Franne Lee Dies: Broadway And ‘SNL’ Costume Designer Who Created Looks Of Coneheads, Blues Brothers & Roseanne Roseannadanna Was 81

Greg Evans
·2 min read
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Franne Lee, a Tony-winning costumer and set designer who joined the fledgling Saturday Night Live and created the looks of some of the NBC’s late-night show’s most iconic characters, including the Coneheads, the Nerds, the Killer Bees and the Blues Brothers, died August 27 in Atlantis, Florida, following a brief illness. She was 81.

Her death was announced by her daughter Stacy Sandler.

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Lee was one of the top costume designers on Broadway in the 1970s, winning Tony Awards for in 1974 and 1979 for two musicals directed by Harold Prince: Candide and the original production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. She also shared a ’74 Candide Tony for Best Scenic Design with her then romantic and professional partner, the acclaimed set designer Eugene Lee.

Her work on Candide was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who was putting together the original creative team for his new comedy show Saturday Night Live. During the first five years of the groundbreaking series, Lee, with her low-budget but always impactful costumes, would help bring to life such indelible characters as Gilda Radner’s Emily Litella, Roseanne Roseannadanna and Lisa Loopner (along with Bill Murrary’s fellow nerd Todd DiLaMuca); the Coneheads (played by Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain and Laraine Newman, outfitted in the Lee-designed headwear that gave the aliens their name, as well as the high-collared, short-length capes), the baggy black suits, skinny ties and sunglasses of the Aykroyd-John Belushi singing due The Blues Brothers; and the yellow-and-black bandit costumes of the Killer Bees.

Lee was Emmy nominated for her work on the series in 1977 and 1978. Eugene Lee also joined SNL in 1975 (as production designer) and remained affiliated with the show until his death earlier this year.

Franne Lee also designed the costumes worn by Radner in the comedian’s 1979 Broadway show Gilda Radner: Live From New York.

Born Frances Elaine Newman in the Bronx (she took on the name Franne Lee during her relationship with Eugene Lee, though the two never married), the costume designer worked occasionally for the stage and television during her post-SNL years.

In addition to her daughter Stacy Sandler, survivors include sons Geoffrey Sandler and Willie Lee; and other extended family.

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