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William Frawley

Actor / Character Actor / Screenwriter | * 02/26/1887 († 79, 03/03/1966) | Burlington, Iowa (United States of America (USA))
William Clement Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American Vaudevillian and actor best known for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the sitcom I Love Lucy. Frawley also played "Bub" O'Casey during the first five seasons of the sitcom My Three Sons and the political advisor to the Hon. Henry X. Harper (Gene Lockhart) in the film Miracle on 34th Street. Frawley began his career in Vaudeville in 1914 with his wife, Edna Louise Broedt. Their comedy act, "Frawley and Louise", continued until their divorce in 1927. He performed on Broadway multiple times. In 1916, he signed with Paramount Studios and appeared in more than 100 films over the next 35 years. ()
Photo of 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.

Most frequent genres for this person: Comedies | Drama | Romance / Love

Known for these Movies & Shows

A Swedish princess boards an ocean liner in Europe en route to an acting career in America, and finds herself getting inconveniently attached to a bandleader returning home. To complicate matters, a b ...

The Princess Comes Across

Certification unknown

1936 | 3.2/5 | 1h 16min
Comedy, Mystery, Romance / Love, Thriller
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Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy's following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that ma ...

Miracle on 34th Street

Certification unknown

1947 | 3.7/5 | 1h 36min
Comedy, Drama, Kids & Family
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A financially-strapped charter pilot hires himself to an oil tycoon to kidnap his madcap daughter and prevent her from marrying a vapid band leader. ...

The Bride Came C.O.D.

Certification unknown

1941 | 3.7/5 | 1h 32min
Comedy, Romance / Love
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Cuban Bandleader Ricky Ricardo would be happy if his wife Lucy would just be a housewife. Instead she tries constantly to perform at the Tropicana where he works, and make life comically frantic in th ...

I Love Lucy

Certification unknown

1951 | 4.0/5 | 30min per episode
Comedy, Kids & Family
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Watch now!

Awards & Nominations for William Frawley

Star On Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Movies with William Frawley as Actor(112)

