Frank Orth was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series “Boston Blackie”. By 1897, Orth was performing in vaudeville with his wife, Ann Codee, in an act called “Codee and Orth.” In 1909, he expanded into song writing, with songs such as “The Phone Bell Rang” and “Meet Me on the Boardwalk, Dearie.” His first contact with motion pictures was in 1928, when he was part of the first foreign-language shorts in sound produced by Warner Bros. He and his wife also appeared together in a series of two-reel comedies in the early 1930s. Orth's first major screen credit was in “Prairie Thunder,” a Dick Foran western, in 1937. From then on, he was often cast as bartenders, pharmacists, and grocery clerks, and always distinctly Irish. He had a recurring role in the Dr. Kildare series of films and also in the Nancy Drew series as the befuddled Officer Tweedy. Among his better roles were the newspaper man Cary Grant telephones early in “His Girl Friday,” one of the quartet singing “Gary Owen” in “They Died with Their Boots On” (thereby giving Errol Flynn as Gen. Custer the idea of associating the tune with the 7th Cavalry), and as the little man carrying the sign reading “The End Is Near” throughout Colonel Effingham's Raid. However, Orth is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series “Boston Blackie.” A short, plump, round-faced man, often smoking a cigar, Orth as Faraday wore his own dark-rimmed spectacles, though rarely in feature films. In 1959, Orth retired from show business after throat surgery. His wife died in 1961 after around fifty years of marriage. Orth died on March 17, 1962. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills next to his wife.
126 movies · 2 shows
Here Come the Girls
1953·4.6
Houdini
1953·6.6
Something to Live For
1952·6.9
Double Dynamite
1951·6.5
The Petty Girl
1950·4.3
Father of the Bride
1950·7.0
Cheaper by the Dozen
1950·6.4
The Great Rupert
1950·5.8
Bride for Sale
1949·7.0
Red Light
1949·5.9
Blondie's Secret
1948·6.5
The Girl from Manhattan
1948·6.3
So This Is New York
1948·6.7
The Big Clock
1948·7.3
It Had to Be You
1947·7.8
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947·8.0
Heartaches
1947·5.3
The Guilt of Janet Ames
1947·5.8
Born to Speed
1947·8.0
Lady in the Lake
1946·6.1
Wake Up and Dream
1946·7.4
It's Great to Be Young
1946·9.0
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946·7.1
The Bride Wore Boots
1946·6.1
Murder in the Music Hall
1946·5.3
The Hoodlum Saint
1946·5.5
Doll Face
1945·4.6
The Lost Weekend
1945·7.6
She Went to the Races
1945·6.0
Tell It to a Star
1945·10.0
Pillow to Post
1945·5.5
Storm Over Lisbon
1944·5.4
Tall in the Saddle
1944·6.6
Greenwich Village
1944·6.7
The Impatient Years
1944·6.3
Wilson
1944·5.6
Summer Storm
1944·5.7
Roger Touhy, Gangster
1944·7.0
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
1943·6.5
Coney Island
1943·6.3
Hello, Frisco, Hello
1943·6.4
The Ox-Bow Incident
1943·7.7
The Meanest Man in the World
1943·6.9
Springtime in the Rockies
1942·6.9
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
1942·6.5
Orchestra Wives
1942·6.5
Tales of Manhattan
1942·6.4
Footlight Serenade
1942·6.5
The Magnificent Dope
1942·7.3
Henry and Dizzy
1942·9.0
My Gal Sal
1942·5.8
Rings on Her Fingers
1942·6.8
Roxie Hart
1942·7.0
Dr. Kildare's Victory
1942·6.2
Right to the Heart
1942·7.0
Over My Dead Body
1942·8.0
Blue, White and Perfect
1942·6.5
They Died with Their Boots On
1941·6.7
I Wake Up Screaming
1941·6.9
Sergeant York
1941·7.2
Broadway Limited
1941·5.0
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941·7.0
Ride on Vaquero
1941·5.2
The Strawberry Blonde
1941·7.0
Come Live with Me
1941·6.8
Let's Make Music
1941·6.0
Respect the Law
1941·7.0
Michael Shayne: Private Detective
1940·6.6
You, the People
1940·6.2
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
1940·6.7
Father Is A Prince
1940·6.5
Gallant Sons
1940·7.4
Mexican Spitfire Out West
1940·5.0
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
1940·6.8
Boom Town
1940·6.9
Buyer Beware
1940·6.5
Pier 13
1940·5.7
Gold Rush Maisie
1940·6.8
Brother Orchid
1940·6.6
Florian
1940·4.5
La Conga Nights
1940·7.7
The Doctor Takes a Wife
1940·6.8
'Til We Meet Again
1940·6.4
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
1940·4.8
Know Your Money
1940·8.3
His Girl Friday
1940·7.4
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
1939·6.1
At the Circus
1939·6.4
Fast and Furious
1939·5.2
Dust Be My Destiny
1939·6.5
Thunder Afloat
1939·6.1
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939·6.8
Stanley and Livingstone
1939·6.4
Tell No Tales
1939·5.4
Young Mr. Lincoln
1939·7.2
Calling Dr. Kildare
1939·6.6
Broadway Serenade
1939·6.6
Within the Law
1939·6.5
Nancy Drew... Reporter
1939·6.0
Fast and Loose
1939·5.9
Idiot's Delight
1939·6.1
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
1939·6.3
Comet Over Broadway
1938·5.7
Nancy Drew… Detective
1938·6.5
Young Dr. Kildare
1938·6.7
Mr. Chump
1938·10.0
Think It Over
1938·7.3
Torchy Blane in Panama
1938·5.8
The Patient in Room 18
1938·5.1
Missing Witnesses
1937·7.0
The Footloose Heiress
1937·4.7
Prairie Thunder
1937·4.3
The Devil's Saddle Legion
1937·3.8
Talent Scout
1937·6.7
Ever Since Eve
1937·5.8
Marry the Girl
1937·6.5
San Quentin
1937·6.6
Land Beyond the Law
1937·8.5
Polo Joe
1936·7.0
Hot Money
1936·7.0
Two Against the World
1936·6.2
Unwelcome Stranger
1935·9.0
The Payoff
1935·5.5
The Victim
1931·9.0
Taking Ways
1930·7.0
A Bird in the Hand
1929·8.0