William Frawley
Age: 79 | From: Burlington, Iowa, USA
Person Details
Birthday: 1887-02-26 19:11:43
Death: 1966-03-03 19:11:43
Aliases: Bill Frawley
Gender: Male
Place of birth: Burlington, Iowa, USA
Homepage:
Movie Involvements: 41
TV Involvements: 3
Most Famous Work
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.
Most Famous Work
This Is Your Life
(1952) Self
Rancho Notorious
(1952) Baldy Gunder
The Fighting Seabees
(1944) Eddie Powers
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
(1950) Byers
Letter to Loretta
(1953) Sam
Flame of Barbary Coast
(1945) Wolf Wylie
Rose of Washington Square
(1939) Harry Long
East Side, West Side
(1949) Bill the BartenderActing
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | N/A | |
| 1962 | N/A | |
| Bill Turner | ||
| 1960 | Bub O'Casey | |
| 1958 | N/A | |
| 1957 | Fred Mertz | |
| 1956 | Fred Mertz | |
| 1954 | N/A | |
| 1953 | Sam | |
| Fred Mertz | ||
| 1952 | Self | |
| Baldy Gunder | ||
| 1951 | Fred Mertz | |
| Len Sickles | ||
| Det. Roberts | ||
| Gloomy Willie | ||
| 1950 | Corcoran | |
| Byers | ||
| Jimmy O'Brien | ||
| Marty Greer | ||
| 1949 | Bill the Bartender | |
| Oliver Harker | ||
| Self | ||
| Hotel Night Clerk | ||
| Inspector Crane | ||
| O'Fleery | ||
| George Kirby | ||
| 1948 | Mr. Bernouti | |
| Knobby Walsh | ||
| Jack Dunn | ||
| Tom | ||
| Agent | ||
| Self | ||
| 1947 | William Scanlon | |
| Sharkey the Loen Shark | ||
| Jean La Salle | ||
| Police Lieutenant | ||
| Mr. Schneider | ||
| Jim Mason | ||
| Charlie Halloran | ||
| 1946 | Police Inspector Harry B. Manning | |
| Det. Lt. Webb | ||
| General Trent | ||
| Honey Wiggen | ||
| 1945 | Mr. Martin (segment A Sweepstakes Ticket) | |
| Desk Sgt. Brennan | ||
| Sandy Hill | ||
| Wolf Wylie | ||
| 1944 | Jiggers | |
| Max Dolan (Publisher) (uncredited) | ||
| Eddie Powers | ||
| 1943 | Detective Ramsey | |
| Mike Simms | ||
| Traveling Salesman | ||
| 1942 | Billy Delaney | |
| N/A | ||
| Barney Crane | ||
| Oliver Westbrook | ||
| Harrison | ||
| Sam Sloan | ||
| O'Malley | ||
| 'Hotfoot' | ||
| 1941 | Bang | |
| Waldo Pincus | ||
| Sheriff McGee | ||
| James Mitchell | ||
| Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins | ||
| Chauncey Beheegan | ||
| 1940 | Roscoe | |
| Police Chief J. A. O'Hara | ||
| Mac | ||
| Coach | ||
| Mr. Westlake | ||
| Emory Balzar | ||
| Les Woodbury | ||
| Prisoner | ||
| Matt Kingsley | ||
| Scoop Trimble | ||
| 1939 | Joe Haller | |
| Bruiser Brown | ||
| Bright Eyes | ||
| Mushy Harrington | ||
| Harry Long | ||
| The 'Duke' | ||
| Alec Inglis | ||
| Major Martingale | ||
| Inspector J.L. Weber | ||
| 1938 | Uncle Willie Lee | |
| Jack Heffernan | ||
| Snoop Donlan | ||
| Dusty Turner | ||
| 1937 | Francis X. Rush | |
| Hank Mayers | ||
| John Pederson | ||
| Mac | ||
| 1936 | 'Soapy' Moreland | |
| Brighton | ||
| Bill Mullins | ||
| Benton | ||
| Detective Rogan | ||
| Mr. Gibson | ||
| Mr. Copple | ||
| 1935 | Briney O'Brien | |
| Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy | ||
| Lt. McNulty | ||
| Painless | ||
| Chief of Police Magoun | ||
| Cap | ||
| Sunshine Joe | ||
| Bartender | ||
| Training Sgt. Barrel | ||
| 1934 | James Smith | |
| William Dunhill aka The Professor | ||
| Larry Hale | ||
| Jury Foreman | ||
| Fraser | ||
| Mike DeBaere | ||
| Captain Murphy | ||
| 1933 | Mac | |
| 1927 | 'Hoak' salesman | |
| 1925 | Beat Cop | |
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
