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.
115 movies · 12 shows
I Love Lucy Christmas Special
2016·10.0
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
2000·7.0
Safe at Home!
1962·5.0
Lucy's Really Lost Moments
1956·6.5
The Dirty Look
1954·7.0
I Love Lucy: The Movie
1953·7.7
Rancho Notorious
1952·6.5
Rhubarb
1951·5.8
The Lemon Drop Kid
1951·6.5
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
1951·6.3
Pretty Baby
1950·6.8
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950·6.8
Kill the Umpire
1950·6.9
Blondie's Hero
1950·6.8
East Side, West Side
1949·7.1
The Lady Takes a Sailor
1949·5.7
Red Light
1949·5.9
The Lone Wolf and His Lady
1949·6.0
Home in San Antone
1949·7.0
Chicken Every Sunday
1949·6.2
The Girl from Manhattan
1948·6.3
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
1948·7.5
The Babe Ruth Story
1948·6.1
Good Sam
1948·6.3
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
1948·5.8
My Wild Irish Rose
1947·6.0
Blondie's Anniversary
1947·5.9
Monsieur Verdoux
1947·7.7
Down to Earth
1947·6.0
Mother Wore Tights
1947·5.7
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
1947·7.5
Miracle on 34th Street
1947·7.4
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
1946·6.6
The Inner Circle
1946·5.7
Rendezvous with Annie
1946·7.0
The Virginian
1946·6.2
Ziegfeld Follies
1945·6.0
Lady on a Train
1945·6.7
Hitchhike to Happiness
1945·7.0
Flame of Barbary Coast
1945·5.5
Lake Placid Serenade
1944·10.0
The Fighting Seabees
1944·6.2
Going My Way
1944·6.7
Whistling in Brooklyn
1943·7.0
Larceny with Music
1943·5.3
We've Never Been Licked
1943·6.5
Gentleman Jim
1942·7.2
The Yankee Doodler
1942·5.0
Moonlight in Havana
1942·9.0
Wildcat
1942·5.7
Give Out, Sisters
1942·6.0
It Happened in Flatbush
1942·5.4
Roxie Hart
1942·7.0
Treat 'Em Rough
1942·8.0
Gangs Of The City
1941·7.0
Blondie in Society
1941·6.4
The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941·7.0
Cracked Nuts
1941·7.0
Footsteps in the Dark
1941·7.0
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
1941·5.8
One Night in the Tropics
1940·5.8
Sandy Gets Her Man
1940·6.5
Dancing on a Dime
1940·5.0
The Quarterback
1940·10.0
Rhythm on the River
1940·6.9
Golden Gloves
1940·6.0
Untamed
1940·5.0
Those Were the Days!
1940·8.0
Opened by Mistake
1940·7.0
The Farmer's Daughter
1940·5.3
Stop, Look and Love
1939·6.5
Night Work
1939·8.5
Grand Jury Secrets
1939·7.0
Ex-Champ
1939·7.3
Rose of Washington Square
1939·6.7
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
1939·6.7
Persons in Hiding
1939·3.8
St. Louis Blues
1939·7.3
Ambush
1939·6.0
Sons of the Legion
1938·7.5
Touchdown, Army
1938·7.5
Professor Beware
1938·6.0
Mad About Music
1938·7.0
Blossoms On Broadway
1937·4.8
Something to Sing About
1937·6.2
Double or Nothing
1937·6.7
High, Wide and Handsome
1937·6.2
Rose Bowl
1936·7.0
The General Died at Dawn
1936·6.5
Three Married Men
1936·8.0
The Princess Comes Across
1936·6.3
F-Man
1936·7.0
Desire
1936·7.0
Strike Me Pink
1936·6.6
Beautiful Dreamer
1935·0.0
Ship Cafe
1935·8.0
Harmony Lane
1935·4.5
It's a Great Life
1935·9.0
Welcome Home
1935·9.0
College Scandal
1935·6.8
Alibi Ike
1935·6.2
Hold 'Em Yale
1935·7.0
Roberta
1935·7.1
Car 99
1935·7.5
Here Is My Heart
1934·7.3
The Lemon Drop Kid
1934·6.3
Shoot the Works
1934·6.7
The Witching Hour
1934·6.5
The Crime Doctor
1934·3.8
Bolero
1934·6.4
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
1934·6.0
Hell and High Water
1933·7.0
Moonlight and Pretzels
1933·9.0
Ventriloquist
1927·0.0
Should Husbands Be Watched?
1925·8.0