Bonnie Gail Franklin (January 6, 1944 – March 1, 2013) was an American actress, known for her leading role in the television series One Day at a Time (1975–1984). She was nominated for Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe Awards.
Franklin was born in Santa Monica, California, the daughter of Claire (née Hersch, August 24, 1911 - June 7, 2014) who outlived her and Samuel Benjamin Franklin (1902-1997), an investment banker who founded the Beverly Hills chapter of B'nai B'rith. Her parents were both Jewish immigrants, her father from Russia and her mother from Romania; they married in Montreal before moving to the United States.
Her family moved to Beverly Hills when she was 13 years old, and she graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1961. She attended Smith College, performing in an Amherst College production of Good News as a freshman. She moved back to California to attend UCLA, and earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1966.