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IMDbPro

Don Francks(1932-2016)

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Music Department
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Don Francks
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:04
Lie with Me (2005)
27 Videos
24 Photos
A man who has many irons in the entertainment fire, hirsutely handsome Canadian actor, vocalist and jazz musician Don Francks (also known as "Iron Buffalo") was born Donald Harvey Francks on February 28, 1932, in Vancouver, British Columbia. One can, with confidence, add drummer, poet, motorcyclist, author and peace activist to his many lists of accomplishments. He grew up quite adept at athletics (soccer, lacrosse and rugby) and performed in vaudeville and in summer stock shows before relocating to Toronto. On stage from age 11, he landed an early job singing on the radio, then moved into television in 1954. While acting in both variety shows and dramas, he was also a writer and penned several documentaries and public affairs specials in both Toronto and Montreal. On the nightclub scene, Don was featured as a jazz vocalist, a DJ, a trombonist in a country western band and a member of a barbershop quartet called "Model-T Four".

In the mid-1960s, he focused on small screen acting and racked up a number of rugged, adventurous guest-star turns on TV episodes of The Wild Wild West (1965), Mannix (1967), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and Mission: Impossible (1966). A promising lead that could have led to stardom in the NBC series, Jericho (1966), was cut short when the show was bowled over by its ABC competition -- Batman (1966) -- and quickly canceled. He also appeared on- and off-Broadway, which included a stint with the musical, "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever".

Don contributed one strapping co-starring turn in a big-budgeted musical film during his less-than-a-decade stay in Hollywood. As the robust "Woody Mahoney", he dallied with the likes of beguiling Petula Clark, who played his lady love in Finian's Rainbow (1968). Their enchanting and sensuous duet on "That Old Devil Moon" is only one of the film's highlights. The film was not successful, however, in launching Don's movie career.

Afterwards, he moved his family to the Red Pheasant Indian Reserve, near North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and is an honorary Cree and named "Iron Buffalo". Since 1974, he has been living in Toronto with his wife, Lili Francks (Red Eagle), a member of the Plains Cree First Nation and also a dancer. Their children are voice artist and actress Cree Summer, best-known for her regular role on the TV sitcom, A Different World (1987), and actor/songwriter Rainbow Sun Francks.

In later years, Don gained some attention after being cast as "Walter", an arms expert, on the hit TV series, La Femme Nikita (1997). More recently, he traveled to Montreal for a part in the film, I'm Not There (2007), filmmaker Todd Haynes' meditative take on the famous singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan.

Don continued to perform in Canada in both films (He Never Died (2015) and The Second Time Around (2016)) and as a recurring presence of series TV (Hemlock Grove (2013) and Gangland Undercover (2015)) until the end. He passed away at age 84 on April 3, 2016, in Toronto, Ontario.
BornFebruary 28, 1932
DiedApril 3, 2016(84)
BornFebruary 28, 1932
DiedApril 3, 2016(84)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 1 win

Photos24

Don Francks, Stephen Eric McIntyre, and Damon Runyan in Gangland Undercover (2015)
Don Francks in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Don Francks in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Don Francks and Peta Wilson in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Don Francks in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Don Francks in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Roy Dupuis and Don Francks in La Femme Nikita (1997)
Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, and Don Francks in Finian's Rainbow (1968)
Petula Clark and Don Francks in Finian's Rainbow (1968)
Dolph Lundgren and Don Francks in Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Don Francks, Paulino Nunes, Melanie Scrofano, and Damon Runyan in Gangland Undercover (2015)
Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Don Francks, and Tommy Steele in Finian's Rainbow (1968)

Known for

Heavy Metal (1981)
Heavy Metal
6.6
  • Grimaldi (segment "Grimaldi")
  • Co-Pilot (segment "B-17")
  • Barbarian (segment "Taarna")(voice)
  • 1981
I'm Not There (2007)
I'm Not There
6.8
  • Hobo Joe
  • 2007
Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Johnny Mnemonic
5.6
  • Hooky
  • 1995
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
My Bloody Valentine
6.2
  • Chief Newby
  • 1981

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • The Adventures of Tugboat Annie
    • Jim
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 1957
  • Stuart Margolin and Linda Thorson in The Second Time Around (2016)
    The Second Time Around
    • Murray
    • 2016
  • Gangland Undercover (2015)
    Gangland Undercover
    • Lizard
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Henry Rollins in He Never Died (2015)
    He Never Died
    • Goatee Man
    • 2015
  • Franklin and Friends (2011)
    Franklin and Friends
    • (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2011–2013
  • Hemlock Grove (2013)
    Hemlock Grove
    • Nicolae
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • The Adventures of Chuck & Friends (2010)
    The Adventures of Chuck & Friends
    • Deep (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2010–2011
  • Finding ODO
    • Tall Man
    • Short
    • 2009
  • Craig Olejnik and Lauren Lee Smith in The Listener (2009)
    The Listener
    • Wally
    • TV Series
    • 2009
  • The Curse of the Piano
    • Deacon
    • Short
    • 2008
  • I'm Not There (2007)
    I'm Not There
    • Hobo Joe
    • 2007
  • American Dad! (2005)
    American Dad!
    • Mexican Vampires (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2006
  • Sons of Butcher (2005)
    Sons of Butcher
    • Barney G. (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2006
  • Puppets Who Kill (2002)
    Puppets Who Kill
    • Blind Willy
    • The Evil Head
    • TV Series
    • 2004–2006
  • The Very Good Adventures of Yam Roll in Happy Kingdom (2006)
    The Very Good Adventures of Yam Roll in Happy Kingdom
    • Futukayoi (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2006
  • Eric Balfour and Lauren Lee Smith in Lie with Me (2005)
    Lie with Me
    • Joshua
    • 2005

Writer

  • The Andy Williams Show (1969)
    The Andy Williams Show
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 1969–1970

Music Department

  • This Land
    • music arranger
    • musician
    • TV Series
    • 1983

Videos28

Trailer
Trailer 1:16
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:58
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:04
Official Trailer
Heavy Metal
Trailer 1:17
Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal
Trailer 1:17
Heavy Metal
LA Femme Nikita: Sympathy For The Devil
Trailer 1:03
LA Femme Nikita: Sympathy For The Devil
LA Femme Nikita: There Are No Missions
Trailer 1:27
LA Femme Nikita: There Are No Missions
LA Femme Nikita: Time Out Of Mind
Trailer 1:02
LA Femme Nikita: Time Out Of Mind
LA Femme Nikita: Four Light Years Farther
Trailer 1:30
LA Femme Nikita: Four Light Years Farther
LA Femme Nikita: Kiss The Past Goodbyee
Trailer 1:12
LA Femme Nikita: Kiss The Past Goodbyee
LA Femme Nikita: He Came From Four
Trailer 1:04
LA Femme Nikita: He Came From Four
LA Femme Nikita: Love Honor & Cherish
Trailer 1:05
LA Femme Nikita: Love Honor & Cherish

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Don Francis
  • Born
    • February 28, 1932
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Died
    • April 3, 2016
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada(cancer)
  • Spouses
      Lili FrancksMay 4, 1968 - April 3, 2016 (his death, 2 children)
  • Children
      Cree Summer
  • Other works
    He acted in Alan Jay Lerner's musical, "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever," at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey with Linda Lavin and Nolan Van Way in the cast. Stone Widney was director.

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Francks met his wife, Lili Francks, while she was dancing on The Dean Martin Show (1965). After their wedding, he settled on the Red Pheasant Cree Nation Reserve with her for several years.
  • Nickname
    • Iron Buffalo

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