Elizabeth Franz dies of cancer: Tony Award-winning actress was 84

Elizabeth Franz, known for her unconventional and decorative role as Linda Roman in “Death of a Salesman,” has died. She was 84 years old.

The Tony Award-winning actress, whose real name was Elizabeth Jean Frankovich, died on November 4th at her home in Woodbury, Connecticut, her husband, screenwriter Christopher Pelham, confirmed to The New York Times in an article published on November 15th.

Franz’s cause of death was cancer and a severe reaction to the drugs used to treat her, the Times reported, citing Pelham.

People reached out to Franz’s representatives for comment on Nov. 15, but did not immediately receive a response.

The Ohio-born actress is perhaps best known for her role as Linda, wife of Brian Dennehy’s Willy Loman, in the 50th anniversary production of Death of a Salesman, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1999.

Franz’s twist on Death of a Salesman marked a departure from the character’s typical defeated demeanor. She took a more assertive, more sensual approach, which earned her high praise from playwright Arthur Miller.

In a 1999 Times feature about the 50th anniversary production, which won four Tony Awards, including Franz’s work, Miller said that Franz “discovered in the role a strong underlying protectiveness that manifested itself in rage, and in the past had simply washed away in every performance I know of.”

Regarding the “sexual bond” between Linda and Willie, which Franz once spoke of in an interview, the late “Death of a Salesman” playwright told the Times:

Elaborating on the bond that came to the fore during their memorable performance, Franz told the Times it was undeniable. “I can say anything because I know that ultimately we’re going to curl up in bed and have the most amazing conversations,” she said of her characters. “When she’s curled up in his arms and singing to him, you can’t say it’s not a very sexual moment.”

While discussing Death of a Salesman in a 1999 Times feature, Franz also opened up about his childhood in Akron, Ohio.

Her father was a tire factory worker and her mother was a waitress who suffered from mental illness. Her behavior scared Franz as a child, she told the outlet. “My grandmother used to hide me in the closet,” she recalled. “I remember clinging to my dad and saying, ‘I’m coming back.'”

Franz later reprized her role alongside Dennehy in the 2000 television version of Death of a Salesman. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her retaliation.

Franz previously received a Tony Award nomination for playing Matthew Broderick’s on-stage mother in 1983’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. She then made headlines again in 2002 at the Mornings at Seven ceremony.

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Throughout his career, Franz appeared in other Broadway productions including The Cherry Orchard, Octet Bridge Club, Cemetery Club, The Marriage, and Uncle Vanya. Her last Broadway role was as Aunt Eve in The Miracle Worker, which ran from March to April 2010.

She also appeared in films such as the 1995 Sabrina remake and Christmas with the Kranks, and appeared on a variety of television shows, including a memorable episode of 2004’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and guest appearances on Gilmore Girls and Roseanne, Grey’s Anatomy. Her last on-screen role was in the 2015 film Take Me to the River.

In addition to Pelham, Franz is survived by his brother Joe; She was married to famous character actor Edward Binns before his death in 1990.