
William Frawley
Born
February 25, 1887
Died
March 3, 1966 (79 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
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.
Known For

I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Fred Mertz
2016
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
2000

The Lucy Show
Trainer · (1 episode)
1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962

Safe at Home!
Bill Turner
1962

My Three Sons
Bub O'Casey · (216 episodes)
1960

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
(6 episodes)
1958

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Fred Mertz · (13 episodes)
1957
The Gale Storm Show
Jim Comstock · (1 episode)
1956

Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Fred Mertz
1956

The Dirty Look
1954

Letter to Loretta
Sam · (1 episode)
1953

I Love Lucy: The Movie
Fred Mertz
1953

This Is Your Life
Self · (1 episode)
1952

Rancho Notorious
Baldy Gunder
1952

I Love Lucy
Fred Mertz · (180 episodes)
1951

Rhubarb
Len Sickles
1951

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Det. Roberts
1951

The Lemon Drop Kid
Gloomy Willie
1951

Pretty Baby
Corcoran
1950

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Byers
1950

Kill the Umpire
Jimmy O'Brien
1950

The Bob Hope Show
Self · (1 episode)
1950

Blondie's Hero
Marty Greer
1950

East Side, West Side
Bill the Bartender
1949

The Lady Takes a Sailor
Oliver Harker
1949
The Ed Wynn Show
Self · (1 episode)
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

The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (1 episode)
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
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