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