Frances Elaine Newman (December 30, 1941 – August 27, 2023), known professionally as Franne Lee, was an American costume and production designer for stage, television, and film.[2] She won multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards.
Franne Lee | |
---|---|
Born | Frances Elaine Newman[1] December 30, 1941 The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
Died | August 27, 2023 Atlantis, Florida, U.S. | (aged 81)
Occupation(s) | Costume and production designer |
Notable work | Saturday Night Live |
Partner | Eugene Lee (1970s) |
Lee dated set designer Eugene Lee during the 1970s, and the couple had a son together. While the couple never married, she adopted his last name.[3] The two collaborated on productions including Candide, directed by Harold Prince at the Chelsea Theater Center in Brooklyn in 1973.[4] They shared the 1974 Tony Award for best scenic design, and Lee won a second Tony Award for Best Costume Design.[2] She would later win another Tony Award for costume design in 1979 for her costume designs, for her work on the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd.[2]
On television, Franne was the original costume designer for Saturday Night Live, and designed the costumes for characters such as the Coneheads, the Killer Bees, and Roseanne Roseannadanna.[5] She left the show in 1980.[2]
Franne Lee died in Atlantis, Florida on August 27, 2023, at the age of 81.[6][5]
References
edit- ^ "Franne Lee, Tony Winner Who Also Costumed Coneheads, Dies at 81". The New York Times. September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Genzlinger, Neil (September 1, 2023). "Franne Lee, Tony Winner Who Also Costumed Coneheads, Dies at 81". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (February 10, 2023). "Eugene Lee, Set Designer for Broadway and 'S.N.L.', Dies at 83". New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ Barnes, Clive (December 21, 1973). "Stage: 'Candide' Returns in Triumph". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81". NPR. September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Franne Lee Dies: Broadway And 'SNL' Costume Designer Who Created Looks Of Coneheads, Blues Brothers & Roseanne Roseannadanna Was 81". Deadline. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
External links
edit- Franne Lee at the Internet Broadway Database
- Franne Lee at IMDb
- Franne Lee papers and designs, 1969-1997, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts