Randall Franks
Christian / Clean / Family Friendly
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Male
99 years old
TUNNEL HILL, GA
United States
Last Login: 7/3/2009
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Randall Franks's Comedian Bio
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| Bio | Actor/ Entertainer Randall Franks began his comedy career through his work with his childhood bluegrass and gospel group The Peachtree Pickers in Chamblee, Ga.
Franks carried his comedy along with his group to appearances for the Grand Ole Opry and a regular role in the early cable series “The Country Kids TV Series,” a children’s “Hee Haw” filmed in Dallas, Texas
Franks strengthened his talents under the tutorage of the late Georgia Music Hall of Fame member Cotton Carrier, 1940s host of the WSB Barndance in Atlanta, and under the late Doodle Thrower of Tallapoosa, Georgia. Franks often made appearances with Carrier and his wife Jane learning from his polished country comedy used to make millions laugh on Saturday nights Barndance broadcasts.
Doodle Thrower was a mechanic by trade but to thousands he was the guy in overalls and funny leather hat that played the harmonica. He was highlighted by Alan Lomax in his documentary “Appalachian Journey” Thrower made thousands laugh on stages from the National Folk Festival to the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tenn. with his band The Golden River Grass. Franks began working with Doodle after a stint as a member of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys.
He played fiddle and often serving as straight man for some of Doodle’s routines in 1984
Franks went on to feature comedy as a regular part of his solo act as he established himself as an actor and entertainer in his own right.
After appearances in films beginning with the 1988 TV movie “Desperate For Love” with Christian Slater, he landed a role as “Officer Randy Goode” in the TV series “In the Heat of the Night” working alongside TV comedy legend Carroll O’Connor, “Archie Bunker” from “All in the Family.”
Through O’Connor’s influence, Franks’ character often brought a southern comedic charm to the show making millions of television fans laugh on Tuesday nights on NBC and CBS.
Randall continued adding jokes to his stage shows and as he became a top selling Christian artist in 1990 with his release “Handshakes and Smiles,” he became bluegrass music’s first solo crossover artist into mainstream Christian music.
On the bluegrass side, he kept a steady stream of fiddle albums feeding into the genre. He hosted the SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. in 1995 and continued making appearances for the Grand Ole Opry. In 1996 he added comedy to his recordings with his “Tunes and Tales from Tunnel Hill” release adding to his list of titles in numerous publications — humorist.
He co-hosts the annual Grand Master Fiddler Championship at the IBMA Wolrd of Bluegrass in Nashville, Tenn., along with 10 Sacred Sounds Fridays concerts a year at the Ringgold Depot in Ringgold, Ga. to benefit the Share America Foundation, Inc. and its Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship Fund. | | Influences | Tommy Scott, Minnie Pearl, Andy Griffith, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Wendy Bagwell, Danny Thomas, Jimmy Durante, Lucille Ball | | TV Shows | “In the Heat of the Night” as “Officer Randy Goode” (1988-1993)with Carroll O’Connor; “Desperate For Love” with Christian Slater; "The Flamingo Rising" as "Officer Randy Kraft" Hallmark Hall of Fame with William Hurt; "Blue Valley Songbird" with Dolly Parton; | | Films | "Still Ramblin'" as Host with Ramblin' "Doc" Tommy Scott
"Phoenix Falling" as "Todd" with Stella Parton; "Firebase 9" as "Captain Morgan Fairhope"; |
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Randall Franks's Details
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| Status: | Single | | Orientation: | Straight | | Ethnicity: | White / Caucasian | | Religion: | Protestant | | Zodiac Sign: | Scorpio | | Smoke / Drink: | No / No | | Education: | Post grad |
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