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