Don Francks stars as Walter in LA FEMME NIKITA, the original series which premiered January 1997 on the USA Network. A man with a colorful past even by Section One standards, Walter is weathered, grizzled, cantankerous, tough as nails and doesn't suffer fools gladly. At the same time, as the only operative to ever be considered 'warm,' he's dedicated to giving his operatives the maximum possible protection in the field.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Francks' stage career began with the play The Willow Pattern Plate at age 11, which convinced him that acting was the path he wanted to pursue. At a young age he landed a job singing on the radio and was affectionately referred to as "Don Francksinatra." Francks entered into television in 1954, acting in variety shows and dramas and writing documentaries and public affairs specials in Toronto and Montreal.

A lead role in the 1966 NBC television series Jericho had everyone believing that Francks would become an overnight sensation and, in fact, the show was... until Batman premiered and killed everything else in its time slot. Francks was a recipient of the ACTRA Award for Best Dramatic Performance two years in a row (1980 and 1981) for his roles in Drying Up The Streets and The Phoenix Team. Additional credits include Top Cops, Mister Rogers, Road to Avonlea, Ice Princess, Wild Wild West, Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Mission Impossible, among others.

His film career was launched with a role in Finian's Rainbow as Fred Astaire's son-in-law married to Petulah Clark. He went on to star in Fast Company, My Bloody Valentine, Married To It and Johnny Mnemonic with Keanu Reeves. Francks recently filmed the upcoming film Love on the Land with Peter Strauss in which he plays an evangelical preacher circa 1891; and wrapped production on The Minion with Dolph Lundgren and Summer of the Monkeys with Wilfred Brimley. His voice has been heard in literally hundreds of commercials and animated series including Beetlejuice, Free Willy, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs and Inspector Gadget. He has appeared both on and off Broadway in such productions as The Flip Side, On A Clear Day, Kelly and Leonard Bernstein's Theatre Songs. Francks has made several jazz albums and is currently recording a new CD.

Francks, who also goes by the name Iron Buffalo, lives in Toronto with his wife of nearly 30 years, Lili (Red Eagle). They have two children, 17-year-old Rainbow Sun and actress Cree Summer (A Different World). An avid motorcycle rider for the past 47 years, Francks also has a collection of 12 antique automobiles, mostly Model-T Ford racing cars from 1912-27.

The Christmas Wife - 1988
Drying up the streets - 1984
Fish Hawk - 1984
Terminal Choice - 1984
Finian's Rainbow - 1968