Franne Lee
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December 30, 1941
Franne Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frances Elaine Newman[1] December 30, 1941 The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 2023 (aged 81) Atlantis, Florida, U.S. |
| 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]
