Frances Reid
Encyclopedia
Frances Reid was an American
dramatic actress
. Although she starred in many productions, she is best known for her portrayal of Alice Horton
on the NBC
daytime soap opera
Days of our Lives
from its debut in November 1965 until her death on February 3, 2010.
, to banker Charles William and Anna May (Priest) Reid, Reid grew up in Berkeley, California
. Her acting career started in 1938 with a bit part in the movie Man-Proof
.
Reid's Broadway
debut was as Juliette Lecourtois in Where There's a Will There's a Way at the John Golden Theatre
in 1939. She later played Roxane opposite Jose Ferrer
's Cyrano in the 1946 Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac
at the Alvin Theatre. She repeated her stage role of Roxane, again opposite Ferrer, in a 1949 one-hour Philco Television Playhouse adaptation of Cyrano.
After a series of stage roles throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Reid played title role in the CBS
television version of the radio soap opera Portia Faces Life
from 1954 to 1955. She next portrayed Grace Baker on As the World Turns
from 1959 to 1962, and Rose Pollack on The Edge of Night
in 1964. Reid portrayed matriarch Alice Horton on NBC's Days of our Lives since the show's premiere on November 8, 1965. Reid gained mainstream attention for a 2003–2004 storyline in which Alice and several other long-running characters were seemingly murdered. Her last appearance on Days of our Lives was on December 26, 2007 although she remained on contract with the show until her death.
In 1966 Reid appeared opposite Rock Hudson
in the 1966 John Frankenheimer
drama Seconds
. In the audio commentary for the DVD
version of the film, Frankenheimer called Reid one of his favorite actresses.
from June 27, 1940, until his death in 1979. The couple had no children.
in an assisted living facility, aged 95, on February 3, 2010.
for Supporting Actress
in 1979 and for Lead Actress
in 1987, Reid was awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. She won the Soap Opera Digest Award
for Outstanding Actress in a Mature Role in 1978, 1979, 1984, and 1985, and was inducted into the Television Academy's archives in 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dramatic actress
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Although she starred in many productions, she is best known for her portrayal of Alice Horton
Alice Horton
Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965 until December 26, 2007...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
daytime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
from its debut in November 1965 until her death on February 3, 2010.
Biography
Born in Wichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
, to banker Charles William and Anna May (Priest) Reid, Reid grew up in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. Her acting career started in 1938 with a bit part in the movie Man-Proof
Man-Proof
Man-Proof is a 1938 romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe. The film is based on the 1937 novel The Four Marys written by Fannie Heaslip Lea.-Plot:...
.
Reid's Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut was as Juliette Lecourtois in Where There's a Will There's a Way at the John Golden Theatre
John Golden Theatre
The John Golden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 252 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan. Designed in a Moorish style along with the adjacent Royale Theatre by architect Herbert J. Krapp for Irwin Chanin, it opened as the Theatre Masque on February 24 1927 with the play Puppets of Passion...
in 1939. She later played Roxane opposite Jose Ferrer
José Ferrer
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón , best known as José Ferrer, was a Puerto Rican actor, as well as a theater and film director...
's Cyrano in the 1946 Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac (play)
Cyrano de Bergerac is a play written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand. Although there was a real Cyrano de Bergerac, the play bears very scant resemblance to his life....
at the Alvin Theatre. She repeated her stage role of Roxane, again opposite Ferrer, in a 1949 one-hour Philco Television Playhouse adaptation of Cyrano.
After a series of stage roles throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Reid played title role in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television version of the radio soap opera Portia Faces Life
Portia Faces Life
Portia Faces Life is a soap opera which began in syndication on April 1, 1940. It was broadcast on some stations that carried NBC programs, although it does not seem to have been an official part of that network's programming...
from 1954 to 1955. She next portrayed Grace Baker on As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
from 1959 to 1962, and Rose Pollack on The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
in 1964. Reid portrayed matriarch Alice Horton on NBC's Days of our Lives since the show's premiere on November 8, 1965. Reid gained mainstream attention for a 2003–2004 storyline in which Alice and several other long-running characters were seemingly murdered. Her last appearance on Days of our Lives was on December 26, 2007 although she remained on contract with the show until her death.
In 1966 Reid appeared opposite Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
in the 1966 John Frankenheimer
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
drama Seconds
Seconds (film)
Seconds is a 1966 American film starring Rock Hudson. Characterized sometimes as a science fiction thriller, but with elements of horror, neo-noir, psychedelia, and drama, it was directed by John Frankenheimer with a screenplay by Lewis John Carlino. The script was based on a novel by David Ely...
. In the audio commentary for the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version of the film, Frankenheimer called Reid one of his favorite actresses.
Marriage
Reid was married to actor Philip BourneufPhilip Bourneuf
Philip Bourneuf was an American character actor who had a long stage career before appearing in films....
from June 27, 1940, until his death in 1979. The couple had no children.
Death
Reid died in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
in an assisted living facility, aged 95, on February 3, 2010.
Awards
Nominated for a Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for Supporting Actress
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
in 1979 and for Lead Actress
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award which has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys ceremony since 1974...
in 1987, Reid was awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. She won the Soap Opera Digest Award
Soap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Digest is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...
for Outstanding Actress in a Mature Role in 1978, 1979, 1984, and 1985, and was inducted into the Television Academy's archives in 2003.