William Frawley
Acting
1887-02-25 · Burlington, Iowa, USA
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
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
2016 · Movie
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
2000 · Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Series
The Lucy Show
1962 · Series
Safe at Home!
1962 · Movie
My Three Sons
1960 · Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958 · Series
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957 · Series
The Gale Storm Show
1956 · Series
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
1956 · Movie
The Dirty Look
1954 · Movie
Letter to Loretta
1953 · Series
I Love Lucy: The Movie
1953 · Movie
This Is Your Life
1952 · Series
Rancho Notorious
1952 · Movie
I Love Lucy
1951 · Series
Rhubarb
1951 · Movie
The Lemon Drop Kid
1951 · Movie
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
1951 · Movie
Pretty Baby
1950 · Movie
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950 · Movie
Kill the Umpire
1950 · Movie
The Bob Hope Show
1950 · Series
Blondie's Hero
1950 · Movie
East Side, West Side
1949 · Movie
The Lady Takes a Sailor
1949 · Movie
The Ed Wynn Show
1949 · Series
Red Light
1949 · Movie
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
1949 · Movie
Home in San Antone
1949 · Movie
Chicken Every Sunday
1949 · Movie
The Girl from Manhattan
1948 · Movie
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
1948 · Movie
The Babe Ruth Story
1948 · Movie
Good Sam
1948 · Movie
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
1948 · Movie
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Series
My Wild Irish Rose
1947 · Movie
Blondie's Anniversary
1947 · Movie
Monsieur Verdoux
1947 · Movie
Down to Earth
1947 · Movie
Mother Wore Tights
1947 · Movie
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
1947 · Movie
Miracle on 34th Street
1947 · Movie
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
1946 · Movie
The Inner Circle
1946 · Movie
Rendezvous with Annie
1946 · Movie
The Virginian
1946 · Movie
Ziegfeld Follies
1945 · Movie
Lady on a Train
1945 · Movie
Hitchhike to Happiness
1945 · Movie
Flame of Barbary Coast
1945 · Movie
Lake Placid Serenade
1944 · Movie
The Fighting Seabees
1944 · Movie
Going My Way
1944 · Movie
Whistling in Brooklyn
1943 · Movie
Larceny with Music
1943 · Movie
We've Never Been Licked
1943 · Movie
Gentleman Jim
1942 · Movie
The Yankee Doodler
1942 · Movie
Moonlight in Havana
1942 · Movie
Wildcat
1942 · Movie
Give Out, Sisters
1942 · Movie
It Happened in Flatbush
1942 · Movie
Roxie Hart
1942 · Movie
Treat 'Em Rough
1942 · Movie
Gangs Of The City
1941 · Movie
Blondie in Society
1941 · Movie
The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941 · Movie
Cracked Nuts
1941 · Movie
Footsteps in the Dark
1941 · Movie
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
1941 · Movie
One Night in the Tropics
1940 · Movie
Sandy Gets Her Man
1940 · Movie
Dancing on a Dime
1940 · Movie
The Quarterback
1940 · Movie
Rhythm on the River
1940 · Movie
Golden Gloves
1940 · Movie
Untamed
1940 · Movie
Those Were the Days!
1940 · Movie
Opened by Mistake
1940 · Movie
The Farmer's Daughter
1940 · Movie
Stop, Look and Love
1939 · Movie
Night Work
1939 · Movie
Grand Jury Secrets
1939 · Movie
Ex-Champ
1939 · Movie
Rose of Washington Square
1939 · Movie
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
1939 · Movie
Persons in Hiding
1939 · Movie
St. Louis Blues
1939 · Movie
Ambush
1939 · Movie
Sons of the Legion
1938 · Movie
Touchdown, Army
1938 · Movie
Professor Beware
1938 · Movie
Mad About Music
1938 · Movie
Blossoms On Broadway
1937 · Movie
Something to Sing About
1937 · Movie
Double or Nothing
1937 · Movie
High, Wide and Handsome
1937 · Movie
Rose Bowl
1936 · Movie
The General Died at Dawn
1936 · Movie
Three Married Men
1936 · Movie
Three Cheers for Love
1936 · Movie
The Princess Comes Across
1936 · Movie
F-Man
1936 · Movie
Desire
1936 · Movie
Strike Me Pink
1936 · Movie
Beautiful Dreamer
1935 · Movie
Ship Cafe
1935 · Movie
Harmony Lane
1935 · Movie
It's a Great Life
1935 · Movie
Welcome Home
1935 · Movie
College Scandal
1935 · Movie
Alibi Ike
1935 · Movie
Hold 'Em Yale
1935 · Movie
Roberta
1935 · Movie
Car 99
1935 · Movie
Here Is My Heart
1934 · Movie
The Lemon Drop Kid
1934 · Movie
Shoot the Works
1934 · Movie
The Witching Hour
1934 · Movie
The Crime Doctor
1934 · Movie
Bolero
1934 · Movie
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
1934 · Movie
Hell and High Water
1933 · Movie
Moonlight and Pretzels
1933 · Movie
Ventriloquist
1927 · Movie
Should Husbands Be Watched?
1925 · Movie