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William Frawley

William Frawley

Known For Acting
Birthday Feb 25, 1887
Died Mar 03, 1966 (79)
Birthplace Burlington, Iowa, USA
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Aug 08, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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 Sa ... n 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

I Love Lucy Christmas Special

2016

as Fred Mertz

Safe at Home!

Safe at Home!

1962

as Bill Turner

Lucy's Really Lost Moments

Lucy's Really Lost Moments

1956

as Fred Mertz

I Love Lucy: The Movie

I Love Lucy: The Movie

1953

as Fred Mertz

Rancho Notorious

Rancho Notorious

1952

as Baldy Gunder

Rhubarb

Rhubarb

1951

as Len Sickles

The Lemon Drop Kid

The Lemon Drop Kid

1951

as Gloomy Willie

Pretty Baby

Pretty Baby

1950

as Corcoran

Blondie's Hero

Blondie's Hero

1950

as Marty Greer

Kill the Umpire

Kill the Umpire

1950

as Jimmy O'Brien

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

1950

as Byers

The Lone Wolf and His Lady

The Lone Wolf and His Lady

1949

as Inspector Crane

Chicken Every Sunday

Chicken Every Sunday

1949

as George Kirby

Home in San Antone

Home in San Antone

1949

as O'Fleery

The Lady Takes a Sailor

The Lady Takes a Sailor

1949

as Oliver Harker

Red Light

Red Light

1949

as Hotel Night Clerk

East Side, West Side

East Side, West Side

1949

as Bill the Bartender

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

1948

as Knobby Walsh

The Babe Ruth Story

The Babe Ruth Story

1948

as Jack Dunn

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

1948

as Agent

The Girl from Manhattan

The Girl from Manhattan

1948

as Mr. Bernouti

Good Sam

Good Sam

1948

as Tom

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now

1947

as Jim Mason

Mother Wore Tights

Mother Wore Tights

1947

as Mr. Schneider

Down to Earth

Down to Earth

1947

as Police Lieutenant

My Wild Irish Rose

My Wild Irish Rose

1947

as William Scanlon

Blondie's Anniversary

Blondie's Anniversary

1947

as Sharkey the Loen Shark

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street

1947

as Charlie Halloran

Monsieur Verdoux

Monsieur Verdoux

1947

as Jean La Salle

The Inner Circle

The Inner Circle

1946

as Det. Lt. Webb

Crime Doctor's Man Hunt

Crime Doctor's Man Hunt

1946

as Police Inspector Harry B. Manning

The Virginian

The Virginian

1946

as Honey Wiggen

Rendezvous with Annie

Rendezvous with Annie

1946

as General Trent

Flame of Barbary Coast

Flame of Barbary Coast

1945

as Wolf Wylie

Hitchhike to Happiness

Hitchhike to Happiness

1945

as Sandy Hill

Lady on a Train

Lady on a Train

1945

as Desk Sgt. Brennan

Ziegfeld Follies

Ziegfeld Follies

1945

as Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")

The Fighting Seabees

The Fighting Seabees

1944

as Eddie Powers

Lake Placid Serenade

Lake Placid Serenade

1944

as Jiggers

Going My Way

Going My Way

1944

as Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)

Larceny with Music

Larceny with Music

1943

as Mike Simms

We've Never Been Licked

We've Never Been Licked

1943

as Traveling Salesman

Whistling in Brooklyn

Whistling in Brooklyn

1943

as Detective Ramsey

Treat 'Em Rough

Treat 'Em Rough

1942

as 'Hotfoot'

Wildcat

Wildcat

1942

as Oliver Westbrook

It Happened in Flatbush

It Happened in Flatbush

1942

as Sam Sloan

Moonlight in Havana

Moonlight in Havana

1942

as Barney Crane

Gentleman Jim

Gentleman Jim

1942

as Billy Delaney

Give Out, Sisters

Give Out, Sisters

1942

as Harrison

Roxie Hart

Roxie Hart

1942

as O'Malley

Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga

Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga

1941

as Chauncey Beheegan

Gangs Of The City

Gangs Of The City

1941

as Bang

Cracked Nuts

Cracked Nuts

1941

as James Mitchell

Blondie in Society

Blondie in Society

1941

as Waldo Pincus

Footsteps in the Dark

Footsteps in the Dark

1941

as Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins

The Bride Came C.O.D.

The Bride Came C.O.D.

