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