Acclaimed Broadway Actress Elizabeth Franz Dies at 84

Elizabeth Franz, the acclaimed actress who won a Tony Award for her performance in the 1999 Broadway revival of "Death of a Salesman," has passed away at the age of 84. Franz, who died on November 4th in her Connecticut home, had a long and distinguished career on the stage.

Franz's big break came when she was cast in an Off-Broadway production of "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You." She went on to appear in other productions, including "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Broadway Bound." In 1999, Franz's portrayal of Linda Loman in the Arthur Miller classic "Death of a Salesman" earned her critical acclaim and a Tony Award.

Miller himself praised Franz's performance, stating that she had "discovered in the role the basic underlying powerful protectiveness, which comes out as fury, and that in the past, in every performance I know of, was simply washed out." In addition to her stage work, Franz also had roles in television shows such as "As the World Turns," "Roseanne," and "Gilmore Girls."

Franz is survived by her husband, Christopher Pelham, and her brother. Her passing marks the end of an era for one of Broadway's most respected and talented actresses.