William Clement Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American vaudevillian and actor best remembered for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the American television sitcom '' I Love Lucy'', "Bub" O'Casey in the television comedy series ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

'', and the political advisor to the judge character in the film ''

Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on a story by Valentine Davi ...

''. Frawley began his career in vaudeville in 1914 with his wife, Edna Louise Broedt. Their comedy act, "Frawley and Louise", continued until their divorce in 1927. He performed on Broadway multiple times. In 1916, he signed with Paramount Studios and appeared in more than 100

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

over the next 35 years.Deezen, Eddie.

Early life

Frawley was born in

Burlington, Iowa Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000 United States ...

, the second son of four children of Michael A. Frawley (1857–1907) and Mary E. (Brady) Frawley (1859–1921). He attended

Catholic school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...

s and sang in the choir at St. Paul's Catholic Church. As he got older, he played small roles in local theater productions at the Burlington Opera House, and performed in amateur shows, though his mother, a highly religious woman, discouraged such activities. Frawley's first job was as a stenographer in an office of the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest ...

. Two years later, he moved to Chicago, where he found work as a

court reporter A court reporter, court stenographer, or shorthand reporter is a person whose occupation is to capture the live testimony in proceedings using a stenographic machine, thereby transforming the proceedings into an official certified transcript ...

, and against his mother's wishes, got a singing part in a

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

, ''The Flirting Princess''. To appease his mother, he relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, to work for another railroad company. KeystoneKops

Feeling unfulfilled in that job, as well, he continued to dream of being a professional entertainer. He finally formed a

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

act with his brother Paul (1889–1973), but six months later, their mother told Paul to return to Iowa. Meanwhile, William wrote a script titled ''Fun in a Vaudeville Agency'', and sold it for over $500. After his initial success as a scriptwriter, Frawley decided to move to the

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

, settling in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, where he was hired as a singer at a café and teamed with

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

Franz Rath. The duo soon moved to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

with their act, "A Man, a Piano, and a Nut". During his vaudeville career, Frawley introduced and helped popularize the songs " My Mammy", "

My Melancholy Baby "My Melancholy Baby" is a popular song published in 1912 and first sung publicly by William Frawley. The music was written by Ernie Burnett (1884–1959), the lyrics by George A. Norton. Background Ernie Burnett, who composed the music, was ...

", and " Carolina in the Morning". Many years later, in 1958, he recorded a selection of his old stage songs on an LP, ''Bill Frawley Sings the Old Ones''.

Early career

Something to Sing About Cagney Frawley Windheim

Frawley began performing in Broadway theater. His first such show was the musical comedy, ''Merry, Merry'' in 1925. He had his first dramatic role in 1932, playing

press agent In marketing, publicity is the public visibility or awareness for any product, service, person or organization (company, charity, etc.). It may also refer to the movement of information from its source to the general public, often (but not alway ...

Owen O'Malley in the original production of

Ben Hecht Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...

and

Charles MacArthur Charles Gordon MacArthur (November 5, 1895 – April 21, 1956) was an American playwright, screenwriter and 1935 winner of the Academy Award for Best Story. Life and career MacArthur was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven chi ...

's '' Twentieth Century''. He continued to be a dramatic actor at various venues until 1933. In 1916, he had appeared in two

short subject A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

silent films A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

. He subsequently performed in three more, but did not decide to develop a cinematic career until 1933, when he appeared in some short comedy films and the feature musical ''

Moonlight and Pretzels ''Moonlight and Pretzels'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code musical film, directed by Karl Freund, about a man who puts on a Broadway show. The film was released by Universal Studios and featured Mary Brian and William Frawley, now best-known as "Fre ...

'' (

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

, 1933). He moved to Los Angeles, where he signed a seven-year contract with

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. Finding much work as a

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

, he had roles in

comedies Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term origin ...

, dramas,

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

, Westerns, and romances. He appeared in ''

'' (1947) as Judge Harper's political adviser, who warns his client in great detail of the dire political consequences if he rules that there is no

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...

