William Frawley
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2019 · I Love Lucy: Colorized Collection as Fred Mertz
- 2016 · I Love Lucy Christmas Special as
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1962 · The Lucy Show as Trainer
- 1962 · Safe at Home! as Bill Turner
- 1960 · My Three Sons as Bub O'Casey
- 1958 · Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as
- 1957 · The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour as Fred Mertz
- 1956 · The Gale Storm Show as Jim Comstock
- 1956 · Lucy's Really Lost Moments as Fred Mertz
- 1954 · The Dirty Look as
- 1953 · Letter to Loretta as Sam
- 1953 · I Love Lucy: The Movie as Fred Mertz
- 1952 · This Is Your Life as Self
- 1952 · Rancho Notorious as Baldy Gunder
- 1951 · I Love Lucy as Fred Mertz
- 1951 · Rhubarb as Len Sickles
- 1951 · Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man as Det. Roberts
- 1951 · The Lemon Drop Kid as Gloomy Willie
- 1950 · Pretty Baby as Corcoran
- 1950 · Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye as Byers
- 1950 · Kill the Umpire as Jimmy O'Brien
- 1950 · The Bob Hope Show as Self
- 1950 · Blondie's Hero as Marty Greer
- 1949 · East Side, West Side as Bill the Bartender
- 1949 · The Lady Takes a Sailor as Oliver Harker
- 1949 · The Ed Wynn Show as Self
- 1949 · Red Light as Hotel Night Clerk
- 1949 · The Lone Wolf and His Lady as Inspector Crane
- 1949 · Home in San Antone as O'Fleery
- 1949 · Chicken Every Sunday as George Kirby
- 1948 · The Girl from Manhattan as Mr. Bernouti
- 1948 · Joe Palooka in Winner Take All as Knobby Walsh
- 1948 · The Babe Ruth Story as Jack Dunn
- 1948 · Good Sam as Tom
- 1948 · Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven as Agent
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- 1947 · My Wild Irish Rose as William Scanlon
- 1947 · Blondie's Anniversary as Sharkey the Loen Shark
- 1947 · Monsieur Verdoux as Jean La Salle
- 1947 · Down to Earth as Police Lieutenant
- 1947 · Mother Wore Tights as Mr. Schneider
- 1947 · I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now as Jim Mason
- 1947 · Miracle on 34th Street as Charlie Halloran
- 1946 · Crime Doctor's Man Hunt as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
- 1946 · The Inner Circle as Det. Lt. Webb
- 1946 · Rendezvous with Annie as General Trent
- 1946 · The Virginian as Honey Wiggen
- 1945 · Ziegfeld Follies as Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
- 1945 · Lady on a Train as Desk Sgt. Brennan
- 1945 · Hitchhike to Happiness as Sandy Hill
- 1945 · Flame of Barbary Coast as Wolf Wylie
- 1944 · Lake Placid Serenade as Jiggers
- 1944 · The Fighting Seabees as Eddie Powers
- 1944 · Going My Way as Max Dolan (Publisher) (uncredited)
- 1943 · Whistling in Brooklyn as Detective Ramsey
- 1943 · Larceny with Music as Mike Simms
- 1943 · We've Never Been Licked as Traveling Salesman
- 1942 · Gentleman Jim as Billy Delaney
- 1942 · The Yankee Doodler as
- 1942 · Moonlight in Havana as Barney Crane
- 1942 · Wildcat as Oliver Westbrook
- 1942 · Give Out, Sisters as Harrison
- 1942 · It Happened in Flatbush as Sam Sloan
- 1942 · Roxie Hart as O'Malley
- 1942 · Treat 'Em Rough as 'Hotfoot'
- 1941 · Gangs Of The City as Bang
- 1941 · Blondie in Society as Waldo Pincus
- 1941 · The Bride Came C.O.D. as Sheriff McGee
- 1941 · Cracked Nuts as James Mitchell
- 1941 · Footsteps in the Dark as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
- 1941 · Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga as Chauncey Beheegan
- 1940 · One Night in the Tropics as Roscoe
- 1940 · Sandy Gets Her Man as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
- 1940 · Dancing on a Dime as Mac
- 1940 · The Quarterback as Coach
- 1940 · Rhythm on the River as Mr. Westlake
- 1940 · Golden Gloves as Emory Balzar
- 1940 · Untamed as Les Woodbury
- 1940 · Those Were the Days! as Prisoner
- 1940 · Opened by Mistake as Matt Kingsley
- 1940 · The Farmer's Daughter as Scoop Trimble
- 1939 · Stop, Look and Love as Joe Haller
- 1939 · Night Work as Bruiser Brown
- 1939 · Grand Jury Secrets as Bright Eyes
- 1939 · Ex-Champ as Mushy Harrington
- 1939 · Rose of Washington Square as Harry Long
- 1939 · The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as The 'Duke'
- 1939 · Persons in Hiding as Alec Inglis
- 1939 · St. Louis Blues as Major Martingale
- 1939 · Ambush as Inspector J.L. Weber
- 1938 · Sons of the Legion as Uncle Willie Lee
- 1938 · Touchdown, Army as Jack Heffernan
- 1938 · Professor Beware as Snoop Donlan
- 1938 · Mad About Music as Dusty Turner
- 1937 · Blossoms On Broadway as Francis X. Rush
- 1937 · Something to Sing About as Hank Mayers
- 1937 · Double or Nothing as John Pederson
- 1937 · High, Wide and Handsome as Mac
- 1936 · Rose Bowl as 'Soapy' Moreland
- 1936 · The General Died at Dawn as Brighton
- 1936 · Three Married Men as Bill Mullins
- 1936 · The Princess Comes Across as Benton
- 1936 · F-Man as Detective Rogan
- 1936 · Desire as Mr. Gibson
- 1936 · Strike Me Pink as Mr. Copple
- 1935 · Ship Cafe as Briney O'Brien
- 1935 · Harmony Lane as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
- 1935 · It's a Great Life as Lt. McNulty
- 1935 · Welcome Home as Painless
- 1935 · College Scandal as Chief of Police Magoun
- 1935 · Alibi Ike as Cap
- 1935 · Hold 'Em Yale as Sunshine Joe
- 1935 · Roberta as Bartender
- 1935 · Car 99 as Training Sgt. Barrel
- 1934 · Here Is My Heart as James Smith
- 1934 · The Lemon Drop Kid as William Dunhill aka The Professor
- 1934 · Shoot the Works as Larry Hale
- 1934 · The Witching Hour as Jury Foreman
- 1934 · The Crime Doctor as Fraser
- 1934 · Bolero as Mike DeBaere
- 1934 · Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen as Captain Murphy
- 1933 · Hell and High Water as Milton J. Bunsey
- 1933 · Moonlight and Pretzels as Mac
- 1927 · Ventriloquist as 'Hoak' salesman
- 1925 · Should Husbands Be Watched? as Beat Cop