The Life and Legacy of Frank Buxton
There is a scene in the film As Good as It Gets in which the character played by Helen Hunt, fed up with the negativity and casual insults emanating from the Jack Nicholson character, threatens to walk out of the restaurant where they are on a date unless he pays her a compliment immediately. He struggles a bit and then finally articulates what he’s been trying to say:
“You make me want to be a better man.”
That line suddenly popped into my head when I decided to write about my late friend Frank Buxton and what he meant to me.
Where do I begin…
Brilliant, kind, funny and generous, Frank was that person who inspired you to be more than you are simply by being himself every day of his life.
I found myself procrastinating before I sat down at the keyboard and realized I was scared that I would be unsuccessful in conveying who Frank was to me and everyone who knew him.
Once during a talk with Frank I found myself saying negative things about a person we both knew. He didn’t say a word, but I could feel a shift in his expression and body language that indicated he was not comfortable with where the conversation had gone. I immediately changed course, but the damage was done and the effect of that encounter on me lingers to this day.
You see, Frank didn’t deal in negativity and didn’t like to be around it. Forgetting that made me feel “less than”, ashamed that I had lowered myself in the eyes of someone I so greatly admired. I’m sure he forgot about it almost immediately, but not me. It was not a mistake I made again with Frank. His opinion meant too much for me to risk disappointing him.
So, casting my feelings of inadequacy aside, I give you a brief history of Frank Buxton and his career as an actor, writer, producer and director.
Put on a Happy Face
Born in 1930, Frank grew up in Larchmont, New York and attended Northwestern University and Syracuse University before serving in the United States Army in Korea.
When he was 19 years old, he had the honor of appearing onstage with Buster Keaton in the play Three Men on a Horse in summer stock. Later, he won the part of Albert in Bye Bye Birdie and spent a year touring Australia in the role that made Dick Van Dyke a star.
A New Discovery
In 1962, Frank began working in television as a producer and host on the ABC documentary series Discovery which he co-hosted with singer/actress Virginia Gibson. An educational series aimed at children and teens, Discovery won the 1964 Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program.
Frank left that show in 1966 and started working on the animated series Batfink, where he provided the voices for the superhero title character and his arch-enemy Hugo A-Go-Go for all 100 episodes of the show.
A lifelong enthusiast for the golden age of radio, during this period of his life he also co-authored two books on the topic with Bill Owen: The Big Broadcast and Radio’s Golden Age: The Programs and Personalities.
Of Hot Dogs and Happy Days
Frank next created Hot Dog, an educational series that taught children how things are made and featured Jonathan Winters, Jo Anne Worley and Woody Allen. He also wrote, directed and produced the show, which won a Peabody Award in 1970.
During the 70’s Frank began working at Paramount Television, beginning as a story editor on Love, American Style. He followed that by working as a writer, director and story editor on classic shows of that era, including The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Mork and Mindy and The Bob Newhart Show.
Because he wasn’t one to talk about his achievements, I knew Frank for years before realizing that he wrote or directed some of the best-loved and remembered episodes of my youth, such as the Odd Couple outing in which the title characters appear on the game show Password. These were shows that helped develop my particular sense of humor and who I became as a person.
Throughout his career, Frank also appeared as an actor in many film and TV projects, including:
- What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (voice only)
- Overboard
- Beaches
- Frankie and Johnnie
- The Odd Couple
Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Frank retired in the late 80’s and moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington with his wife, Cynthia. It wasn’t long before he discovered Bainbridge Performing Arts (BPA), a local community theatre, and became involved with their productions as both an audience member and performer.
While at BPA, Frank saw a notice for an improv class being taught by two local performers, John Ellis and Ken Ballenger, in the basement of a local church. That became a momentous occasion in Bainbridge local theatre history. I’ll let John take it from here:
Frank saw the notice and signed up! Here’s a comedy professional, many years in New York and Hollywood, writing and directing, working with all the best, directing and writing The Odd Couple, Happy Days and Mork and Mindy to name a few, and he’s taking the class.
Frank was a lifelong student. He took that class and enriched all our lives (and his) cuz he often said “you can never stop learning”…
He didn’t let on about his career at first, I only knew him as a very funny fellow. We got to appreciate each other’s sense of humor, and became the best of friends pretty quickly while doing improv…
That class eventually evolved into The Edge Improv, a group of extremely talented performers who perform at Bainbridge Performing Arts to this very day. On the first Saturday of every month, you can find the members of The Edge practicing their craft and making their audiences roar with laughter, as Frank did for the remainder of his life.
Now here’s where I come in…
I don’t actually remember the first time I met Frank Buxton. I know I got to know him and John and their wives because they frequented a restaurant in which I worked. That was how I came to see Frank perform at Bainbridge Performing Arts as Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner.
And my life was altered.
There were a lot of talented people in the cast of that show, but to me Frank was head and shoulders above the rest. He was so masterful, funny and professional. Watching him perform sparked a flame in me, a desire to perform on stage that had been dormant for a decade at least.
A few months later, I auditioned for my first show at BPA and was cast as Wayne in Inspecting Carol. Frank was also in the cast and I was thrilled to watch him work and share the stage with him. His generosity, professionalism and amazing comic timing was like a master class in acting and the theatre for me.
After Inspecting Carol, I was fortunate enough to be a part of many shows at Bainbridge Performing Arts as both an actor and director, including performing with Frank again in a production of Twelve Angry Men.
I have also worked with local companies Ovation! and Island Theatre, and have journeyed across the Puget Sound to perform with Seattle theatres.
And I owe it all to the inspiration that I got from seeing Frank on stage.
A Sad Day, and a Capital Idea
Frank Buxton passed away in January of 2018. He had performed with his beloved Edge Improv only one month before he died.
As part of his will, he bequeathed a very generous monetary amount to Bainbridge Performing Arts to help them renovate their aging building and facilities. Already in the midst of a capital campaign to raise funds for improvements, Frank’s donation enabled them to shift their efforts into high gear.
Construction has begun on the new facility, with BPA adopting Theatre 3 at Bainbridge Cinemas as their interim performing space. They plan to use this temporary venue to perform more intimate shows with smaller casts.
The new building is projected to be completed in the spring of 2023, but with a slightly different name: The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts. John Ellis couldn’t be happier to see his friend remembered in this way.
Frank told me repeatedly that (BPA) is his favorite playground of his entire life. The fact that this is so tied to him and will be for as long as this facility exists will tickle him pink.
Bainbridge Performing Arts is continuing to accept donations toward their renovation. It’s a great opportunity to honor the memory and legacy of Frank Buxton.
I asked John Ellis to share what he thought made Frank such a great friend. I think it’s a good place for me to end.
Our love of comedy in general, specifically sharing a passion for Silent film and the comedians of the era, especially Buster Keaton, was a great bond.
And Chinese food. And Pre-Code films.
And Fishing. The list is long.
And cracking each other up.
Miss him every damn day.
Me too, John. Sometimes I’ll hear a funny line on TV and think “Frank would’ve loved that!”
Or “That sounds like something Frank would’ve written.” Sometimes, Frank did write it.
I’ll always remember him for his humor, intelligence, wit, kindness, patience and talent.
All in all, he couldn’t have been a better man.
