Frances Gifford

Personal Info

Birthday

December 7, 1919

Day of Death

1994-01-15

(74 years old)

Place of Birth

Long Beach, California, USA

Also Known As

Mary Frances Gifford

Mary Gifford

Frances Gifford

Biography

Frances Gifford had a somewhat unorthodox introduction to the movie business. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, she had no ambition to be an actress, and in fact had applied to UCLA when, at age 16, she and a friend got to visit the Samuel Goldwyn Studios, where they watched a movie being shot.

A studio exec saw her and asked if she would take a screen test. She did, the studio was impressed with the result and put her under contract. Nothing much came of it, however, other than bit parts, and she moved to RKO.

Known For

Cry 'Havoc'

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mercy Plane

Maid's Night Out

General Electric Theater

The Reluctant Dragon

American Empire

Stage Door

Filmography

2004
Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6
as Doris (archive sound)
1953
Sky Commando
as Jo McWethy
1950
Riding High
as Margaret Higgins
1948
Luxury Liner
as Laura Dene
1947
Little Mister Jim
as Jean Tukker
The Arnelo Affair
as Anne Parkson
1945
She Went to the Races
as Dr. Ann Wotters
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
as Viola Johnson
Thrill of a Romance
as Maude Bancroft
1944
Marriage Is a Private Affair
as Sissy Mortimer
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
1943
Cry 'Havoc'
as Helen
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour
as Hilary Dane
Tarzan Triumphs
as Zandra
1942
American Empire
as Abigail 'Abby' Taylor, Dan's Sister
My Heart Belongs to Daddy
as Grace Saunders
The Glass Key
as Nurse
Beyond the Blue Horizon
as Charlotte (uncredited)
Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die
as Ruth Grant
Star Spangled Rhythm
as Frances Gifford (uncredited)
The Remarkable Andrew
as Miss Halsey
1941
Jungle Girl
as Nyoka Meredith
West Point Widow
as Daphne
The Reluctant Dragon
as Doris
Border Vigilantes
as Helen Forbes
1940
Hold That Woman!
as Mary Mulvaney
Forty Little Mothers
as Granville Girl
1939
Mercy Plane
as Brenda Gordon
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Hopper Girl (uncredited)
1938
Having Wonderful Time
as Salesgirl (uncredited)
Maid's Night Out
as Ticket Seller - Octopus Concession (uncredited)
Night Spot
as Nightclub Patron
1937
Living on Love
as Bus Passenger (uncredited)
There Goes the Groom
as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Stage Door
as Mary McGuire (uncredited)
New Faces of 1937
as Showgirl