. Some of his other memorable film roles were the baseball manager in Joe E. Brown's ''

Alibi Ike ''Alibi Ike'' is a 1935 American romantic comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring Joe E. Brown, Olivia de Havilland and William Frawley. Based on the short story of the same name by Ring Lardner, first published in the ''Saturday Evening ...

'' (1935), the wedding host in

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...

's '' Monsieur Verdoux'' (1947), and a hard-nosed insurance investigator in ''My Home in San Antone'' with

Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedow ...

and

Lloyd Corrigan Lloyd Corrigan (October 16, 1900 – November 5, 1969) was an American film and television actor, producer, screenwriter, and director who began working in films in the 1920s. The son of actress Lillian Elliott, Corrigan directed films, usually ...

Television

''I Love Lucy''

By 1951, the 64-year-old Frawley had appeared in over 100 movies, but was starting to find film role offers becoming fewer. When he heard that

Desi Arnaz Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American actor, bandleader, and film and television producer. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom '' I Love Lucy'', in which he c ...

and

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

were casting a new television situation comedy, he applied eagerly to play the role of the cantankerous, miserly landlord Fred Mertz. One evening, he telephoned Lucille Ball, asking her what his chances were. Ball was surprised to hear from him, a man she barely knew. Both Ball and Arnaz agreed it would be great to have Frawley, a motion-picture veteran, appear as Fred Mertz. Less enthusiastic were CBS executives, who were wary of Frawley's well-known frequent drinking and instability. Arnaz warned Frawley about the network's concerns, telling him that if he was late to work, arrived

drunk Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main p ...

, or was unable to perform because of something other than legitimate illness more than once, he would be written out of the show. In one version of this conversation, Arnaz told Frawley he would get three chances. The first screw-up would be tolerated, the second would result in a severe reprimand, and the third would result in his being fired. Contrary to the network's concerns, Frawley never arrived at work drunk, and mastered his lines after only one reading. Arnaz eventually became one of Frawley's few close friends. Before each episode, Frawley would read the script with the rest of the cast, then would take out the sheets with only his lines and discard the rest of the script to study only his part. ''I Love Lucy'' debuted October 15, 1951, on CBS, and was a huge success. The series was broadcast for six years as half-hour episodes, later changing to hour-long specials from 1957 to 1960 titled '' The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show'' (later retitled ''The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour'').

Vivian Vance Vivian Vance (born Vivian Roberta Jones; July 26, 1909 – August 17, 1979) was an American actress and singer best known for playing Ethel Mertz on the sitcom ''I Love Lucy'' (1951–1957), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outst ...

played Ethel Mertz, Frawley's on-screen wife. Although the two actors worked well together, they greatly disliked each other. Most attribute their mutual hatred to Vance's vocal resentment of having to play wife to a man 22 years her senior. Frawley reportedly overheard Vance complaining; he took offense and never forgave her. "She's one of the finest girls to come out of Kansas", he once observed, "But I often wish she'd go back there." An avid

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

baseball fan, Frawley had it written into his ''I Love Lucy'' contract that he did not have to work during the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...

if the Yankees were playing. The Yankees were in every World Series during that time except for 1954 and 1959. He did not appear in two episodes of the show as a result. For his work on the show, Frawley was

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-nominated five consecutive times (1953–1957) for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy series. In 1957, at the end of ''I Love Lucy'', Ball and Arnaz gave Frawley and Vance the opportunity to have their own ''Fred and Ethel'' spin-off series for

Desilu Studios The Culver Studios is a movie studio in Culver City, California. Originally created by silent movie pioneer Thomas H. Ince, classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there. It is currently owned by Hackman Capital Partners, which completel ...

. Despite his animosity towards her, Frawley saw a lucrative opportunity and accepted. Vance declined, having no desire to work with Frawley again and also feeling that Ethel and Fred would be unsuccessful without the Ricardos.

''My Three Sons''

Frawley next joined the cast of the ABC (later CBS) situation comedy ''

'', playing live-in grandfather and housekeeper Michael Francis (sometimes, as in "What's Cooking?", William Francis), then "Bub" O'Casey beginning in 1960. Featuring

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

, the series was about a widower raising his three sons. 1962 My Three Sons

Frawley reportedly never felt comfortable with the out-of-sequence filming method used for ''My Three Sons'' after doing ''I Love Lucy'' in sequence for years. Each

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...

was arranged so that main actor Fred MacMurray could film all of his scenes during two separate intensive blocks of filming for a total of 65 working days on the set; Frawley and the other actors worked around the absent MacMurray for the remainder of the year's production schedule.

