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William Frawley
William Frawley

William Frawley

ActingBorn February 25, 1887Died March 3, 1966 (age 79)Burlington, Iowa, USA

Biography

William Frawley was born in Burlington, Iowa. As a boy he sang at St. Paul's Catholic Church and played at the Burlington Opera House. His first job was as a stenographer for the Union Pacific Railroad. He did vaudeville with his brother Paul, then joined pianist Franz Rath in an act they took to San Francisco in 1910. Four years later he formed a light comedy act with his new wife Edna Louise Broedt, "Frawley and Louise", touring the Orpheum and Keith circuits until they divorced in 1927. He next moved to Broadway and then, in 1932, to Hollywood with Paramount. By 1951, when he contacted Lucille Ball about a part in her TV show I Love Lucy (1951), he had performed in over 100 films. His Fred Mertz role lasted until the show ended in 1960, after which he did a five-year stint on My Three Sons (1960). Poor health forced his retirement. He collapsed of a heart attack on March 3, 1966, aged 79, walking along Hollywood Boulevard after seeing a movie. He is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Filmography

2016Movie
2000
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy

as Self (archive footage)

Movie
1962
The Lucy Show

as Trainer

TV
1962
Safe at Home!

as Bill Turner

Movie
1960
My Three Sons

as Bub O'Casey

TV
1957TV
1956
The Gale Storm Show

as Jim Comstock

TV
1956Movie
1953TV
1953
I Love Lucy: The Movie

as Fred Mertz / Self

Movie
1952TV
1952
Rancho Notorious

as Baldy Gunder

Movie
1951
I Love Lucy

as Fred Mertz

TV
1951
Rhubarb

as Len Sickles

Movie
1951
The Lemon Drop Kid

as Gloomy Willie

Movie
1950
Pretty Baby

as Corcoran

Movie
1950Movie
1950
Kill the Umpire

as Jimmy O'Brien

Movie
1950TV
1950
Blondie's Hero

as Marty Greer

Movie
1949
East Side, West Side

as Bill the Bartender

Movie
1949
The Lady Takes a Sailor

as Oliver Harker

Movie
1949TV
1949
Red Light

as Hotel Night Clerk

Movie
1949
The Lone Wolf and His Lady

as Inspector Crane

Movie
1949Movie
1949
Chicken Every Sunday

as George Kirby

Movie
1948Movie
1948Movie
1948Movie
1948
Good Sam

as Tom

Movie
1948Movie
1947
My Wild Irish Rose

as William Scanlon

Movie
1947
Blondie's Anniversary

as Sharkey the Loen Shark

Movie
1947
Monsieur Verdoux

as Jean La Salle

Movie
1947
Down to Earth

as Police Lieutenant

Movie
1947
Mother Wore Tights

as Mr. Schneider

Movie
1947Movie
1947
Miracle on 34th Street

as Charlie Halloran

Movie
1946
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt

as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning

Movie
1946
The Inner Circle

as Det. Lt. Webb

Movie
1946
Rendezvous with Annie

as General Trent

Movie
1946
The Virginian

as Honey Wiggen

Movie
1945
Ziegfeld Follies

as Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")

Movie
1945
Lady on a Train

as Desk Sgt. Brennan

Movie
1945Movie
1945Movie
1944Movie
1944
The Fighting Seabees

as Eddie Powers

Movie
1944
Going My Way

as Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)

Movie
1943
Whistling in Brooklyn

as Detective Ramsey

Movie
1943
Larceny with Music

as Mike Simms

Movie
1943
We've Never Been Licked

as Traveling Salesman

Movie
1942
Gentleman Jim

as Billy Delaney

Movie
1942
Moonlight in Havana

as Barney Crane

Movie
1942
Wildcat

as Oliver Westbrook

Movie
1942Movie
1942Movie
1942
Roxie Hart

as O'Malley

Movie
1942
Treat 'Em Rough

as 'Hotfoot'

Movie
1941Movie
1941
Blondie in Society

as Waldo Pincus

Movie
1941
The Bride Came C.O.D.

as Sheriff McGee

Movie
1941
Cracked Nuts

as James Mitchell

Movie
1941
Footsteps in the Dark

as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins

Movie
1941Movie
1940Movie
1940
Sandy Gets Her Man

as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara

Movie
1940Movie
1940Movie
1940
Rhythm on the River

as Mr. Westlake

Movie
1940
Golden Gloves

as Emory Balzar

Movie
1940
Untamed

as Les Woodbury

Movie
1940Movie
1940
Opened by Mistake

as Matt Kingsley

Movie
1940
The Farmer's Daughter

as Scoop Trimble

Movie
1939
Stop, Look and Love

as Joe Haller

Movie
1939
Night Work

as Bruiser Brown

Movie
1939
Grand Jury Secrets

as Bright Eyes

Movie
1939
Ex-Champ

as Mushy Harrington

Movie
1939Movie
1939
Persons in Hiding

as Alec Inglis

Movie
1939
St. Louis Blues

as Major Martingale

Movie
1939
Ambush

as Inspector J.L. Weber

Movie
1938
Sons of the Legion

as Uncle Willie Lee

Movie
1938
Touchdown, Army

as Jack Heffernan

Movie
1938
Professor Beware

as Snoop Donlan

Movie
1938
Mad About Music

as Dusty Turner

Movie
1937
Blossoms On Broadway

as Francis X. Rush

Movie
1937Movie
1937
Double or Nothing

as John Pederson

Movie
1936
Rose Bowl

as 'Soapy' Moreland

Movie
1936Movie
1936
Three Married Men

as Bill Mullins

Movie
1936Movie
1936
F-Man

as Detective Rogan

Movie
1936
Desire

as Mr. Gibson

Movie
1936
Strike Me Pink

as Mr. Copple

Movie
1935
Ship Cafe

as Briney O'Brien

Movie
1935
Harmony Lane

as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy

Movie
1935
It's a Great Life

as Lt. McNulty

Movie
1935
Welcome Home

as Painless

Movie
1935
College Scandal

as Chief of Police Magoun

Movie
1935
Alibi Ike

as Cap

Movie
1935
Hold 'Em Yale

as Sunshine Joe

Movie
1935
Roberta

as Bartender (uncredited)

Movie
1935
Car 99

as Training Sgt. Barrel

Movie
1934
Here Is My Heart

as James Smith

Movie
1934
The Lemon Drop Kid

as William Dunhill aka The Professor

Movie
1934
Shoot the Works

as Larry Hale

Movie
1934
The Witching Hour

as Jury Foreman

Movie
1934Movie
1934
Bolero

as Mike DeBaere

Movie
1934Movie
1933
Hell and High Water

as Milton J. Bunsey

Movie
1933Movie
1927
Ventriloquist

as 'Hoak' salesman

Movie
1925Movie

Personal Info

DepartmentActing
BirthdayFebruary 25, 1887
Day of DeathMarch 3, 1966
Place of BirthBurlington, Iowa, USA
Popularity0.7