▁After ▁initially ▁being ▁suggested ▁by ▁Rav etch ▁to ▁direct ▁The ▁Long , ▁Hot ▁Summer ▁( 1 9 5 8 ), ▁R itt ▁would ▁eventually ▁draw ▁the ▁couple ▁out ▁of ▁in activity ▁on ▁three ▁occasions , ▁h iring ▁them ▁to ▁write ▁the ▁screen plays ▁for ▁Norm a ▁R ae ▁( 1 9 7 9 ), ▁Mur phy ' s ▁Rom ance ▁( 1 9 8 5 ) ▁and ▁Stanley ▁& ▁I ris ▁( 1 9 9 0 ). ▁The ▁last ▁was ▁both ▁the ▁last ▁film ▁directed ▁by ▁R itt ▁( who ▁died ▁later ▁that ▁year ) ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁screen play ▁by ▁Frank ▁and ▁Rav etch . ▁ ▁Frank ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" leading ▁characters " ▁in ▁the ▁mem oir ▁The ▁M ight y ▁Fran ks : ▁A ▁Mem oir ▁( 2 0 1 7 ), ▁written ▁by ▁her ▁nep hew ▁Michael ▁Frank , ▁an ▁ess ay ist ▁and ▁short - story ▁writer . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Har ri et ▁Frank ▁Jr . ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Oregon , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Ed ith ▁Frances ▁( B erg man ) ▁and ▁Sam ▁Gold stein , ▁a ▁sh oe ▁store ▁owner . ▁Her ▁mother ▁changed ▁the ▁family ▁name ▁to ▁Frank , ▁and ▁her ▁own ▁name ▁to ▁Har ri et , ▁making ▁herself ▁Har ri et , ▁Sr . ▁and ▁her ▁daughter ▁Har ri et , ▁Jr . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁she ▁re located ▁with ▁her ▁family ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁where