'Hollywood Grandma' deserves star on Walk of Fame: petition

Family and friends of Frances Bay have launched an onlinepetition calling on Canada's Walk of Fame toaward the Manitoba-born actress with a sidewalk star.

Those who don't recognized Bay's namemight recognize her roles: shehas often appearedplaying eccentric elderly women or quirky grandmothers on both the silver screen and TV.

Born in 1918 in Dauphin, Man., Bay hosted the show Everybody's Program on CBC Radio in the 1940s.She first appeared on screen at age 60.

Her film credits since include Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Planner and Wild at Heart, and she has made guest appearances on dozens of television shows, including Hannah Montana, ER, Happy Days, Seinfeld, Road to Avonlea and Twin Peaks.

To celebrate Bay's 90th birthday next New Year's Day, her relatives are lobbying to get her a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.

"She's deserves it. She's had a very incredible career in acting," said Anrea Zaslov,a cousin of Bay's who helped the Friends of Frances Bay organize an online petition about the Walk of Fame.

"She's known as the 'Hollywood Grandma' in Hollywood, and we like to call her Hollywood's Canadian grandma."

Almost 700people have registered their names with the online petition. The group hopes 10,000 people will sign on.

Saul Cherniak has already added his name to the list; he acted with Bay in Winnipeg while the two were teenagers.

"She's Manitoba's treasure!" he said. "She's a product of our environment, of our province, and she's entitled to be recognized."

Bay now lives in Los Angeles. Contacted by telephone, she told CBC News she had fond memories of working in Canada and is deeply humbled and touched by the efforts tohave hername added tothe Walk of Fame.

Canada's Walk of Fame hasinducted 100 "great Canadians" from several fields including actors, musicians, directors, authors and athletes since it awarded its first star in 1998.

Inducteesare typically announced annually in March, with a ceremony following in June in which they sign a paving stone in Toronto's theatre district. To qualify, a candidate must have been born or spent his or her formative years in Canada, and have been successful for a minimum of 10 years.

Previous recipients include Alanis Morissette, Paul Anka, Jim Carrey, Shania Twain, Wayne Gretzky and Michael J. Fox.