'Seinfeld' actress Frances Bay dead at 92

TARZANA, Calif., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Canadian-born actress Frances Bay, who appeared in a string of television and movies in her later years, died in California at the age of 92, her family said.

Bay was probably best known as Mrs. Choat, who wrestled with Jerry Seinfeld over the last loaf of marble rye bread on "Seinfeld," and also appeared regularly as Aunt Ginny on ABC's "The Middle."

Bay died Thursday at a Tarzana hospital where she had been battling an infection, her cousin, Marly Zaslov of Vancouver, told the Los Angeles Times.

The Times said Bay appeared in more than 100 TV shows and 50 movies, including "Happy Gilmore" and "Blue Velvet." She was also active in local theater in the Los Angeles area for many years.

Bay had said she always wanted to act since she was a kid in Winnipeg but sidelined her aspirations when her husband was transferred to New York in the 1970s. After renewing her drama training, Bay began landing a steady stream of bit and supporting roles that continued even after she lost a leg in a traffic accident in 2002.

Her notoriety reached a crescendo in the 1990s when Mrs. Choat had her loaf of coveted bread snatched from her on "Seinfeld." She gained a measure of revenge when she became the deciding vote that doomed Jerry's dad in their hotly contested election for Florida condominium board president.