Anecdotes

Famously bumped into the then-president of CBS, Jeff Sagansky, on a plane trip to Paris. She convinced him to hear her and her husband Peter Marc Jacobson's ideas for a television show. After impressing him with her persistence, intelligence and charm, The Nanny (1993) pilot was filmed less than a year later.

The 1960s model Twiggy is a friend of hers and it was her interaction with Twiggy's children that was used as the basis for The Nanny (1993).

Founder of the Cancer Schmancer Foundation.

Earlier in her career, in an effort to get more roles as an actress, she once went to a professional to lose her nasal voice and thick New York accent. She was very successful in learning how to speak "normal", but could not get any work that way. By that point, people only wanted to hire if she used the "funny" voice. Meanwhile, it was the voice that made her famous years later.

Was first runner up for "Miss New York Teenager" in 1973. In order to get an agent, she lied when calling up talent agencies and said she was the winner. It worked and an agent was found.

Is a rape survivor. She along with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson and a friend were attacked in her home during a home invasion in January 1985.

She was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars Sinai Hospital on June 21, 2000, after doctors diagnosed her with uterine cancer. Emergency surgery caught it early as it was only at Stage 1 and she did not have to have radiation or chemotherapy. She was given a clean bill of health and no post-operative treatment was ordered.

Danced with John Travolta in La fièvre du samedi soir (1977).

Is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family (from Ukraine, Russia and Romania).

Owns a chocolate Pomeranian named Esther Drescher, who often appears on Living with Fran (2005) as Esther the dog.

Was told that she would never make it in this business unless she lost her thick New York accent.

Close friends with her The Nanny (1993) co-stars Charles Shaughnessy and Lauren Lane.

Resided at 147-49 72nd Drive in Kew Gardens Hills, New York City while growing up.

Became good friends with Dan Aykroyd and Donna Dixon, after co-starring with them in the film Doctor Detroit (1983).

A Patient Advocate on the External Advisory Board for the M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas. Also the 2002 recipient of the Public Service Award from the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation.

Fran and her husband Peter Marc Jacobson are the founders of the production company High School Sweethearts.

On October 15, 2021, she became national president of the SAG-AFTRA labor union, which represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.

Attended and graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY). She paid homage to her alma mater, by wearing a Queens College T-shirt on an episode of The Nanny (1993).

Has an older sister, Nadine Frescher.

Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. (1996)

Abides by a dairy-free diet.

She has appeared in two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant": La fièvre du samedi soir (1977) and This Is Spinal Tap (1984).

Her father Mort Drescher has appeared on The Nanny (1993) on more than one occasion.

Attended Hillcrest High School in Queens, New York City with Ray Romano and Michael K. Brock, as did her former husband Peter Marc Jacobson.

Claims to have turned down a ménage à trois with Warren Beatty and Isabelle Adjani.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6623 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on September 30, 2025 (her 68th birthday). Renée Taylor, Lisa Ann Walter and Natasha Lyonne were guest speakers at the ceremony.

Sold her Spanish house to Alfred Gough and currently resides in Malibu, California.

Can speak some Spanish.

Endorsed Hanes' Smooth Illusions line of pantyhose, appearing in television commercials. (1994)

Fran told the Huffington Post that "Aliens Abducted Me, Implanted a Chip in My Hand".

Best friends with Yvonne Sciò. Friends with Rosie O'Donnell.

Adeline Drescher's cousin.

Always maintained a great relationship with Donald Trump and is the one who invited him to guest star on The Nanny (1993). She attended his wedding to Melania Trump on January 22, 2005.

She lead the SAG-AFTRA trade union during the five-month actors' strike that began on July 14, 2023, partially overlapping with the Writers Guild of America strike that began on May 2 of the same year.