Frances E. Williams

Frances Elizabeth Williams September 17 1905 January 2 1995 was an American actress activist theatre producer organizer and community worker Williams was the first black woman to run for the California State Assembly in 1948 on the Progressive Ticket and served on the boards of the Screen Actors Guild Actors Lab and Actors Equity She represented the World Peace Council at the first Angola Independence Celebration in 1975 and cofounded the Art Against Apartheid Movement in Los Angeles in the 1980s Williams began her acting career in the late 1930s joining the cast of the play You Cant Take It with You The company went on tour across the US for two years She appeared in two of Oscar Micheauxs films Lying Lips 1939 and The Notorious Elinor Lee 1940 Her first Hollywood film role was as Amy in Magnificent Doll 1946 followed by The Reckless Moment 1949 and Show Boat 1951 While she appeared on stage in over forty films on television shows in minor roles and in commercials Williams biggest role to date came in 1987 when she played Miss Marie in the comedydrama series Franks Place starring Tim Reid Despite being well received by many fans and critics it was cancelled after one season 19871988