Personal life

In 1914, Frawley married fellow vaudevillian Edna Louise Bloedt. They developed an act, "Frawley and Louise", which they performed all across the country. Their act was described as "light comedy, with singing, dancing, and patter." The couple separated in 1921 (later divorcing in 1927). They had no children. His brother Paul Frawley (1889–1973) also was an actor on Broadway with relatively few appearances in motion pictures. Frawley had a reputation for being cantankerous and difficult, likely exacerbated by a drinking problem. In 1928, he was fired from the Broadway show ''That's My Baby'' for punching actor

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, i ...

in the nose.

Final years and death

Frawley made two television appearances the year before his death. His appearance on the

panel show A panel show or panel game is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Celebrity panelists may compete with each other, such as on ''The News Quiz''; facilitate play by non-celebrity contestants, such as on ' ...

I've Got a Secret ''I've Got a Secret'' is an American panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show, ''What's My Li ...

'' on May 3, 1965, consisted of contestants guessing Frawley's "secret", which was that he was the first performer ever to sing "

", in 1912. He had performed that song previously on television, as Fred Mertz, in the 1958 episode "Lucy Goes to Sun Valley" on the ''Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour''. Frawley's final on-camera performance was on October 25, 1965, with a brief

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

in Lucille Ball's second television sitcom, ''

The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to '' I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distin ...

'', in the episode "Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest". Frawley plays a horse trainer and Lucy comments: "You know, he reminds me of someone I used to know." (Vivian Vance, who by then had left ''The Lucy Show'' except for an occasional guest appearance, does not appear in the episode.) William Frawley Star HWF

Frawley suffered a fatal

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

while walking on

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

and died on March 3, 1966, five days after his 79th birthday. Upon learning of his death, Desi Arnaz immediately took out a full-page ad in all the trade papers, with the words: "Buenas noches, amigo." Arnaz, Fred MacMurray, and ''My Three Sons'' executive producer

Don Fedderson Donald Joy Fedderson (April 16, 1913 – December 18, 1994) was an American executive producer who created a number of television programs including '' The Millionaire'', ''My Three Sons'' and '' Family Affair''. Career Fedderson was born April ...

were pallbearers at his funeral. Lucille Ball said: "I've lost one of my dearest friends and show business has lost one of the greatest character actors of all time. Those of us who knew him and loved him will miss him."

Legacy

William Frawley is buried in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles. For his achievements in the field of motion pictures, he was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

, at 6322

Hollywood Blvd Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

, on February 8, 1960. He is memorialized, as well, in the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in

Jamestown, New York Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest po ...

, which also contains his "Hippity-Hoppity" (frog) costume from an episode of ''I Love Lucy''. Both Frawley and Vivian Vance were inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in March 2012. The story of how Desi Arnaz hired Frawley to play Fred Mertz in ''I Love Lucy'' is told in ''I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom'', a stage comedy that had its world premiere in Los Angeles on July, 12, 2018. The play, from Gregg Oppenheimer (son of ''I Love Lucy'' creator-producer-head writer Jess Oppenheimer), was recorded in front of a live audience for nationwide public radio broadcast and online distribution, and starred Sarah Drew as Lucille Ball and Oscar Nunez as Desi Arnaz.

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...

broadcast a serialized version of the play in the UK in August 2020, as ''Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom,'' in which Stacy Keach portrayed Frawley,

Anne Heche Anne Celeste Heche ( ; May 25, 1969August 11, 2022) was an American actress, known for her roles in a variety of genres in film, television, and theater, receiving numerous accolades, including a National Board of Review Award and multiple Emmy ...

played Lucille Ball, and Wilmer Valderrama played Desi Arnaz. Frawley was portrayed by John Wheeler in the television movie '' Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter''. Thirty years later he was portrayed in the 2021 film ''

Being the Ricardos ''Being the Ricardos'' is a 2021 American biographical drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, about the relationship between ''I Love Lucy'' stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as Ball and Arnaz, wh ...

