Frances Hyland (April 25, 1927 â July 11, 2004) was a Canadian stage, film and television actress. She earned recognition for roles on stage (including ten seasons with Stratford Festival) and screen (including her performance as Nanny Louisa on Road to Avonlea). Honoured with the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 1994, she was called "the first lady of Canadian theatre".
Hyland was born in 1927 in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, a small town south-west of Swift Current, to Jessie (née Worden), a teacher, and Thomas Hyland, a salesman. She lived there until her parents divorced when she was one year old. She was raised by her mother's family in Ogema, Saskatchewan. When she was seven, she moved to Regina when her parents tried, and failed, to save their marriage. She had no relationship with her father after 1937.
Hyland's dreams were clouded because her family did not have a great deal of money, but she always believed that she could achieve her dreams. . As did her mother, who put herself through teacher's college in order to support her daughter's education and acting career
Thus Hyland graduated in 1948 from the University of Saskatchewan with a BA in English. She earned a scholarship to and graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London England where she won a silver medal for merit in passing her exams.
After graduating from the Royal Academy, Hyland remained in London, and made her professional debut on London's West End, starring as Stella in Tennessee William's acclaimed A Streetcar Named Desire.
In 1954, Hyland was invited by the renowned theatre director Tyrone Guthrie to open his first season of Canada's Stratford Festival, playing Isabella in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. She went on to perform at the festival through the next ten seasons. Her roles included Portia (in The Merchant of Venice), Olivia (in Twelfth Night), Perdita (in The Winter's Tale), Desdemona (in Othello) and Ophelia opposite Christopher Plummer in an acclaimed production of Hamlet. As well, Hyland directed the Stratford Festival's 1979 production of Othello.
Hyland also performed with the Shaw Festival, the Crest Theatre in Toronto in The Living Room, and on Broadway (opposite Tony Perkins in Look Homeward, Angel).
On television, Hyland co-starred in the Canadian television series The Albertans and played Nanny Louisa on Road to Avonlea.
As the leading Shakespearean actress in Canada, Hyland also used her position to champion Canadian actors' campaign for higher status and pay.
Hyland married George McCowan, a fellow Canadian actor and director. They had a son, Evan, in 1957. The couple separated shortly after.
On Sunday, July 11, 2004, Hyland was admitted to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada for respiratory failure from complications of a prior appendix surgery. She was pronounced deceased the following day by her son.
In 1970, Hyland was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1994, Hyland received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, for her lifetime contribution to Canadian theatre.