Frances Sternhagen, born Frances Hussey Sternhagen on January 13, 1930, in Washington, D.C., was an American actress known for her extensive career on Broadway, film, and television.

She was the daughter of tax court judge John M. Sternhagen and a homemaker mother who served as a nurse during World War I.

Frances Sternhagen was educated at the Madeira and Potomac schools in McLean, Virginia, and later attended Vassar College and the Catholic University of America.

Frances Sternhagen began her career teaching acting, singing, and dancing to schoolchildren before making her Broadway debut in 1955 in "The Skin of Our Teeth." Over the years, she received numerous accolades for her work, including two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performances in Neil Simon's "The Good Doctor" (1973) and Ruth and Augustus Goetz's "The Heiress" (1995).

She was also nominated for Tony Awards for roles in "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window" (1972), "Equus" (1975), "Angel" (1978), "On Golden Pond" (1979), and "Morning's at Seven" (2002).

In addition to her stage work, she appeared in numerous films, including "The Hospital" (1971), "Starting Over" (1979), "Misery" (1990), and "Julie & Julia" (2009).

She was also well-known for her television roles, particularly as Esther Clavin on the NBC sitcom "Cheers" (1986-1993) and Bunny MacDougal on the HBO series "Sex and the City" (2000-2002). She had recurring roles in the NBC medical drama "ER" (1994-2009) and the TNT series "The Closer" (2006-2012).

Frances Sternhagen passed away on November 27, 2023, at the age of 93 in New Rochelle, New York.