'' by J. K. Simmons, who received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for his role.

Filmography

* ''

Lord Loveland Discovers America ''Lord Loveland Discovers America'' is a 1916 silent movie that was made by the American Film Manufacturing Company at their Flying "A" Studios in Santa Barbara, California. The movie is based on a 1910 best-selling novel by Charles and Alice W ...

'' (1916) as Tony Kidd * ''Persistent Percival'' (1916, Short) as Billy * ''Should Husbands Be Watched?'' (1925, Short) as Beat Cop * ''Ventriloquist'' (1927, short subject listed in BFI Database) as 'Hoak' salesman * ''Turkey for Two'' (1929, Short) as Convict * ''Fancy That'' (1929, Short) as Percy * ''

'' (1933) as Mac * '' Hell and High Water'' (1933) as Milton J. Bunsey * ''

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen ''Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen'' is a 1934 pre-Code American comedy-drama film, starring Dorothea Wieck, Alice Brady, and Baby LeRoy, written by Adela Rogers St. Johns and Jane Storm from a novel and story by Rupert Hughes, and directed by Alexan ...

'' (1934) as Captain Murphy * ''

Bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

'' (1934) as Mike DeBaere * '' The Crime Doctor'' (1934) as Fraser * '' The Witching Hour'' (1934) as Jury foreman * '' Shoot the Works'' (1934) as Larry Hale * '' The Lemon Drop Kid'' (1934) as William Dunhill * '' Here Is My Heart'' (1934) as James Smith * '' Car 99'' (1935) as Sergeant Barrel * ''

Hold 'Em Yale ''Hold 'Em Yale'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and written by Damon Runyon, Paul Gerard Smith, and Eddie Welch. The film stars Patricia Ellis, Cesar Romero, Buster Crabbe, William Frawley, Andy Devine, and George ...

'' (1935) as Sunshine Joe * ''

'' (1935) as Cap * '' College Scandal'' (1935) as Chief of Police Magoun * '' Welcome Home'' (1935) as Painless * ''

Harmony Lane ''Harmony Lane'' is a 1935 low-budget American film directed by Joseph Santley, based upon the life of Stephen Foster, released by Mascot Pictures. This was the first sound film based on the life of the famous composer. Two others would follow, ...

'' (1935) as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy * ''It's a Great Life'' (1935) as Lt. McNulty * '' Ship Cafe'' (1935) as Briney O'Brien * ''

Strike Me Pink "Strike Me Pink" is a song by American singer-songwriter Debbie Harry, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth solo album, '' Debravation'' (1993). The song was written by Harry, Anne Dudley and Jonathan Bernstein, and produced by ...

'' (1936) as Mr. Copple * ''

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like " wanting", " wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of ...

'' (1936) as Mr. Gibson * ''

F-Man ''F-Man'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Richard Connell, Henry Johnson, Paul Gerard Smith and Eddie Welch. The film stars Jack Haley, William Frawley, Grace Bradley, Adrienne Marden, Onslow Stevens a ...

'' (1936) as Detective Rogan * ''

The Princess Comes Across ''The Princess Comes Across'' is a 1936 mystery/ comedy film directed by William K. Howard and starring Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray, the second of the four times they were paired together. Lombard, playing an actress from Brooklyn pretend ...

'' (1936) as Benton * ''

Three Cheers for Love ''Three Cheers for Love'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by Ray McCarey, written by George Marion, Jr., and starring Eleanore Whitney, Robert Cummings, William Frawley, Elizabeth Patterson, Roscoe Karns and John Halliday. It was rele ...

'' (1936) as Milton Shakespeare * '' The General Died at Dawn'' (1936) as Brighton * ''

Three Married Men ''Three Married Men'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell, written by Alan Campbell and Dorothy Parker, and starring Lynne Overman, William Frawley, Roscoe Karns, Mary Brian, George Barbier and Marjorie Gateson. It was r ...

'' (1936) as Bill Mullins * '' Rose Bowl'' (1936) as Soapy Moreland * ''

High, Wide and Handsome ''High, Wide and Handsome'' is a 1937 American musical Western film starring Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, Alan Hale, Sr., Charles Bickford and Dorothy Lamour. The film was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Geor ...

