Frances Hargreaves

Frances Hargreaves (born 1955) is a South African-born actress who became famous in Australia in the 1970s through her long running role of Marilyn McDonald in soap opera Number 96.

Prior to Number 96 she had acted on the stage in the UK. After marrying Australian actor David Gilchrist they settled in Australia and the role in Number 96 followed in January 1974. Hargreaves scored the role at the last-minute when the original actor, Judy McBurney, had to withdraw due to illness and Hargreaves had to re-shoot all of McBurney's scenes.

Hargreaves left the series in June 1975 when she fell pregnant. During a subsequent visit to her native South Africa with newborn son Samuel David she acted on the stage in The Sound of Music and Stop the World I Want to Get Off.

She subsequently returned to Australia and resumed her role in Number 96 from April 1977 until its demise later that year. She later appeared in The Young Doctors as Emma Dixon in 1979.