Elizabeth Franz
Broadway Star Dead at 84
Published November 15, 2025 9:26 AM PST
Tony-winning Broadway star Elizabeth Franz has died.
Her husband, Christopher Pelham, told the New York Times she died from cancer as well as having a “severe reaction” to the drugs used to treat it.
She took her last breath on November 4 at her home in Woodbury, Connecticut, according to the outlet.
Franz was best known for portraying Linda Loman, the wife of Brian Dennehy’s Willy Loman, in the 1999 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.” Her highly-regarded performance landed her a Tony Award.
She also earned Tony nods for her roles in the Neil Simon comedy “Brighton Beach Memoirs” in 1983 and Paul Osborn’s “Morning’s at Seven” in 2002. She was further applauded for her performances in “Broadway Bound” and “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You.”
The theater veteran, who trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, also took her talents to the big screen, notably landing roles in 1987’s “The Secret of My Success,” 1992’s “School Ties” and 1995’s “Sabrina,” to name a few.
She additionally took guest-starring roles in several shows, such as “Gilmore Girls,” “Law & Order: SVU” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her brother, Joe.
She was 84.
RIP