'' (1937) as Mac * ''

Double or Nothing Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...

'' (1937) as John Pederson * ''

Something to Sing About "Something to Sing About" (actual title: "This Land of Ours") is one of Canada's national songs, a patriotic song written by folk singer Oscar Brand that sings the praises of the many different regions of Canada. It has some similarities to "Sc ...

'' (1937) as Hank Meyers * '' Blossoms on Broadway'' (1937) as Frances X. Rush * '' Mad About Music'' (1938) as Dusty Turner * '' Professor Beware'' (1938) as Snoop Donlan * '' Sons of the Legion'' (1938) as Uncle Willie Lee * '' Touchdown, Army'' (1938) as Jack Heffernan * ''

Ambush An ambush is a long-established military tactic in which a combatant uses an advantage of concealment or the element of surprise to attack unsuspecting enemy combatants from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind moun ...

'' (1939) as Inspector J.L. Weber * ''

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

'' (1939) as Maj. Martingale * '' Persons in Hiding'' (1939) as Alec Inglis * '' The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1939) as The 'Duke' * '' Rose of Washington Square'' (1939)''Great Movie Musicals on DVD'' – A Classic Movie Fan's Guide
by John Howard Reid – Google search with book preview as Harry Long * ''

Ex-Champ ''Ex-Champ'' is a 1939 American drama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Victor McLaglen, Tom Brown, and Nan Grey, and was released on June 16, 1939. Cast list * Victor McLaglen as Tom Grey * Tom Brown as Bob Hill * Nan Grey as Joan Grey ...

'' (1939) as Mushy Harrington * ''

Grand Jury Secrets ''Grand Jury Secrets'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Irving Reis, Maxwell Shane and Robert Yost. The film stars John Howard, Gail Patrick, William Frawley, Jane Darwell, Porter Hall and Harvey Stephens ...

'' (1939) as Bright Eyes * '' Night Work'' (1939) as Bruiser Brown * '' Stop, Look and Love'' (1939) as Joe Haller * '' The Farmer's Daughter'' (1940) as Scoop Trimble * ''

Opened by Mistake ''Opened by Mistake'' is a 1940 film starring Charlie Ruggles and Janice Logan. Plot Journalist buddies Jimmie Daniels and Buzz Nelson have decided to spend their vacation together at the Latonia horse race track on Yucatán, Mexico. Their plan ...

'' (1940) as Matt Kingsley * '' Those Were the Days!'' (1940) as Prisoner (uncredited) * '' Untamed'' (1940) as Les Woodbury * ''

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nationa ...

'' (1940) as Emory Balzar * '' Rhythm on the River'' (1940) as Mr. Westlake * '' The Quarterback'' (1940) as Coach * '' One Night in the Tropics'' (1940) as Roscoe * '' Dancing on a Dime'' (1940) as Mac * '' Sandy Gets Her Man'' (1940) as Police Chief J. A. O'Hara * ''

Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga ''Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by John Rawlins and starring Lupe Vélez. The film was inspired by the same-name song interpreted by Helen O'Connell and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Plot Aboard a luxur ...

'' (1941) as Chauncey Beheegan * '' Footsteps in the Dark'' (1941) as Hopkins * ''

Blondie in Society ''Blondie in Society'' is a 1941 black-and-white comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, and Larry Simms. It is the ninth of the 28 features in the Blondie film series. Plot Dagwood is given a Great ...

'' (1941) as Waldo Pincus * ''

The Bride Came C.O.D. ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American screwball romantic comedy starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and Bette Davis as a runaway heiress, and directed by William Keighley. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairin ...

'' (1941) as Sheriff McGee * '' Cracked Nuts'' (1941) as James Mitchell * '' Public Enemies'' (1941) as Bang * ''

Treat 'Em Rough ''Treat 'Em Rough'' is a 1942 film about a boxer directed by Ray Taylor and starring Eddie Albert. Plot Bill Kingsford, a prizefighter called the Panama Kid (Eddie Albert), returns to his hometown with his trainer Hotfoot (William Frawley (w ...

