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William Frawley

William Frawley

Actor · 1887 – 1966 · Burlington, Iowa, USA

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.

Movies24

  • Movie7.4

    Miracle on 34th Street

    1947 · 871 votes

  • Movie7.7

    Monsieur Verdoux

    1947 · 491 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Rancho Notorious

    1952 · 129 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Going My Way

    1944 · 199 votes

  • Movie6.0

    Ziegfeld Follies

    1945 · 59 votes

  • Movie6.3
  • Movie7.0

    Desire

    1936 · 54 votes

  • Movie7.5

    Touchdown, Army

    1938 · 2 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Good Sam

    1948 · 23 votes

  • Movie7.0

    The Bride Came C.O.D.

    1941 · 37 votes

  • Movie5.8

    One Night in the Tropics

    1940 · 23 votes

  • Movie5.5

    Flame of Barbary Coast

    1945 · 24 votes

  • Movie6.7
  • Movie7.2

    Gentleman Jim

    1942 · 72 votes

  • Movie7.1

    East Side, West Side

    1949 · 26 votes

  • Movie6.5

    The Lemon Drop Kid

    1951 · 32 votes

  • Movie6.2

    The Fighting Seabees

    1944 · 60 votes

  • Movie5.9

    Red Light

    1949 · 24 votes

  • Movie6.7
  • Movie7.5
  • Movie7.0
  • Movie5.3

    The Farmer's Daughter

    1940 · 6 votes

  • Movie6.2
  • Movie6.5

    The General Died at Dawn

    1936 · 23 votes

Series12

  • TV7.5
  • TV6.8

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    1948 · 23 votes

  • TV6.6

    My Three Sons

    1960 · 41 votes

  • TV7.9

    I Love Lucy

    1951 · 264 votes

  • TV7.1

    The Lucy Show

    1962 · 53 votes

  • TV7.0

    The Bob Hope Show

    1950 · 5 votes

  • TV6.5

    This Is Your Life

    1952 · 13 votes

  • TV6.7

    The Gale Storm Show

    1956 · 3 votes

  • TV6.3
  • TV6.6

    Letter to Loretta

    1953 · 7 votes

  • TV8.6
  • TV7.7

    The Ed Wynn Show

    1949 · 3 votes