Franne Lee

Last updated • 1 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Franne Lee
Born
Frances Elaine Newman [1]

(1941-12-30)December 30, 1941
DiedAugust 27, 2023(2023-08-27) (aged 81)
Occupation(s)Costume and production designer
Notable work Saturday Night Live
Partner Eugene Lee (1970s)

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.

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]

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References

  1. "Franne Lee, Tony Winner Who Also Costumed Coneheads, Dies at 81". The New York Times . September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Barnes, Clive (December 21, 1973). "Stage: 'Candide' Returns in Triumph". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81". NPR . September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  6. "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.