Joan Gregson as Frances Hubbard
Although the role of Frances Hubbard on Black Harbour marks her first regular appearance in a TV series, Joan Gregson has over thirty years' experience on stage and screen.

Born in Paris, France where her father was manager of the New York Times press wireless office, Joan lived in Switzerland and England until her father's death in September, 1938. A few months later, Joan and her mother set sail for Nova Scotia to escape the impending war, settling with her maternal grandparents in Dartmouth.

From 1950-1954 Joan attended Edgehill (now Kings Edgehill), a girls' school in Windsor, Nova Scotia where her inherent love of theatre was encouraged through participation in all manner of plays--from those of her own invention, to comedy, drama, musicals, opera and plays in French.

After school she became involved in community theatre and radio and television drama. In 1978 she received an ACTRA Award for best performance in radio. Radio has always been a favourite medium for Joan who has a gift for dialects and mimicry. For many years she was a regular on the very popular Nova Scotia farm radio series, The Gillans, playing youngsters Billy, Rob Roy and Mary Ann Gillan.

Joan made her professional stage debut in Halifax in 1963 in Neptune Theatre's inaugural production. She remained with Neptune for 30 years; highlights include The Fourposter, Broadway Bound, Same Time Next Year and Blithe Spirit. Other recent stage credits include playing Mom in Tarragon Theatre's production of True West, Fonsia in The Gin Game at Theatre New Brunswick and Mrs. Higgins/Mrs. Hopkins in the Alberta Theatre Projects production of My Fair Lady.

On film Joan played Zita the librarian in Salter Street Films's 1992 feature Buried on Sunday, and more recently she played Mrs. Cheever in "A" The Scarlet Letter. Television credits include Road to Avonlea and the made-for-TV movies Life With Billy and Under the Piano.

Joan, who is the mother of three and grandmother of five, enjoys playing Katherine's ailing mother on Black Harbour. "It's a pleasure to have a role written for a woman of my age that is so fully realized. Frances is a delight to play."