Frankie Stone

File:Frankie Stone.jpg

Elizabeth Hendrickson as Frankie Stone

Mary Frances "Frankie" Stone is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was portrayed by actress Elizabeth Hendrickson.

Appearing from September 27, 2001 to November 28, 2001, the character was noted as popular, having gained "a huge following" after only three months on the series. When the character was killed off, the popularity and loyal following of Frankie resulted in her equally popular portrayer, Elizabeth Hendrickson, being brought back as the character's identical twin sister, Maggie Stone.

Background

Audition and character concept

Actress Elizabeth Hendrickson had been auditioning for All My Children for over a year before acquiring the role of Frankie, and had originally auditioned for the role of Bianca Montgomery. The producers, however, felt that she was better suited for the part of Frankie Stone, a new character head writer Richard Culliton was scripting for an upcoming murder mystery storyline. Hendrickson approached the audition in a calm demeanor. "Going into this audition," she stated, "I was very relaxed, not only because I've been there like a dozen times, but I thought I had no shot at all. Frankie's character is nothing like me!! I was told she was tomboyish yet sexy. I thought to myself, how can I pull that off? So I threw on a tight little baseball shirt and just went in and did it." Hendrickson further relayed, "About two weeks later, my agent told me that it was between me and another girl and my tape was going to be tested. I for sure thought I didn't get the part. I always make my best impression in person. I feel that audition tapes are so impersonal. About a week later, I found out the news and believe me I was ecstatic."

Characterization and introduction

The writers detailed Frankie to be a wisecracking tomboy with feminine sex appeal. Hendrickson described the character as someone who "would never in her right mind get all dolled up". So when a scene finally called for the character to, in fact, wear a dress, Hendrickson stated that it did not feel right. "I've really become that character when I'm on set," she revealed. "So I played that uncomfortable feeling throughout the scene, I think it worked."

Other aspects adding depth to Frankie were her "rough around the edges" personality and vulnerability, the character being a complex blend of both, something Hendrickson found challenging but admired: "I really wanted to get that across. Even though her intentions were not always good, she always yearned for love from unexpected places."

Frankie's debut on the series is what Hendrickson describes as her most memorable day as part of the All My Children cast. She was nervous about playing opposite legendary soap opera diva Susan Lucci, and did not know how to introduce herself:

“ My most memorable day would have to be my first day because I was so, I don't get nervous, I really don't. This might sound cheesy, but it feels like home to me when I walk on to a set or on stage, it's refreshing. And I was so nervous. My first scene was being hit by a car by Susan Lucci. Please, tell me how that is not freaky? I was so scared. And she's sitting in the car and I hadn't introduced myself to her yet. And I was so nervous. 'Should I go up to her and say hi, I'm Elizabeth? Or is she going to come up to me and say, Hi, I'm Susan. I'm not one to be star struck. But I guess I was for the first time. I was so nervous.' And it wasn't like a comforting scene where she was going to walk up and be like, 'Hi, I'm Erica Kane, nice to meet you. Welcome to Pine Valley.' Instead it was, 'I'm going to run you over with my car and throw names at you and make you look like a horrible person.' And then before the scene, she had introduced herself and she is just the sweetest woman in the entire world. She's so sweet. She said, 'Hi, I'm Susan.' Ahhh, breathe. Everything's fine. Now just go get hit by the car. ”

Portrayal

Portraying Frankie called for Hendrickson to be somewhat androgynous. She was not sure herself of her character's sexual orientation or true motives when interacting with most characters. "At first," she cited, "in the description of the character, they alluded to the fact that she was a lesbian. Then when I started working, I went to Jean (Dadario Burke), the executive producer, and I asked 'Is she?' She said, 'Well, she's a con artist. You read your script and make the decision yourself.'"

Hendrickson theorized that when the writers saw the chemistry between Bianca and Frankie, "that's when they started pushing the fact that she was a lesbian". When it came down to Frankie's true purpose on the show, however, she was merely a plot device, a soon-to-be victim in order to initiate a murder mystery storyline. At the time, Hendrickson found humor in her character's demise, citing that a character can always come back. Though the obstacle to resurrecting Frankie was the fact that Frankie's dead body was seen onscreen and on the floor for hours, this did not stop Hendrickson and her co-stars from speculating: "Frankie's body was found. We have this running joke that it wasn't Frankie, it was Maggie this whole time, posing as Frankie. Maggie knew that she was in trouble, so she called Frankie to come, and in reality Maggie was the one who was killed and Frankie is still alive."

