gladys Lear 2 episodes 1995 ABC Afterschool Special Alice Kelly Episode: "Notes for My Daughter" 2000–2001 Judging Amy Vivian Galloway 2 episodes 2001 Gilmore Girls Mia Episode: "The Ins and Outs of Inns"2003 Cold Case Evelyn Shelby Season 1: Episode 1: "Look Again" An Unexpected Love Dorothy Television movie 2004 Law & Order Alison Bishop Episode: "Married with Children" 2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jeannette Henley Season 6: Episode 4: "Scavenger" 2011 Homeland Isabel Samler Episode: "Marine One" 2012 Grey's Anatomy Emma Carroll Episode: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"