CineScope
William Frawley picture

William Frawley

Acting
Known For

79 Years Old

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.

Born

Burlington, Iowa, USA on 25th February 1887

Died

3rd March 1966

All Credits

I Love Lucy Image
I Love Lucy
Fred Mertz
No Image
The Gale Storm Show
Jim Comstock
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Image
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
The Bob Hope Show Image
The Bob Hope Show
Self
This Is Your Life Image
This Is Your Life
Self
The Lucy Show Image
The Lucy Show
Trainer
The Ed Sullivan Show Image
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
No Image
The Ed Wynn Show
Self
Letter to Loretta Image
Letter to Loretta
Sam
My Three Sons Image
My Three Sons
Bub O'Casey
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour Image
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Fred Mertz
Miracle on 34th Street Image
Miracle on 34th Street
Charlie Halloran
The Inner Circle Image
The Inner Circle
Det. Lt. Webb
Monsieur Verdoux Image
Monsieur Verdoux
Jean La Salle
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Image
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The 'Duke'
Something to Sing About Image
Something to Sing About
Hank Mayers
Rancho Notorious Image
Rancho Notorious
Baldy Gunder
Gentleman Jim Image
Gentleman Jim
Billy Delaney
Going My Way Image
Going My Way
Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man Image
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Det. Roberts
The Virginian Image
The Virginian
Honey Wiggen
Lucy's Really Lost Moments Image
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Fred Mertz
Roberta Image
Roberta
Bartender
The Fighting Seabees Image
The Fighting Seabees
Eddie Powers
Ziegfeld Follies Image
Ziegfeld Follies
Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
One Night in the Tropics Image
One Night in the Tropics
Roscoe
Down to Earth Image
Down to Earth
Police Lieutenant
Desire Image
Desire
Mr. Gibson
Flame of Barbary Coast Image
Flame of Barbary Coast
Wolf Wylie
Roxie Hart Image
Roxie Hart
O'Malley
The Lemon Drop Kid Image
The Lemon Drop Kid
Gloomy Willie
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Image
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Byers
Whistling in Brooklyn Image
Whistling in Brooklyn
Detective Ramsey
Pretty Baby Image
Pretty Baby
Corcoran
Rhubarb Image
Rhubarb
Len Sickles
Rose of Washington Square Image
Rose of Washington Square
Harry Long
Lady on a Train Image
Lady on a Train
Desk Sgt. Brennan
Mother Wore Tights Image
Mother Wore Tights
Mr. Schneider
East Side, West Side Image
East Side, West Side
Bill the Bartender
The Lady Takes a Sailor Image
The Lady Takes a Sailor
Oliver Harker
Kill the Umpire Image
Kill the Umpire
Jimmy O'Brien
Good Sam Image
Good Sam
Tom
Red Light Image
Red Light
Hotel Night Clerk
Rhythm on the River Image
Rhythm on the River
Mr. Westlake
The Bride Came C.O.D. Image
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Sheriff McGee
Wildcat Image
Wildcat
Oliver Westbrook
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven Image
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Agent
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now Image
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
Jim Mason
Double or Nothing Image
Double or Nothing
John Pederson
Alibi Ike Image
Alibi Ike
Cap
Ship Cafe Image
Ship Cafe
Briney O'Brien
Blondie's Hero Image
Blondie's Hero
Marty Greer
Strike Me Pink Image
Strike Me Pink
Mr. Copple
Those Were the Days! Image
Those Were the Days!
Prisoner
Ambush Image
Ambush
Inspector J.L. Weber
Blondie's Anniversary Image
Blondie's Anniversary
Sharkey the Loen Shark
Untamed Image
Untamed
Les Woodbury
Rendezvous with Annie Image
Rendezvous with Annie
General Trent
Stop, Look and Love Image
Stop, Look and Love
Joe Haller
Footsteps in the Dark Image
Footsteps in the Dark
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
