Canadian acting and singing legend, Don Francks “Iron Buffalo”

On a recent walk home, I discovered the residence and dedicated lane honouring Canadian actor and singer Don Francks.

A vintage car and motorcycle enthusiast, Francks was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, but spent much of his life in Toronto.

During the 1960s, he appeared in a number of American television shows, including Mission: Impossible, Jericho, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, and Mannix. His most notable film role came in Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Finian’s Rainbow.

In addition to acting, Francks was a talented musician and composer. He played trombone, drums, and flute, performing in jazz venues such as George’s Spaghetti House in Toronto and the Village Vanguard in New York City.

The legendary Jackie Gleason once said of him: “No one in this world is like Don Francks.”

Don Francks passed away in Toronto on April 3, 2016, at the age of 84. He was cremated, and his ashes were given to his family.

Don co-starred in Finian’s Rainbow along with Fred Astaire and Petula Clark.