William Frawley
Biography
William Frawley was born on February 25, 1887, in Burlington, Iowa. As a child he sang at St. Paul’s Catholic Church and performed at the Burlington Opera House. His first job was as a stenographer for the Union Pacific Railroad. He entered vaudeville, first with his brother Paul, then with pianist Franz Rath in an act that went to San Francisco in 1910. In 1914 he formed the comedy duo “Frawley and Louise” with his wife Edna Louise Broedt, touring the Orpheum and Keith circuits until their 1927 divorce. After a Broadway stint he moved to Hollywood in 1932 under Paramount. By 1951 he had appeared in over one hundred films and was contacted by Lucille Ball for a role on I Love Lucy. He died on March 3, 1966, at age 79.
Career overview
William Frawley was born on February 25, 1887 in Burlington, Iowa. As a child he sang at St. Paul’s Catholic Church and performed at the Burlington Opera House. His first employment was as a stenographer for the Union Pacific Railroad before he entered vaudeville, initially appearing with his brother Paul. In 1910 he partnered with pianist Franz Rath and took their act to San Francisco, and four years later he formed the light‑comedy duo “Frawley and Louise” with his new wife, Edna Louise Broedt. The pair toured the Orpheum and Keith circuits until their divorce in 1927.
After the end of his vaudeville partnership, Frawley moved to Broadway and, in 1932, entered Hollywood under contract with Paramount Pictures. By the early 1950s he had accumulated appearances in more than one hundred films, a prolific output reflected in the 128 acting credits listed in his filmography. In 1951 he reached out to Lucille Ball regarding a role on her television series I Love Lucy, marking his transition to the small screen. Frawley continued to work in both film and television until his death on March 3, 1966 at the age of 79. He is also known by the name Bill Frawley.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
127 titles- I Love Lucy Christmas Special (2016) as Fred Mertz
- Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy (2000) as Self (archive footage)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Trainer
- Safe at Home! (1962) as Bill Turner
- My Three Sons (1960) as Bub O'Casey
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)
- The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour (1957) as Fred Mertz
- The Gale Storm Show (1956) as Jim Comstock
- Lucy's Really Lost Moments (1956) as Fred Mertz
- The Dirty Look (1954)
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Sam
- I Love Lucy: The Movie (1953) as Fred Mertz / Self
- This Is Your Life (1952) as Self
- Rancho Notorious (1952) as Baldy Gunder
- I Love Lucy (1951) as Fred Mertz
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) as Det. Roberts
- Rhubarb (1951) as Len Sickles
- The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) as Gloomy Willie
- The Bob Hope Show (1950) as Self
- Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) as Byers
- Blondie's Hero (1950) as Marty Greer
- Pretty Baby (1950) as Corcoran
- Kill the Umpire (1950) as Jimmy O'Brien
- The Ed Wynn Show (1949) as Self
- East Side, West Side (1949) as Bill the Bartender
- The Lady Takes a Sailor (1949) as Oliver Harker
- Red Light (1949) as Hotel Night Clerk
- Chicken Every Sunday (1949) as George Kirby
- The Lone Wolf and His Lady (1949) as Inspector Crane
- Home in San Antone (1949) as O'Fleery
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- Good Sam (1948) as Tom
- The Girl from Manhattan (1948) as Mr. Bernouti
- The Babe Ruth Story (1948) as Jack Dunn
- Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948) as Agent
- Joe Palooka in Winner Take All (1948) as Knobby Walsh
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947) as Charlie Halloran
- Monsieur Verdoux (1947) as Jean La Salle
- Down to Earth (1947) as Police Lieutenant
- I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1947) as Jim Mason
- Mother Wore Tights (1947) as Mr. Schneider
- Blondie's Anniversary (1947) as Sharkey the Loen Shark
- My Wild Irish Rose (1947) as William Scanlon
- The Virginian (1946) as Honey Wiggen
- The Inner Circle (1946) as Det. Lt. Webb
- Rendezvous with Annie (1946) as General Trent
- Crime Doctor's Man Hunt (1946) as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
- Ziegfeld Follies (1945) as Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
