Fannie Flagg Biography

Fannie Flagg (real name – Patricia Neal) is an American Comedian, Actress, and Author who is best known for serving as a semi-regular panelist on the 1973–1982 versions of “Match Game” (the game show). She is also known for “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” (the 1987 novel).

Flagg earned an Academy Award nomination after her novel “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” was adapted into the 1991 motion picture Fried Green Tomatoes. When coming to her education, she is a proud graduate of Ramsay High Schoo and The University of Alabama.

Flagg started performing at a tender age. She wrote her very 1st stage play when she was at the age of 10. When she was a teenager, she entered the Miss Alabama pageant and fortunately earned a scholarship to a local acting school for a year. From there, she started working as a co-host of WBRC-TV’s “Morning Show” in Birmingham. While there, she was denied a promotion and decided to quit her job and moved to New York City.

Fannie Flagg Age

Flagg is 78 years old as of 2022. She was born on September 21, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. She celebrates her birthday on the 21st of September every year.

Fannie Flagg Height

Flagg stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m).

Fannie Flagg Family

Flagg was born with her loving late parents Marion Leona (mother) and William Hurbert Neal, Jr. (father). Her dad was an entrepreneur and he was Flagg’s inspiration to become a writer. She was the only child in her family – meaning she has no siblings. Flag grew up in the Gulf Coast and the Birmingham area.

Fannie Flagg Husband / Is Fannie Flagg Gay/Lesbian

Flagg’s sexuality is not clear in the limelight. There are different “opinions” on almost every information source on Google. Some sources say that she is openly gay/lesbian, and they prove their point that she dated a prolific writer and LGBT activist Rita Mae Brown (Rubyfruit Jungle) in the late 1970s.

Their point is also proved by that she also once dated actor Dick Sargent. Some sources say that she is not gay, she is straight and she has never been in any relationship with anyone. However, Flagg has not come out clearly by herself and confirmed any of these rumors. Apparently, she is secretive about her private life and there will be an update once clear information about her sexuality and dating gets disclosed. She resides in Alabama and California.

Fannie Flagg Children

Flagg has no children at the moment. There will be an update as soon as she gets into a relationship and get any children.

Fannie Flagg Net Worth

Flagg has an annual estimated net worth of $1.5 Million, which she earns through her career as a Comedian, Actress, and Author.

Fannie Flagg Career

Fannie Flagg Acting Career

She began her career in acting in the ’70s when she was a fixture on game show panels. Flagg’s acting credits include The Best Little Whorehouse’s original Broadway production in Texas and many movies such as Stay Hungry, and Five Easy Pieces…just to name a few. In the year 1975, Flagg starred in “The New Adventures of Wonder Woman” as the Amazon Doctor in the pilot. She starred a number of times as a victim of alien abduction on “Fernwood 2 Night” (the talk show parody) in the year 1977. She recorded 2 comedy albums in the ’70s and ’60s, with a variety of skits including multiple parodies of Martha Mitchell and Lady Bird Johnson.

Fannie Flagg Writing Career

She began her career in writing in the ’60s when she started writing skits for the New York nightclub Upstairs at the Downstairs. There, she rose to staff writer and subsequently became a performer. She became number one in the year 1978 in fiction for a short story she wrote at the conference of Santa Barbara Writer. She has penned over 23 books as of 2021.

Fannie Flagg Dyslexic

Flagg once talked about her being dyslexic (word blindness) – she has difficulty in reading (spelling). She stated that it is a challenge that she has been really struggling with and that it discouraged him from writing. Regardless of the clearness that she had a calling and affinity for crafting stories, her dyslexia stalled any possible writing career during most of the ’70s.

Flagg said that her teacher was the one who spotted a pattern in her misspelled written answers on Match Game. The teacher wrote a note and sent it to her, and that is when she discovered she had a learning disability. Actually, she had not heard of the disorder before then, until she received that note from her teacher. Ultimately, she overcame her dyslexia-associated fear, and she has since been writing novels.

Fannie Flagg Stage Name

While Flagg was starting her career in acting, she couldn’t use her birth name (Patricia Neal) professionally, since there was already a prominent actress (Actors’ Equity’s) using that name. She had only 60 minutes to decide on a stage name since she had a performance, and she chose the 1st name “Fannie” at the suggestion of her grandpa, who remembered it being used by multiple comediennes in the vaudeville circuit. The 2nd name “Flagg” was at the suggestion of her friend.

Is Fannie Flagg Still Alive?

Yes, Flagg is alive and healthy.

Fannie Flagg Books / Author

Flagg has authored many books, including;

• Retour à Whistle Stop (2021)
• The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop (2020)
• The Whole Town’s Talking (2016)
• The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion (2013)
• I Still Dream About You (2010)
• Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven (2006)
• A Redbird Christmas (2004)
• Standing in the Rainbow (2002)
• Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! (1998)
• Fannie Flagg’s Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook (1993)
• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (1987)
• Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man (1981)

Fannie Flagg Movies and TV Shows

Fannie Flagg Films / Movies

Flagg has appeared in 8 films;

• Crazy in Alabama (1999)
• Fried Green Tomatoes: The Moments of Discovery (1998)
• Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
• My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1987)
• Grease (1978)
• Rabbit Test (1978)
• Stay Hungry (1976)
• Some of My Best Friends Are… (1971)
• Five Easy Pieces (1970)

Fannie Flagg TV Shows

Flagg has starred in multiple television shows such as;

• Dolly (1987)
• The Love Boat (1986, 1983, & 1979)
• Harper Valley PTA (1981-1982)
• To Tell the Truth (1980)
• Battlestars (1980)
• Fernwood 2 Night (1977)
• Sex and the Married Woman (1977)
• Word Grabbers (1976)
• Match Game PM (1975)
• Home Cookin (1975)
• Wonder Woman (1975)