The Princess Comes Across Image
The Princess Comes Across
Benton
The Babe Ruth Story Image
The Babe Ruth Story
Jack Dunn
The General Died at Dawn Image
The General Died at Dawn
Brighton
Here Is My Heart Image
Here Is My Heart
James Smith
Persons in Hiding Image
Persons in Hiding
Alec Inglis
Lake Placid Serenade Image
Lake Placid Serenade
Jiggers
I Love Lucy: The Movie Image
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Fred Mertz
Moonlight in Havana Image
Moonlight in Havana
Barney Crane
Ex-Champ Image
Ex-Champ
Mushy Harrington
My Wild Irish Rose Image
My Wild Irish Rose
William Scanlon
Professor Beware Image
Professor Beware
Snoop Donlan
Sons of the Legion Image
Sons of the Legion
Uncle Willie Lee
Larceny with Music Image
Larceny with Music
Mike Simms
Chicken Every Sunday Image
Chicken Every Sunday
George Kirby
College Scandal Image
College Scandal
Chief of Police Magoun
No Image
Gangs Of The City
Bang
High, Wide and Handsome Image
High, Wide and Handsome
Mac
Car 99 Image
Car 99
Training Sgt. Barrel
Blossoms On Broadway Image
Blossoms On Broadway
Francis X. Rush
The Yankee Doodler Image
The Yankee Doodler
Cracked Nuts Image
Cracked Nuts
James Mitchell
Rose Bowl Image
Rose Bowl
'Soapy' Moreland
It Happened in Flatbush Image
It Happened in Flatbush
Sam Sloan
Dancing on a Dime Image
Dancing on a Dime
Mac
Bolero Image
Bolero
Mike DeBaere
The Girl from Manhattan Image
The Girl from Manhattan
Mr. Bernouti
Mad About Music Image
Mad About Music
Dusty Turner
Give Out, Sisters Image
Give Out, Sisters
Harrison
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All Image
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Knobby Walsh
We've Never Been Licked Image
We've Never Been Licked
Traveling Salesman
Blondie in Society Image
Blondie in Society
Waldo Pincus
Hitchhike to Happiness Image
Hitchhike to Happiness
Sandy Hill
Should Husbands Be Watched? Image
Should Husbands Be Watched?
Beat Cop
The Witching Hour Image
The Witching Hour
Jury Foreman
Golden Gloves Image
Golden Gloves
Emory Balzar
The Lone Wolf and His Lady Image
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Inspector Crane
F-Man Image
F-Man
Detective Rogan
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen Image
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Captain Murphy
Night Work Image
Night Work
Bruiser Brown
The Farmer's Daughter Image
The Farmer's Daughter
Scoop Trimble
Home in San Antone Image
Home in San Antone
O'Fleery
The Crime Doctor Image
The Crime Doctor
Fraser
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt Image
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
Safe at Home! Image
Safe at Home!
Bill Turner
St. Louis Blues Image
St. Louis Blues
Major Martingale
No Image
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
No Image
Beautiful Dreamer
The Quarterback Image
The Quarterback
Coach
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga Image
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Chauncey Beheegan
Hold 'Em Yale Image
Hold 'Em Yale
Sunshine Joe
No Image
Treat 'Em Rough
'Hotfoot'
Welcome Home Image
Welcome Home
Painless
Shoot the Works Image
Shoot the Works
Larry Hale
The Dirty Look Image
The Dirty Look
The Lemon Drop Kid Image
The Lemon Drop Kid
William Dunhill aka The Professor
Grand Jury Secrets Image
Grand Jury Secrets
Bright Eyes
I Love Lucy Christmas Special Image
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Fred Mertz
Sandy Gets Her Man Image
Sandy Gets Her Man
Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
No Image
Touchdown, Army
Jack Heffernan
Three Married Men Image
Three Married Men
Bill Mullins
It's a Great Life Image
It's a Great Life
Lt. McNulty
Moonlight and Pretzels Image
Moonlight and Pretzels
Mac
Harmony Lane Image
Harmony Lane
Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
Opened by Mistake Image
Opened by Mistake
Matt Kingsley
No Image
Hell and High Water
Milton J. Bunsey
No Image
Ventriloquist
'Hoak' salesman