- Flame of Barbary Coast (1945) as Wolf Wylie
- Lady on a Train (1945) as Desk Sgt. Brennan
- Hitchhike to Happiness (1945) as Sandy Hill
- Going My Way (1944) as Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)
- The Fighting Seabees (1944) as Eddie Powers
- Lake Placid Serenade (1944) as Jiggers
- Larceny with Music (1943) as Mike Simms
- We've Never Been Licked (1943) as Traveling Salesman
- Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) as Detective Ramsey
- Roxie Hart (1942) as O'Malley
- Gentleman Jim (1942) as Billy Delaney
- Give Out, Sisters (1942) as Harrison
- It Happened in Flatbush (1942) as Sam Sloan
- Moonlight in Havana (1942) as Barney Crane
- Wildcat (1942) as Oliver Westbrook
- The Yankee Doodler (1942)
- Treat 'Em Rough (1942) as 'Hotfoot'
- The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) as Sheriff McGee
- Gangs Of The City (1941) as Bang
- Blondie in Society (1941) as Waldo Pincus
- Footsteps in the Dark (1941) as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
- Cracked Nuts (1941) as James Mitchell
- Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga (1941) as Chauncey Beheegan
- One Night in the Tropics (1940) as Roscoe
- Opened by Mistake (1940) as Matt Kingsley
- Untamed (1940) as Les Woodbury
- The Farmer's Daughter (1940) as Scoop Trimble
- Dancing on a Dime (1940) as Mac
- Rhythm on the River (1940) as Mr. Westlake
- Golden Gloves (1940) as Emory Balzar
- Those Were the Days! (1940) as Prisoner
- The Quarterback (1940) as Coach
- Sandy Gets Her Man (1940) as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939) as The 'Duke'
- Rose of Washington Square (1939) as Harry Long
- Ex-Champ (1939) as Mushy Harrington
- Persons in Hiding (1939) as Alec Inglis
- Ambush (1939) as Inspector J.L. Weber
- St. Louis Blues (1939) as Major Martingale
- Grand Jury Secrets (1939) as Bright Eyes
- Stop, Look and Love (1939) as Joe Haller
- Night Work (1939) as Bruiser Brown
- Touchdown, Army (1938) as Jack Heffernan
- Professor Beware (1938) as Snoop Donlan
- Mad About Music (1938) as Dusty Turner
- Sons of the Legion (1938) as Uncle Willie Lee
- Double or Nothing (1937) as John Pederson
- Something to Sing About (1937) as Hank Mayers
- High, Wide and Handsome (1937) as Mac
- Blossoms On Broadway (1937) as Francis X. Rush
- Desire (1936) as Mr. Gibson
- The General Died at Dawn (1936) as Brighton
- The Princess Comes Across (1936) as Benton
- Strike Me Pink (1936) as Mr. Copple
- F-Man (1936) as Detective Rogan
- Three Married Men (1936) as Bill Mullins
- Rose Bowl (1936) as 'Soapy' Moreland
- Roberta (1935) as Bartender (uncredited)
- College Scandal (1935) as Chief of Police Magoun
- It's a Great Life (1935) as Lt. McNulty
- Alibi Ike (1935) as Cap
- Harmony Lane (1935) as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
- Beautiful Dreamer (1935)
- Welcome Home (1935) as Painless
- Hold 'Em Yale (1935) as Sunshine Joe
- Car 99 (1935) as Training Sgt. Barrel
- Ship Cafe (1935) as Briney O'Brien
- The Crime Doctor (1934) as Fraser
- Shoot the Works (1934) as Larry Hale
- The Witching Hour (1934) as Jury Foreman
- Here Is My Heart (1934) as James Smith
- Bolero (1934) as Mike DeBaere
- Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen (1934) as Captain Murphy
- The Lemon Drop Kid (1934) as William Dunhill aka The Professor
- Hell and High Water (1933) as Milton J. Bunsey
- Moonlight and Pretzels (1933) as Mac
- Ventriloquist (1927) as 'Hoak' salesman
- Should Husbands Be Watched? (1925) as Beat Cop
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is William Frawley best known for?
William Frawley is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), One Night at McCool's (2001), My Three Sons (1960), Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958).
When and where was William Frawley born?
William Frawley was born on February 25, 1887 in Burlington, Iowa, USA. They passed away on March 3, 1966.
How many credits does William Frawley have?
William Frawley has accumulated over 127 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1925 to 2016.
What is William Frawley's background in cinema and television?
William Frawley was born on February 25, 1887, in Burlington, Iowa. As a child he sang at St. Paul’s Catholic Church and performed at the Burlington Opera House. His first job was as a stenographer for the Union Pacific Railroad. He entered vaudeville, first with his brother Paul, then with pianist Franz Rath in an act...