2016 I Love Lucy Christmas Special
as Bill Turner1962 Safe at Home!
as Fred Mertz1956 Lucy's Really Lost Moments
1954 The Dirty Look
as Fred Mertz1953 I Love Lucy: The Movie
as Baldy Gunder1952 Rancho Notorious
as Det. Roberts1951 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
as Len Sickles1951 Rhubarb
as Gloomy Willie1951 The Lemon Drop Kid
as Corcoran1950 Pretty Baby
as Byers1950 Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
as Jimmy O'Brien1950 Kill the Umpire
as Marty Greer1950 Blondie's Hero
as George Kirby1949 Chicken Every Sunday
as Hotel Night Clerk1949 Red Light
as Bill the Bartender1949 East Side, West Side
as Inspector Crane1949 The Lone Wolf and His Lady
as O'Fleery1949 Home in San Antone
as Oliver Harker1949 The Lady Takes a Sailor
as Agent1948 Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Jack Dunn1948 The Babe Ruth Story
as Mr. Bernouti1948 The Girl from Manhattan
as Tom1948 Good Sam
as Knobby Walsh1948 Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
as Sharkey the Loen Shark1947 Blondie's Anniversary
as Jean La Salle1947 Monsieur Verdoux
as Jim Mason1947 I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
as Mr. Schneider1947 Mother Wore Tights
as Charlie Halloran1947 Miracle on 34th Street
as William Scanlon1947 My Wild Irish Rose
as Police Lieutenant1947 Down to Earth
as Det. Lt. Webb1946 The Inner Circle
as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning1946 Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
as General Trent1946 Rendezvous with Annie
as Honey Wiggen1946 The Virginian
as Desk Sgt. Brennan1945 Lady on a Train
as Wolf Wylie1945 Flame of Barbary Coast
as Martin (segment A Sweepstakes Ticket)1945 Ziegfeld Follies
as Sandy Hill1945 Hitchhike to Happiness
as Eddie Powers1944 The Fighting Seabees
as Max Dolan (Publisher) (uncredited)1944 Going My Way
as Jiggers1944 Lake Placid Serenade
as Detective Ramsey1943 Whistling in Brooklyn
as Mike Simms1943 Larceny with Music
as Traveling Salesman1943 We've Never Been Licked
as Harrison1942 Give Out, Sisters
as Oliver Westbrook1942 Wildcat
as Barney Crane1942 Moonlight in Havana
1942 The Yankee Doodler
as Billy Delaney1942 Gentleman Jim
as 'Hotfoot'1942 Treat 'Em Rough
as Sam Sloan1942 It Happened in Flatbush
as O'Malley1942 Roxie Hart
as Chauncey Beheegan1941 Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins1941 Footsteps in the Dark
as James Mitchell1941 Cracked Nuts
as Sheriff McGee1941 The Bride Came C.O.D.
as Bang1941 Gangs Of The City
as Waldo Pincus1941 Blondie in Society
as Roscoe1940 One Night in the Tropics
as Mr. Westlake1940 Rhythm on the River
as Prisoner1940 Those Were the Days!
as Emory Balzar1940 Golden Gloves
as Scoop Trimble1940 The Farmer's Daughter
as Coach1940 The Quarterback
as Mac1940 Dancing on a Dime
as Matt Kingsley1940 Opened by Mistake
as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara1940 Sandy Gets Her Man
as Les Woodbury1940 Untamed
as Mushy Harrington1939 Ex-Champ
as Joe Haller1939 Stop, Look and Love
as Major Martingale1939 St. Louis Blues
as Bright Eyes1939 Grand Jury Secrets
as Alec Inglis1939 Persons in Hiding
as Inspector J.L. Weber1939 Ambush
as Bruiser Brown1939 Night Work
as Harry Long1939 Rose of Washington Square
as The 'Duke'1939 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Uncle Willie Lee1938 Sons of the Legion
as Dusty Turner1938 Mad About Music
as Snoop Donlan1938 Professor Beware
as Jack Heffernan1938 Touchdown, Army
as Francis X. Rush1937 Blossoms On Broadway
as John Pederson1937 Double or Nothing
as Hank Mayers1937 Something to Sing About
as Mac1937 High, Wide and Handsome
as Benton1936 The Princess Comes Across
as Mr. Copple1936 Strike Me Pink
as Bill Mullins1936 Three Married Men
as Mr. Gibson1936 Desire
as 'Soapy' Moreland1936 Rose Bowl
as Detective Rogan1936 F-Man
as Brighton1936 The General Died at Dawn
as Training Sgt. Barrel1935 Car 99
as Painless1935 Welcome Home
as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy1935 Harmony Lane
as Briney O'Brien1935 Ship Cafe
as Bartender1935 Roberta
as Chief of Police Magoun1935 College Scandal
as Cap1935 Alibi Ike
as Lt. McNulty1935 It's a Great Life
as Sunshine Joe1935 Hold 'Em Yale
as Fraser1934 The Crime Doctor
as William Dunhill aka The Professor1934 The Lemon Drop Kid
as Captain Murphy1934 Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
as Mike DeBaere1934 Bolero
as James Smith1934 Here Is My Heart
as Larry Hale1934 Shoot the Works
as Jury Foreman1934 The Witching Hour
as Mac1933 Moonlight and Pretzels
as 'Hoak' salesman1927 Ventriloquist
as Beat Cop1925 Should Husbands Be Watched?

TV Shows/Series with William Frawley as Actor(8)

1962 The Lucy Show
as Bub O'Casey1960 My Three Sons
1958 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
as Fred Mertz1957 The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
as Sam1953 Letter to Loretta
as himself1952 This Is Your Life
as Fred Mertz1951 I Love Lucy
as himself1948 The Ed Sullivan Show

Full Name: William Frawley
Born: Saturday, 02/26 1887 (February) in Burlington, Iowa (United States of America (USA))
Died: Thursday, 03/03 1966 (March) in Hollywood (aged: 79)
Zodiac sign: Pisces (Chinese zodiac sign: Pig)
Languages: English (EN, native language)
Record Label: Dot Records
Other names for William Frawley (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Bill Frawley"
William Frawley frequently works together with these people:
Loretta Young (117x, Actress)
Louis Nicoletti (20x, Cast)
Hans Dreier (17x, Crew)
Desi Arnaz (12x, Actor)
Lucille Ball (10x, Actress)
Ricardo Montalban (10x, Actor)
Ross Elliott (10x, Actor)
Kitty Kelly (10x, Actress)
Frank Nelson (10x, Actor)
Richard Reeves (10x, Actor)
Irving Bacon (9x, Actor)
Edith Head (8x, Crew)
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WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:306282, Added: 08/13/2018, Last updated: 04/21/2024