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