Biography
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.
Acted in 116
2010s
- 2016
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Fred Mertz
1960s
- 1962
Safe at Home!
Bill Turner
- 1960
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Fred Mertz · 13 episodes
- 1956
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
Fred Mertz
- 1954
The Dirty Look
Movie
- 1953
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Fred Mertz / Self
- 1952
- 1951
Rhubarb
Len Sickles
The Lemon Drop Kid
Gloomy Willie
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Det. Roberts
- 1950
Pretty Baby
Corcoran
Kill the Umpire
Jimmy O'Brien
1940s
- 1949
East Side, West Side
Bill the Bartender
The Lady Takes a Sailor
Oliver Harker
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Inspector Crane
Home in San Antone
O'Fleery
- 1948
The Girl from Manhattan
Mr. Bernouti
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Knobby Walsh
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Agent
- 1947
My Wild Irish Rose
William Scanlon
Blondie's Anniversary
Sharkey the Loen Shark
Down to Earth
Police Lieutenant
Mother Wore Tights
Mr. Schneider
- 1946
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning
Rendezvous with Annie
General Trent
The Virginian
Honey Wiggen
- 1945
Ziegfeld Follies
Martin (segment "A Sweepstakes Ticket")
Lady on a Train
Desk Sgt. Brennan
Hitchhike to Happiness
Sandy Hill
- 1944
Lake Placid Serenade
Jiggers
The Fighting Seabees
Eddie Powers
- 1943
Whistling in Brooklyn
Detective Ramsey
Larceny with Music
Mike Simms
We've Never Been Licked
Traveling Salesman
- 1942
The Yankee Doodler
Movie
Moonlight in Havana
Barney Crane
Wildcat
Oliver Westbrook
Give Out, Sisters
Harrison
It Happened in Flatbush
Sam Sloan
Roxie Hart
O'Malley
- 1941
Blondie in Society
Waldo Pincus
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Sheriff McGee
Cracked Nuts
James Mitchell
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Chauncey Beheegan
- 1940
One Night in the Tropics
Roscoe
Sandy Gets Her Man
Police Chief J. A. O'Hara
Dancing on a Dime
Mac
The Quarterback
Coach
Rhythm on the River
Mr. Westlake
Golden Gloves
Emory Balzar
Untamed
Les Woodbury
Those Were the Days!
Prisoner
Opened by Mistake
Matt Kingsley
The Farmer's Daughter
Scoop Trimble
1930s
- 1939
Stop, Look and Love
Joe Haller
Night Work
Bruiser Brown
Grand Jury Secrets
Bright Eyes
Ex-Champ
Mushy Harrington
Rose of Washington Square
Harry Long
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The 'Duke'
Persons in Hiding
Alec Inglis
St. Louis Blues
Major Martingale
Ambush
Inspector J.L. Weber
- 1938
Sons of the Legion
Uncle Willie Lee
Touchdown, Army
Jack Heffernan
Professor Beware
Snoop Donlan
Mad About Music
Dusty Turner
- 1937
Blossoms On Broadway
Francis X. Rush
Something to Sing About
Hank Mayers
Double or Nothing
John Pederson
High, Wide and Handsome
Mac
- 1936
Rose Bowl
'Soapy' Moreland
The General Died at Dawn
Brighton
Three Married Men
Bill Mullins
The Princess Comes Across
Benton
F-Man
Detective Rogan
Strike Me Pink
Mr. Copple
- 1935
Ship Cafe
Briney O'Brien
Harmony Lane
Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy
It's a Great Life
Lt. McNulty
Welcome Home
Painless
College Scandal
Chief of Police Magoun
Alibi Ike
Cap
Hold 'Em Yale
Sunshine Joe
Car 99
Training Sgt. Barrel
- 1934
Here Is My Heart
James Smith
The Lemon Drop Kid
William Dunhill aka The Professor
Shoot the Works
Larry Hale
The Witching Hour
Jury Foreman
The Crime Doctor
Fraser
Bolero
Mike DeBaere
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Captain Murphy
- 1933
Moonlight and Pretzels
Mac
1920s
- 1925
Should Husbands Be Watched?
Beat Cop