When asked in an interview if she had any reservations about taking the part of Frankie due to the character's potential romance with Bianca, Hendrickson stated that she did not, and that she loves roles that are challenging. This one happened to be a type of role she had never portrayed before.

Storyline

Mary Frances Stone appears in the headlights of Erica Kane's speeding car in late September 2001. Though "Frankie" is grazed by Erica's car, she appears uninjured. The fact that the young woman has not been injured prompts Erica to think that Frankie has staged the accident in order to con her out of money. Frankie is taken to the hospital, where she is revealed to be in good condition. She later decides not to sue Erica. However, she is duped into selling a story of her ordeal to a tabloid by sleazy writer Donald Steele.

Bianca Montgomery, Erica's youngest daughter, befriends Frankie as damage control for her mother, but Erica is not at all thrilled by the fact that Bianca has a new friend. Eventually, Frankie and Bianca grow closer, and Erica fears that her daughter might enter into a sexual relationship with the young woman. Bianca enlists Opal Cortlandt's help to get Frankie a job and a place to stay. Frankie, who later reveals that she is a runaway, says that she is not quite used to the idea of having a place she can call home.

Erica tries to use Frankie's drug-use as a tool to drive a wedge between the two girls. Erica publicly pledges to accept Frankie, but behind the scenes, she plots against her and tries to get Opal to hide a stash of drugs in Frankie's room at Cortlandt Manor. Erica's suspicions may be justified, as Frankie makes occasional mysterious calls to an unknown person to update that person on her progress with Bianca.

Bianca soon admits to Frankie that she is in love with her. Frankie is overwhelmed by the declaration and is brought to tears, stating that no one has ever told her that they love her. Not just the in-love aspect, but love from her family; it has never happened. Bianca is the first person to love her and the first person she has truly connected with. Frankie has a difficult time accepting Bianca's love; it makes her uncomfortable and she does not know what to call their relationship. Bianca tells her that she does not want to push. Frankie understands and is thankful to have Bianca in her life. After a week and some resistance, Frankie eventually tells Bianca that she loves her as well. Bianca is overjoyed by the profession. After she leaves, however, Frankie appears distraught, as though she does not know how to handle what she has admitted.

She meets JR Chandler in the park as she smokes marijuana. She and JR head back to her room at Cortlandt Manor and begin to have sex. As they kiss, Bianca walks in on them. Heartbroken, Bianca storms away. A tearful Frankie places a call to Erica to tell her what has transpired. Erica is furious and vows to kill Frankie for breaking Bianca's heart. A matter of hours later, Frankie is dead on the floor of her room and Erica is seated in a nearby chair with a gun in her hands. Erica confesses (believing that a jealous Bianca is responsible) that she killed Frankie, but in the end, it is revealed that a henchman of Frankie's aunt murdered her.

Impact and specific character detail

Character Frankie Stone had an immediate and notable impact on the soap opera medium. Within a week, viewers were celebrating the character as though she had been popular within the series for years.

The writers scripted Frankie's birth date to be on April 26, 1982, two years older than Bianca. She was killed off by a gunshot wound on November 27, 2001 (last seen on the show in the form of a dead body on November 28, 2001).

File:Frankie dead on the floor in her room.jpg

Frankie dead on the floor in her room. The imagery of the character's death and her departure from the series significantly impacted viewers.

“	I am still amazed as to all of the support I have received from the audience. This is all a dream come true. You guys are the greatest fans ever! Working on this show is such an honor and I am so relieved that everyone has responded so positively towards my character. I know how dedicated fans are to AMC and I was petrified that no one would like me. Especially playing opposite one of, if not the most profound actress on daytime television, Susan Lucci. But after my first week, my mother called to tell me about how everyone was raving about my character on ABC.com. I can't even describe how happy I was.	”
	— Elizabeth Hendrickson, 2001

Frankie's death was impactful as her debut; fans cited that she was killed off due to the show's fear of portraying a homosexual romance, since the character was already being developed as a romantic interest for Bianca. Head writer at the time, Richard Culliton, however, stated that he had already planned for Frankie to die in his murder mystery storyline. Despite Culliton's explanation, viewers largely mourned the death of Frankie. Eventually, viewers got "the next best thing" with the character's identical twin sister, Maggie Stone. Brought back by popular demand, Hendrickson was excited about her return. Though Maggie was different from Frankie, viewers were elated to have Hendrickson back on the series.