Francine Joy Drescher, better known as Fran Drescher, is an American actor, comedian, writer, and activist. She is famous for her performance as ‘Fran’ in the hit TV series ‘The Nanny’ (1993–1999) and for her iconic nasal voice and a thick New York accent. After making her screen debut with a small role in the 1977 film ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ she starred in ‘American Hot Wax’ and Wes Craven’s horror tale ‘Stranger in Our House’ in 1978. She established her TV career with guest appearances in several series while, at the same time, gaining recognition for films such as ‘Gorp,’ ‘The Hollywood Knights,’ ‘Doctor Detroit,’ ‘This is Spinal Tap,’ and ‘UHF.’ However, she became a household name when she appeared as ‘Fran Fine-Sheffield’ in her own sitcom, ‘The Nanny,’ for which she was nominated for two Emmy Awards and Golden Globes each in the Best Actress in a Comedy Television Serie’ category, during the show’s run. A uterine cancer survivor, she is a vocal healthcare advocate and an LGBT rights activist. She is also known for her work as a public diplomacy envoy for women’s health issues at the ‘US State Department.’ She currently resides in Malibu, California, following her divorce from writer and producer Peter Marc Jacobson. Born on September 30, 1957, in Flushing, Queens, New York, to Sylvia, a bridal consultant, and Morty Drescher, a naval systems analyst, Dreshcher was raised in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. Her family originates from Southeast and Central Europe. Her maternal grandmother, Yetta, was born in Focsani, Romania. Her father’s family was from Poland. Her older sister Nadine’s family is Jewish. In 1973, she became the first runner-up at the Miss New York Teenager’ contest. After attending Flushing’s ‘Parsons Junior High, which has since been dissolved, she attended Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, Queens. There, she met her future husband, Peter Marc Jacobson. They got married in 1978, when Drescher was 21, and divorced in 1999. Already aware of her passion for acting, she joined the school’s drama department to develop her talent further. Ray Romano, who became a comedian later, also attended Hillcrest High School and was her classmate. It is interesting to note that Drescher’s character ‘Fran Fine-Sheffield’ (from ‘The Nanny) and Romano’s character ‘Ray Barone’ (from ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’) met at a high-school reunion in an episode of ‘The Nanny.’ After graduating high school, she and Jacobson together attended Queens College, under the City University of New York, only to drop out after completing freshman year. They then joined a cosmetology school, which was more aligned with their career aspirations. SOURCES · https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/fran-drescher-3793.ph