
William Frawley
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 25, 1887
- Died
- March 3, 1966 (aged 79)
- Birthplace
- Burlington, Iowa, USA
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.
Known For
Filmography

I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Movie · as Fred Mertz
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Movie · as Self (archive footage)

Safe at Home!
Movie · as Bill Turner

The Lucy Show
TV · as Trainer · 1 ep

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 1 ep

My Three Sons
TV · as Bub O'Casey · 184 eps

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV · 6 eps

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
TV · as Fred Mertz · 13 eps

Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Movie · as Fred Mertz

The Gale Storm Show
TV · as Jim Comstock · 1 ep

The Dirty Look
Movie

I Love Lucy: The Movie
Movie · as Fred Mertz / Self

Letter to Loretta
TV · as Sam · 1 ep

Rancho Notorious
Movie · as Baldy Gunder

This Is Your Life
TV · as Self · 1 ep

The Lemon Drop Kid
Movie · as Gloomy Willie

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Movie · as Det. Roberts

Rhubarb
Movie · as Len Sickles

I Love Lucy
TV · as Fred Mertz · 180 eps

Blondie's Hero
Movie · as Marty Greer

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Movie · as Byers

Pretty Baby
Movie · as Corcoran

Kill the Umpire
Movie · as Jimmy O'Brien

The Bob Hope Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep

Red Light
Movie · as Hotel Night Clerk

The Lady Takes a Sailor
Movie · as Oliver Harker

The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Movie · as Inspector Crane

Chicken Every Sunday
Movie · as George Kirby

East Side, West Side
Movie · as Bill the Bartender

Home in San Antone
Movie · as O'Fleery
The Ed Wynn Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep

The Babe Ruth Story
Movie · as Jack Dunn

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Movie · as Agent

Good Sam
Movie · as Tom

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Movie · as Knobby Walsh

The Girl from Manhattan
Movie · as Mr. Bernouti

The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep

Blondie's Anniversary
Movie · as Sharkey the Loen Shark

Miracle on 34th Street
Movie · as Charlie Halloran

Mother Wore Tights
Movie · as Mr. Schneider

My Wild Irish Rose
Movie · as William Scanlon

Down to Earth
Movie · as Police Lieutenant

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
Movie · as Jim Mason

Monsieur Verdoux
Movie · as Jean La Salle

The Inner Circle
Movie · as Det. Lt. Webb

Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Movie · as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning

The Virginian
Movie · as Honey Wiggen

Rendezvous with Annie
Movie · as General Trent

Lady on a Train
Movie · as Desk Sgt. Brennan

Flame of Barbary Coast
Movie · as Wolf Wylie

Hitchhike to Happiness
Movie · as Sandy Hill

Ziegfeld Follies
Movie · as Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")

The Fighting Seabees
Movie · as Eddie Powers

Going My Way
Movie · as Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)

Lake Placid Serenade
Movie · as Jiggers

Whistling in Brooklyn
Movie · as Detective Ramsey

We've Never Been Licked
Movie · as Traveling Salesman

Larceny with Music
Movie · as Mike Simms

Gentleman Jim
Movie · as Billy Delaney

Roxie Hart
Movie · as O'Malley

Moonlight in Havana
Movie · as Barney Crane

Wildcat
Movie · as Oliver Westbrook
Treat 'Em Rough
Movie · as 'Hotfoot'

It Happened in Flatbush
Movie · as Sam Sloan

Give Out, Sisters
Movie · as Harrison

The Yankee Doodler
Movie

Blondie in Society
Movie · as Waldo Pincus

Footsteps in the Dark
Movie · as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins

The Bride Came C.O.D.
Movie · as Sheriff McGee

Cracked Nuts
Movie · as James Mitchell
Gangs Of The City
Movie · as Bang

Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Movie · as Chauncey Beheegan

One Night in the Tropics
Movie · as Roscoe

Rhythm on the River
Movie · as Mr. Westlake

Golden Gloves
Movie · as Emory Balzar

Dancing on a Dime
Movie · as Mac

Those Were the Days!
Movie · as Prisoner

The Farmer's Daughter
Movie · as Scoop Trimble

Untamed
Movie · as Les Woodbury

The Quarterback
Movie · as Coach

Sandy Gets Her Man
Movie · as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara

Opened by Mistake
Movie · as Matt Kingsley

Rose of Washington Square
Movie · as Harry Long

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Movie · as The 'Duke'

Grand Jury Secrets
Movie · as Bright Eyes

Stop, Look and Love
Movie · as Joe Haller

Ambush
Movie · as Inspector J.L. Weber

Persons in Hiding
Movie · as Alec Inglis

St. Louis Blues
Movie · as Major Martingale

Night Work
Movie · as Bruiser Brown

Ex-Champ
Movie · as Mushy Harrington

Mad About Music
Movie · as Dusty Turner

Professor Beware
Movie · as Snoop Donlan

Sons of the Legion
Movie · as Uncle Willie Lee

Touchdown, Army
Movie · as Jack Heffernan

Double or Nothing
Movie · as John Pederson

Something to Sing About
Movie · as Hank Mayers

Blossoms On Broadway
Movie · as Francis X. Rush

High, Wide and Handsome
Movie · as Mac

The Princess Comes Across
Movie · as Benton

Rose Bowl
Movie · as 'Soapy' Moreland

Desire
Movie · as Mr. Gibson

Strike Me Pink
Movie · as Mr. Copple

Three Married Men
Movie · as Bill Mullins

F-Man
Movie · as Detective Rogan

The General Died at Dawn
Movie · as Brighton
Three Cheers for Love
Movie · as Milton Shakespeare

Roberta
Movie · as Bartender (uncredited)

Welcome Home
Movie · as Painless

Alibi Ike
Movie · as Cap

College Scandal
Movie · as Chief of Police Magoun

Car 99
Movie · as Training Sgt. Barrel

It's a Great Life
Movie · as Lt. McNulty

Harmony Lane
Movie · as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy

Hold 'Em Yale
Movie · as Sunshine Joe

Ship Cafe
Movie · as Briney O'Brien
Beautiful Dreamer
Movie

The Crime Doctor
Movie · as Fraser

Here Is My Heart
Movie · as James Smith

Bolero
Movie · as Mike DeBaere

Shoot the Works
Movie · as Larry Hale

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Movie · as Captain Murphy

The Witching Hour
Movie · as Jury Foreman

The Lemon Drop Kid
Movie · as William Dunhill aka The Professor

Moonlight and Pretzels
Movie · as Mac
Hell and High Water
Movie · as Milton J. Bunsey
Ventriloquist
Movie · as 'Hoak' salesman

Should Husbands Be Watched?
Movie · as Beat Cop