'' (1942) as 'Hotfoot' * '' Roxie Hart'' (1942) as O'Malley * '' It Happened in Flatbush'' (1942) as Sam Sloan * '' Give Out, Sisters'' (1942) as Harrison * ''

Wildcat The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while th ...

'' (1942) as Oliver Westbrook * '' Moonlight in Havana'' (1942) as Barney Crane * '' Gentleman Jim'' (1942) as Billy Delaney * '' We've Never Been Licked'' (1943) as Traveling Salesman * ''

Larceny with Music ''Larceny with Music'' is a 1943 musical comedy featuring singer Allan Jones and band leader Alvino Rey. Plot Believing unknown singer Ken Daniels is heir to a fortune, Hotel Deauville proprietor Gus Borelli hires him to headline with the Alvino ...

'' (1943) as Mike Simms * '' Whistling in Brooklyn'' (1943) as Detective Ramsey * ''

The Fighting Seabees ''The Fighting Seabees'' is a 1944 war film, directed by Edward Ludwig and starring John Wayne and Susan Hayward. The supporting cast includes Dennis O'Keefe, William Frawley, Leonid Kinsky, Addison Richards and Grant Withers. ''The Fighting Seab ...

'' (1944) as Eddie Powers * '' Going My Way'' (1944) as Max Dolan – the Publisher (uncredited) * '' Minstrel Man'' (1944) * ''

Lake Placid Serenade ''Lake Placid Serenade'' is a 1944 American musical romance film directed by Steve Sekely and starring Vera Ralston, Eugene Pallette and Barbara Jo Allen.Martin p.103 Following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia a Czech ice-skating champion g ...

'' (1944) as Jiggers * ''

Flame of Barbary Coast ''Flame of Barbary Coast'' is a 1945 American musical-drama film starring John Wayne, Ann Dvorak, Joseph Schildkraut, William Frawley, and Virginia Grey. The movie was scripted by Borden Chase and directed by Joseph Kane. Plot Naive Montana co ...

'' (1945) as 'Smooth' Wylie * '' Hitchhike to Happiness'' (1945) as Sandy Hill * ''

Lady on a Train ''Lady on a Train'' is a 1945 American film noir crime film directed by Charles David and starring Deanna Durbin, Ralph Bellamy, and David Bruce. Based on a story by Leslie Charteris, the film is about a woman who witnesses a murder in a near ...

'' (1945) as Police Sergeant Christie * ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

'' (1946) as Martin ('A Sweepstakes Ticket') * '' The Virginian'' (1946) as Honey Wiggen * ''

Rendezvous with Annie ''Rendezvous with Annie'' is a 1946 comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and written by and Mary Loos and Richard Sale. The film stars Eddie Albert, Faye Marlowe and Gail Patrick. The supporting cast features C. Aubrey Smith and William Frawley. ...

'' (1946) as Gen. Trent * '' The Inner Circle'' (1946) as Det. Lt. Webb * '' Crime Doctor's Man Hunt'' (1946) as Inspector Harry B. Manning * '' Hit Parade of 1947'' (1947) as Harry Holmes * '' Monsieur Verdoux'' (1947) as Jean La Salle * ''

'' (1947) as Charlie Halloran * ''

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" is a popular song. The music was written by Harold Orlob, the lyrics by Will M. Hough and Frank R. Adams. Orlob worked for Joseph E. Howard generating songs for Howard's productions and Howard presented the son ...

'' (1947) as Jim Mason * '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947) as Mr. Schneider * '' Down to Earth'' (1947) as Police Lieutenant * ''

Blondie's Anniversary ''Blondie's Anniversary'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, and Larry Simms. It is the twenty-second of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Dagwood is holding a watch, a gift that his bos ...

'' (1947) as Sharkey, the Loan Shark * '' My Wild Irish Rose'' (1947) as William Scanlon * '' Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven'' (1948) as Agent * ''

The Babe Ruth Story ''The Babe Ruth Story'' is a 1948 biographical film of Babe Ruth, the famed New York Yankees slugger. It stars William Bendix (New York Yankee batboy in the 1920s) as the ballplayer and Claire Trevor as his wife Claire Merritt Hodgson. Critics ...

