William Frawley
Acting
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.
TV Shows(12)
The Lucy Show
Trainer
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
My Three Sons
Bub O'Casey
1960
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Fred Mertz
1957
The Gale Storm Show
Jim Comstock
1956
Letter to Loretta
Sam
1953
This Is Your Life
Self
1952
I Love Lucy
Fred Mertz
1951
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
The Ed Wynn Show
Self
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Movies(115)
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Fred Mertz
2016
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
2000
Safe at Home!
Bill Turner
1962
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Fred Mertz
1956
The Dirty Look
1954
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Fred Mertz
1953
Rancho Notorious
Baldy Gunder
1952
Rhubarb
Len Sickles
1951
The Lemon Drop Kid
Gloomy Willie
1951
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Det. Roberts
1951
Pretty Baby
Corcoran
1950
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Byers
1950
Kill the Umpire
Jimmy O'Brien
1950
Blondie's Hero
Marty Greer
1950
East Side, West Side
Bill the Bartender
1949
The Lady Takes a Sailor
Oliver Harker
1949
Red Light
Hotel Night Clerk
1949
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Inspector Crane
1949
Home in San Antone
O'Fleery
1949
Chicken Every Sunday
George Kirby
1949
The Girl from Manhattan
Mr. Bernouti
1948
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Knobby Walsh
1948
The Babe Ruth Story
Jack Dunn
1948
Good Sam
Tom
1948
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Agent
1948
My Wild Irish Rose
William Scanlon
1947
Blondie's Anniversary
Sharkey the Loen Shark
1947
Monsieur Verdoux
Jean La Salle
1947
Down to Earth
Police Lieutenant
1947
Mother Wore Tights
Mr. Schneider
1947
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
Jim Mason
1947
Miracle on 34th Street
Charlie Halloran
1947
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
1946
The Inner Circle
Det. Lt. Webb
1946
Rendezvous with Annie
General Trent
1946
The Virginian
Honey Wiggen
1946
Ziegfeld Follies
Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
1945
Lady on a Train
Desk Sgt. Brennan
1945
Hitchhike to Happiness
Sandy Hill
1945
Flame of Barbary Coast
Wolf Wylie
1945
Lake Placid Serenade
Jiggers
1944
The Fighting Seabees
Eddie Powers
1944
Going My Way
Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)
1944
Whistling in Brooklyn
Detective Ramsey
1943
Larceny with Music
Mike Simms
1943
We've Never Been Licked
Traveling Salesman
1943
Gentleman Jim
Billy Delaney
1942
The Yankee Doodler
1942
Moonlight in Havana
Barney Crane
1942
Wildcat
Oliver Westbrook
1942
Give Out, Sisters
Harrison
1942
It Happened in Flatbush
Sam Sloan
1942
Roxie Hart
O'Malley
1942
Treat 'Em Rough
'Hotfoot'
1942
Gangs Of The City
Bang
1941
Blondie in Society
Waldo Pincus
1941
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Sheriff McGee
1941
Cracked Nuts
James Mitchell
1941
Footsteps in the Dark
Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins
1941
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Chauncey Beheegan
1941
One Night in the Tropics
Roscoe
1940
Sandy Gets Her Man
Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
1940
Dancing on a Dime
Mac
1940
The Quarterback
Coach
1940
Rhythm on the River
Mr. Westlake
1940
Golden Gloves
Emory Balzar
1940
Untamed
Les Woodbury
1940
Those Were the Days!
Prisoner
1940
Opened by Mistake
Matt Kingsley
1940
The Farmer's Daughter
Scoop Trimble
1940
Stop, Look and Love
Joe Haller
1939
Night Work
Bruiser Brown
1939
Grand Jury Secrets
Bright Eyes
1939
Ex-Champ
Mushy Harrington
1939
Rose of Washington Square
Harry Long
1939
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The 'Duke'
1939
Persons in Hiding
Alec Inglis
1939
St. Louis Blues
Major Martingale
1939
Ambush
Inspector J.L. Weber
1939
Sons of the Legion
Uncle Willie Lee
1938
Touchdown, Army
Jack Heffernan
1938
Professor Beware
Snoop Donlan
1938
Mad About Music
Dusty Turner
1938
Blossoms On Broadway
Francis X. Rush
1937
Something to Sing About
Hank Mayers
1937
Double or Nothing
John Pederson
1937
High, Wide and Handsome
Mac
1937
Rose Bowl
'Soapy' Moreland
1936
The General Died at Dawn
Brighton
1936
Three Married Men
Bill Mullins
1936
The Princess Comes Across
Benton
1936
F-Man
Detective Rogan
1936
Desire
Mr. Gibson
1936
Strike Me Pink
Mr. Copple
1936
Beautiful Dreamer
1935
Ship Cafe
Briney O'Brien
1935
Harmony Lane
Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
1935
It's a Great Life
Lt. McNulty
1935
Welcome Home
Painless
1935
College Scandal
Chief of Police Magoun
1935
Alibi Ike
Cap
1935
Hold 'Em Yale
Sunshine Joe
1935
Roberta
Bartender (uncredited)
1935
Car 99
Training Sgt. Barrel
1935
Here Is My Heart
James Smith
1934
The Lemon Drop Kid
William Dunhill aka The Professor
1934
Shoot the Works
Larry Hale
1934
The Witching Hour
Jury Foreman
1934
The Crime Doctor
Fraser
1934
Bolero
Mike DeBaere
1934
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Captain Murphy
1934
Hell and High Water
Milton J. Bunsey
1933
Moonlight and Pretzels
Mac
1933
Ventriloquist
'Hoak' salesman
1927
Should Husbands Be Watched?
Beat Cop
1925