The petite redhead seemingly came from nowhere at the time but discerning theatergoers were familiar with Franklin from her stage roles in the Shakespeare-inspired "Your Own Thing" (1968) and her Tony-nominated turn as a gypsy (a chorus girl) who belts out the title song in "Applause" (1970). A native of Southern California, she began her showbiz career as a child performer, appearing in a 1954 CBS version of "A Christmas Carol" and playing a bit role in the 1956 film "The Kettles in the Ozarks". That same year, she also appeared in a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Wrong Man". Three years later, Franklin was cast as a "young girl in dormitory" in "A Summer Place". Determined to succeed as a performer, she transferred from Smith College to UCLA. During the 1965-66 TV season, Franklin had managed to snag guest roles in episodes of "Gidget" and "The Munsters". Fans of the latter recall the actress as a college coed traumatized when Herman Munster leads a panty raid on her dormitory. Needless to say, it was not high art.

Franklin took off for New York, where she found steady work in musicals until Norman Lear tapped her to embody Ann Romano. After the success of "One Day at a Time", she was in demand to star in TV longforms, usually in noble roles like birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger in "Portrait of a Rebel: Margaret Sanger" (CBS, 1980) and the founder of a halfway house in "Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies" (CBS, 1987). Franklin added director to her resume helming episodes of her sitcom during its last two seasons. In the late 80s, she directed segments of episodes of the short-lived series "Karen's Song" and also the syndicated "Charles in Charge" and, as if having come full circle, episodes of "The Munsters Today". Franklin has continued to appear on stage, returning to Off-Broadway in "Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune" in the 80s and more recently in "Grace and Glorie" in summer stock.