'' (1948) as Jack Dunn * '' Good Sam'' (1948) as Tom Moore * ''

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All ''Joe Palooka in Winner Take All'' is a 1948 American film in the ''Joe Palooka'' series. It was directed by Reginald Le Borg. Cast * Joe Kirkwood, Jr. as Joe Palooka * Elyse Knox as Anne Howe * William Frawley as Knobby Walsh * Stanley Cleme ...

'' (1948) as Knobby Walsh * '' The Girl from Manhattan'' (1948) as Mr. Bernouti * '' Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949) as George Kirby * '' The Lone Wolf and His Lady'' (1949) as Inspector J.D. Crane * ''

Home in San Antone ''Home in San Antone'' is a 1949 American Western musical film directed by Ray Nazarro, and starring Roy Acuff, The Smoky Mountain Boys, The Modernaires, Doye O'Dell, Lyn Thomas, and Bill Edwards. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on ...

'' (1949) as O'Fleery * '' Red Light'' (1949) as Hotel Clerk * '' The Lady Takes a Sailor'' (1949) as Oliver Harker * '' East Side, West Side'' (1949) as Bill the Bartender * ''

Blondie's Hero ''Blondie's Hero'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the penultimate entry of the 28 Blondie films, which ended with '' Beware of B ...

'' (1950) as Marty Greer * '' Kill the Umpire'' (1950) as Jimmy O'Brien * '' Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye'' (1950) as Byers * '' Pretty Baby'' (1950) as Corcoran * ''

Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man ''Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man'' is a 1951 American science fiction comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Nancy Guild. The film depicts the misadventures of Lou Francis and Bu ...

'' (1951) as Detective Roberts * '' The Lemon Drop Kid'' (1951) as Gloomy Willie * ''

Rhubarb Rhubarb is the fleshy, edible stalks ( petioles) of species and hybrids (culinary rhubarb) of '' Rheum'' in the family Polygonaceae, which are cooked and used for food. The whole plant – a herbaceous perennial growing from short, thick rhi ...

'' (1951) as Len Sickles * ''

Rancho Notorious ''Rancho Notorious'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Marlene Dietrich as the matron of a criminal hideout called ''Chuck-a-Luck''. Arthur Kennedy and Mel Ferrer play rivals for her attention in this tale of f ...

'' (1952) as Baldy Gunder * '' I Love Lucy'' (1953, unreleased feature) as Fred Mertz / Himself * ''The Dirty Look'' (1954, Short) * ''Better Football'' (1954, Short) as Himself * ''

Safe at Home! ''Safe at Home!'' is a 1962 American comedy film, comedy sports film starring Major League Baseball players Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris of the New York Yankees.https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/481899212.html?dids=481899212:481899212& ...

'' (1962) as Bill Turner

Selected television (actor)

* '' I Love Lucy'' (1951–1957) * '' The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show'' (1957–1960) * ''

The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford ''The Ford Show'' (also known as ''The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford'' and ''The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show'') is an American variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired on NBC on Thursday eveni ...

''
(December 5, 1957) * ''

'' (1960–1965) * ''

'' (1965 cameo, one episode)

Broadway credits

* ''Merry, Merry'' (1925–1926) * ''Bye, Bye, Bonnie'' (1927) * ''She's My Baby'' (1928) * ''

Here's Howe ''Here's Howe'' is a musical in two acts with music by Roger Wolfe Kahn and Joseph Meyer and lyrics by Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer w ...

'' (1928) * ''Sons O' Guns'' (1929–1930) * ''She Lived Next to the Firehouse'' (1931) * ''Tell Her the Truth'' (1932) * '' Twentieth Century'' (1932–1933) * ''The Ghost Writer'' (1933)

Discography

Albums

* ''Bill Frawley Sings the Old Ones'' (1958) Dot DLP-3061

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Frawley, William 1887 births 1966 deaths American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors American male silent film actors Vaudeville performers Dot Records artists Male actors from Iowa People from Burlington, Iowa Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery 20th-century American male actors Catholics from Iowa 20th-century American singers 20th-century American male singers