William Frawley
Acting • Born 1887-02-25 – Died 1966-03-03
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
127 credits
Blondie in Society
Movie • 1941
Waldo Pincus
Blondie's Anniversary
Movie • 1947
Sharkey the Loen Shark
Blondie's Hero
Movie • 1950
Marty Greer
Lady on a Train
Movie • 1945
Desk Sgt. Brennan
The Fighting Seabees
Movie • 1944
Eddie Powers
Roberta
Movie • 1935
Bartender (uncredited)
The Princess Comes Across
Movie • 1936
Benton
The Lemon Drop Kid
Movie • 1951
Gloomy Willie
Miracle on 34th Street
Movie • 1947
Charlie Halloran
Red Light
Movie • 1949
Hotel Night Clerk
Welcome Home
Movie • 1935
Painless
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Movie • 1951
Det. Roberts
Flame of Barbary Coast
Movie • 1945
Wolf Wylie
Rancho Notorious
Movie • 1952
Baldy Gunder
One Night in the Tropics
Movie • 1940
Roscoe
Rhubarb
Movie • 1951
Len Sickles
The Babe Ruth Story
Movie • 1948
Jack Dunn
Gentleman Jim
Movie • 1942
Billy Delaney
Rose of Washington Square
Movie • 1939
Harry Long
Mad About Music
Movie • 1938
Dusty Turner
Footsteps in the Dark
Movie • 1941
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
The Crime Doctor
Movie • 1934
Fraser
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Movie • 1950
Byers
The Inner Circle
Movie • 1946
Det. Lt. Webb
Rose Bowl
Movie • 1936
'Soapy' Moreland
Professor Beware
Movie • 1938
Snoop Donlan
Whistling in Brooklyn
Movie • 1943
Detective Ramsey
Double or Nothing
Movie • 1937
John Pederson
Something to Sing About
Movie • 1937
Hank Mayers
Roxie Hart
Movie • 1942
O'Malley
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Movie • 1946
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Movie • 1939
The 'Duke'
Desire
Movie • 1936
Mr. Gibson
The Virginian
Movie • 1946
Honey Wiggen
Mother Wore Tights
Movie • 1947
Mr. Schneider
Moonlight and Pretzels
Movie • 1933
Mac
Rhythm on the River
Movie • 1940
Mr. Westlake
Golden Gloves
Movie • 1940
Emory Balzar
Strike Me Pink
Movie • 1936
Mr. Copple
The Dirty Look
Movie • 1954
Alibi Ike
Movie • 1935
Cap
The Lady Takes a Sailor
Movie • 1949
Oliver Harker
Safe at Home!
Movie • 1962
Bill Turner
Here Is My Heart
Movie • 1934
James Smith
Pretty Baby
Movie • 1950
Corcoran
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Movie • 1949
Inspector Crane
Ventriloquist
Movie • 1927
'Hoak' salesman
Bolero
Movie • 1934
Mike DeBaere
Chicken Every Sunday
Movie • 1949
George Kirby
Blossoms On Broadway
Movie • 1937
Francis X. Rush
Shoot the Works
Movie • 1934
Larry Hale
Moonlight in Havana
Movie • 1942
Barney Crane
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Movie • 1934
Captain Murphy
Sons of the Legion
Movie • 1938
Uncle Willie Lee
The Witching Hour
Movie • 1934
Jury Foreman
Three Married Men
Movie • 1936
Bill Mullins
College Scandal
Movie • 1935
Chief of Police Magoun
Dancing on a Dime
Movie • 1940
Mac
Car 99
Movie • 1935
Training Sgt. Barrel
We've Never Been Licked
Movie • 1943
Traveling Salesman
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Movie • 1948
Agent
Hitchhike to Happiness
Movie • 1945
Sandy Hill
Wildcat
Movie • 1942
Oliver Westbrook
F-Man
Movie • 1936
Detective Rogan
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Movie • 1941
Sheriff McGee
My Wild Irish Rose
Movie • 1947
William Scanlon
Should Husbands Be Watched?
Movie • 1925
Beat Cop
High, Wide and Handsome
Movie • 1937
Mac
Cracked Nuts
Movie • 1941
James Mitchell
Down to Earth
Movie • 1947
Police Lieutenant
Those Were the Days!
Movie • 1940
Prisoner
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
Movie • 1947
Jim Mason
Grand Jury Secrets
Movie • 1939
Bright Eyes
The Farmer's Daughter
Movie • 1940
Scoop Trimble
Gangs Of The City
Movie • 1941
Bang
Untamed
Movie • 1940
Les Woodbury
Hell and High Water
Movie • 1933
Milton J. Bunsey
Going My Way
Movie • 1944
Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)
Rendezvous with Annie
Movie • 1946
General Trent
It's a Great Life
Movie • 1935
Lt. McNulty
Treat 'Em Rough
Movie • 1942
'Hotfoot'
Monsieur Verdoux
Movie • 1947
Jean La Salle
It Happened in Flatbush
Movie • 1942
Sam Sloan
Harmony Lane
Movie • 1935
Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
Stop, Look and Love
Movie • 1939
Joe Haller
Ambush
Movie • 1939
Inspector J.L. Weber
Persons in Hiding
Movie • 1939
Alec Inglis
Touchdown, Army
Movie • 1938
Jack Heffernan
The Quarterback
Movie • 1940
Coach
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Movie • 1941
Chauncey Beheegan
Give Out, Sisters
Movie • 1942
Harrison
Larceny with Music
Movie • 1943
Mike Simms
St. Louis Blues
Movie • 1939
Major Martingale
East Side, West Side
Movie • 1949
Bill the Bartender
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Movie • 1953
Fred Mertz
Home in San Antone
Movie • 1949
O'Fleery
Good Sam
Movie • 1948
Tom
Lake Placid Serenade
Movie • 1944
Jiggers
Kill the Umpire
Movie • 1950
Jimmy O'Brien
The Lemon Drop Kid
Movie • 1934
William Dunhill aka The Professor
The General Died at Dawn
Movie • 1936
Brighton
Sandy Gets Her Man
Movie • 1940
Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Movie • 1956
Fred Mertz
The Yankee Doodler
Movie • 1942
Night Work
Movie • 1939
Bruiser Brown
Ex-Champ
Movie • 1939
Mushy Harrington
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Movie • 1948
Knobby Walsh
Ziegfeld Follies
Movie • 1945
Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
Opened by Mistake
Movie • 1940
Matt Kingsley
Hold 'Em Yale
Movie • 1935
Sunshine Joe
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Movie • 2016
Fred Mertz
Ship Cafe
Movie • 1935
Briney O'Brien
The Girl from Manhattan
Movie • 1948
Mr. Bernouti
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Movie • 2000
Self (archive footage)
Beautiful Dreamer
Movie • 1935
My Three Sons
TV • 1960
Bub O'Casey
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
TV • 1957
Fred Mertz
The Lucy Show
TV • 1962
Trainer
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Fred Mertz
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV • 1958
This Is Your Life
TV • 1952
Self
Letter to Loretta
TV • 1953
Sam
The Ed Wynn Show
TV • 1949
Self
The Bob Hope Show
TV • 1950
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The Gale Storm Show
TV • 1956
Jim Comstock