1941

as Sheriff McGee

Opened by Mistake

Opened by Mistake

1940

as Matt Kingsley

Untamed

Untamed

1940

as Les Woodbury

Sandy Gets Her Man

Sandy Gets Her Man

1940

as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara

Golden Gloves

Golden Gloves

1940

as Emory Balzar

The Farmer's Daughter

The Farmer's Daughter

1940

as Scoop Trimble

One Night in the Tropics

One Night in the Tropics

1940

as Roscoe

Those Were the Days!

Those Were the Days!

1940

as Prisoner

Rhythm on the River

Rhythm on the River

1940

as Mr. Westlake

The Quarterback

The Quarterback

1940

as Coach

Dancing on a Dime

Dancing on a Dime

1940

as Mac

Stop, Look and Love

Stop, Look and Love

1939

as Joe Haller

Grand Jury Secrets

Grand Jury Secrets

1939

as Bright Eyes

Ambush

Ambush

1939

as Inspector J.L. Weber

Rose of Washington Square

Rose of Washington Square

1939

as Harry Long

Ex-Champ

Ex-Champ

1939

as Mushy Harrington

Persons in Hiding

Persons in Hiding

1939

as Alec Inglis

St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues

1939

as Major Martingale

Night Work

Night Work

1939

as Bruiser Brown

Touchdown, Army

Touchdown, Army

1938

as Jack Heffernan

Mad About Music

Mad About Music

1938

as Dusty Turner

Sons of the Legion

Sons of the Legion

1938

as Uncle Willie Lee

Professor Beware

Professor Beware

1938

as Snoop Donlan

Something to Sing About

Something to Sing About

1937

as Hank Mayers

Blossoms On Broadway

Blossoms On Broadway

1937

as Francis X. Rush

Double or Nothing

Double or Nothing

1937

as John Pederson

F-Man

F-Man

1936

as Detective Rogan

Three Married Men

Three Married Men

1936

as Bill Mullins

Rose Bowl

Rose Bowl

1936

as 'Soapy' Moreland

Desire

Desire

1936

as Mr. Gibson

Strike Me Pink

Strike Me Pink

1936

as Mr. Copple

The Princess Comes Across

The Princess Comes Across

1936

as Benton

The General Died at Dawn

The General Died at Dawn

1936

as Brighton

Hold 'Em Yale

Hold 'Em Yale

1935

as Sunshine Joe

It's a Great Life

It's a Great Life

1935

as Lt. McNulty

Ship Cafe

Ship Cafe

1935

as Briney O'Brien

Welcome Home

Welcome Home

1935

as Painless

Alibi Ike

Alibi Ike

1935

as Cap

Harmony Lane

Harmony Lane

1935

as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy

Car 99

Car 99

1935

as Training Sgt. Barrel

College Scandal

College Scandal

1935

as Chief of Police Magoun

Roberta

Roberta

1935

as Bartender

The Lemon Drop Kid

The Lemon Drop Kid

1934

as William Dunhill aka The Professor

The Witching Hour

The Witching Hour

1934

as Jury Foreman

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

1934

as Captain Murphy

Bolero

Bolero

1934

as Mike DeBaere

The Crime Doctor

The Crime Doctor

1934

as Fraser

Here Is My Heart

Here Is My Heart

1934

as James Smith

Shoot the Works

Shoot the Works

1934

as Larry Hale

Ventriloquist

Ventriloquist

1927

as 'Hoak' salesman

Should Husbands Be Watched?

Should Husbands Be Watched?

1925

as Beat Cop

No data available

No data available

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

My Three Sons

as Bub O'Casey

Episodes: 216

First Aired: Sep 29, 1960

I Love Lucy

as Fred Mertz

Episodes: 180

First Aired: Oct 15, 1951

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

as Fred Mertz

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Nov 06, 1957

The Lucy Show

as Trainer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

Letter to Loretta

as Sam

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1953

The Gale Storm Show

as Jim Comstock

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1956

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Oct 06, 1958

This Is Your Life

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

The Ed Wynn Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 06, 1949

The Bob Hope Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 09, 1950

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 20, 1948

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 7 12 4
2024 7 13 20 5
2024 8 11 19 5
2024 9 5 12 1
2024 10 5 17 1
2024 11 2 3 1
2024 12 3 8 1
2025 1 6 15 2
2025 2 2 5 1
2025 3 2 3 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 1 9 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


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