Frances Elizabeth Bavier was an American stage and television actress. Originally from New York theatre, she worked in film and television from the 1950s until the 1970s. She is best known for her role as Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. from 1960 to 1970. Aunt Bee logged more Mayberry years (ten) than any other character. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Comedy Actress for the role in 1967. Bavier was known for playing Amy Morgan on It's a Great Life (1954–1956).
Bavier, 1964
Bavier's gravestone in 2017
Aunt Bee is a fictional character from the 1960 American television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show played by Frances Bavier. The character migrated to the spinoff Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) when The Andy Griffith Show ended its run in 1968, and remained for two years. Though she was the aunt of Sheriff Andy Taylor, virtually every character in Mayberry, even those in her age bracket such as Floyd and Emmett, called her "Aunt Bee".
Aunt Bee’s first appearance, "The New Housekeeper" (1960).