Fannie Flagg is an American actress, comedian, and author. Flagg was hired as a writer for Allen Funt's Candid Camera in the 1960s and later became a regular performer on the show. She also appeared in The New Dick Van Dyke Show. Flagg has transitioned between film and television, appearing in films such as Five Easy Pieces, Some of My Best Friends Are..., Stay Hungry, and My Best Friend Is a Vampire. She is also a successful author, having written the novels Coming Attractions, published in 1981, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, published in 1987. She also co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaption of the latter, Fried Green Tomatoes.