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