William Frawley
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
Waldo Pincus
Blondie in Society
Sharkey the Loen Shark
Blondie's Anniversary
Marty Greer
Blondie's Hero
Desk Sgt. Brennan
Lady on a Train
Eddie Powers
The Fighting Seabees
Bartender
Roberta
Benton
The Princess Comes Across
Gloomy Willie
The Lemon Drop Kid
Charlie Halloran
Miracle on 34th Street
Hotel Night Clerk
Red Light
Painless
Welcome Home
Det. Roberts
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Wolf Wylie
Flame of Barbary Coast
Baldy Gunder
Rancho Notorious
Roscoe
One Night in the Tropics
Len Sickles
Rhubarb
Jack Dunn
The Babe Ruth Story
Billy Delaney
Gentleman Jim
Harry Long
Rose of Washington Square
Dusty Turner
Mad About Music
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
Footsteps in the Dark
Fraser
The Crime Doctor
Byers
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Det. Lt. Webb
The Inner Circle
'Soapy' Moreland
Rose Bowl
Snoop Donlan
Professor Beware
Detective Ramsey
Whistling in Brooklyn
John Pederson
Double or Nothing
Hank Mayers
Something to Sing About
O'Malley
Roxie Hart
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
The 'Duke'
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mr. Gibson
Desire
Honey Wiggen
The Virginian
Mr. Schneider
Mother Wore Tights
Mac
Moonlight and Pretzels
Mr. Westlake
Rhythm on the River
Emory Balzar
Golden Gloves
Mr. Copple
Strike Me Pink
The Dirty Look
Cap
Alibi Ike
Oliver Harker
The Lady Takes a Sailor
Bill Turner
Safe at Home!
James Smith
Here Is My Heart
Corcoran
Pretty Baby
Inspector Crane
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
'Hoak' salesman
Ventriloquist
Mike DeBaere
Bolero
George Kirby
Chicken Every Sunday
Francis X. Rush
Blossoms On Broadway
Larry Hale
Shoot the Works
Barney Crane
Moonlight in Havana
Captain Murphy
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Uncle Willie Lee
Sons of the Legion
Jury Foreman
The Witching Hour
Bill Mullins
Three Married Men
Chief of Police Magoun
College Scandal
Mac
Dancing on a Dime
Training Sgt. Barrel
Car 99
Traveling Salesman
We've Never Been Licked
Agent
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Sandy Hill
Hitchhike to Happiness
Oliver Westbrook
Wildcat
Detective Rogan
F-Man
Sheriff McGee
The Bride Came C.O.D.
William Scanlon
My Wild Irish Rose
Beat Cop
Should Husbands Be Watched?
Mac
High, Wide and Handsome
James Mitchell
Cracked Nuts
Police Lieutenant
Down to Earth
Prisoner
Those Were the Days!
Jim Mason
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
Bright Eyes
Grand Jury Secrets
Scoop Trimble
The Farmer's Daughter
Bang
Gangs Of The City
Les Woodbury
Untamed
Milton J. Bunsey
Hell and High Water
Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)
Going My Way
General Trent
Rendezvous with Annie
Lt. McNulty
It's a Great Life
'Hotfoot'
Treat 'Em Rough
Jean La Salle
Monsieur Verdoux
Sam Sloan
It Happened in Flatbush
Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
Harmony Lane
Joe Haller
Stop, Look and Love
Inspector J.L. Weber
Ambush
Alec Inglis
Persons in Hiding
Jack Heffernan
Touchdown, Army
Coach
The Quarterback
Chauncey Beheegan
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Harrison
Give Out, Sisters
Mike Simms
Larceny with Music
Major Martingale
St. Louis Blues
Bill the Bartender
East Side, West Side
Fred Mertz
I Love Lucy: The Movie
O'Fleery
Home in San Antone
Tom
Good Sam
Jiggers
Lake Placid Serenade
Jimmy O'Brien
Kill the Umpire
William Dunhill aka The Professor
The Lemon Drop Kid
Brighton
The General Died at Dawn
Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
Sandy Gets Her Man
Fred Mertz
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
The Yankee Doodler
Bruiser Brown
Night Work
Mushy Harrington
Ex-Champ
Knobby Walsh
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
Ziegfeld Follies
Matt Kingsley
Opened by Mistake
Sunshine Joe
Hold 'Em Yale
Fred Mertz
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Briney O'Brien
Ship Cafe
Mr. Bernouti
The Girl from Manhattan
Self (archive footage)
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Beautiful Dreamer
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
115
Gender
Male
Birthday
1887-02-25
Place of Birth
Burlington, Iowa, USA
Also Known As
Bill Frawley