William Frawley

Acting

William Frawley

Born February 25, 1887 · Burlington, Iowa, USA

Died March 3, 1966 · aged 79

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 Bro…

Known For

Miracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th Street · 1947
Miracle on 34th Street
★ 7.41947
MovieComedyDrama
Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy's following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.
Monsieur VerdouxMonsieur Verdoux · 1947
Monsieur Verdoux
★ 7.71947
MovieComedyCrime
The film is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then murders them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine.
Rancho NotoriousRancho Notorious · 1952
Rancho Notorious
★ 6.51952
MovieDramaWestern
A man in search of revenge infiltrates a ranch, hidden in an inhospitable region, where its owner, Altar Keane, gives shelter to outlaws fleeing from the law in exchange for a price.
Going My WayGoing My Way · 1944
Going My Way
★ 6.71944
MovieDramaComedy
Youthful Father Chuck O'Malley led a colorful life of sports, song, and romance before joining the Roman Catholic clergy. After being appointed to a run-down New York parish, O'Malley's worldly knowledge helps him connect with a gang of boys looking for direction, eventually winning over the aging, conventional Parish priest.
Ziegfeld FolliesZiegfeld Follies · 1945
Ziegfeld Follies
★ 6.01945
MovieMusicComedy
The late, great impresario Florenz Ziegfeld looks down from heaven and ordains a new revue in his grand old style.
The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn · 1939
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
★ 6.71939
MovieAdventureDrama
Huckleberry Finn, a rambunctious boy adventurer chafing under the bonds of civilization, escapes his humdrum world and his selfish, plotting father by sailing a raft down the Mississippi River.
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible ManBud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man · 1951
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
★ 6.31951
MovieHorrorComedy
As novice detectives, Bud and Lou come face to face with the Invisible Man.
DesireDesire · 1936
Desire
★ 7.01936
MovieRomanceCrime
Madeleine steals a string of pearls in Paris and uses American engineer Tom, who is driving on his vacation to Spain, to get the pearls out of France. But getting the pearls back from him proves to be difficult without falling in love.

Filmography

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The Lucy ShowThe Lucy Show · 1962
The Lucy Show
★ 7.11962
SeriesComedy
The Lucy Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962–68. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in cast and premise for the 1965–66 season divides the program into two distinct eras; aside from Ball, only Gale Gordon, who joined the program for its second season, remained. For the first three seasons, Vivian Vance was the co-star. The earliest scripts were entitled The Lucille Ball Show, but when this title was declined, producers thought of calling the show This Is Lucy or The New Adventures of Lucy, before deciding on the title The Lucy Show. Ball won consecutive Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the series' final two seasons, 1966–67 and 1967–68.

Trainer

The Lucy–Desi Comedy HourThe Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour · 1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
★ 8.61957
SeriesComedy
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour is a collection of thirteen one-hour specials airing occasionally from 1957 to 1960, and originally served as part of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. Its original network title was The Ford Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show for the first season, and The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Presents The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show for the following seasons. It was the successor to the classic comedy, I Love Lucy, and featured the same major cast members. The production schedule avoided the grind of a regular weekly series. Desilu produced the show, which was mostly filmed at their Los Angeles studios with occasional on-location shoots at Lake Arrowhead, Las Vegas and Sun Valley, Idaho. CBS reran the show under the "Lucy-Desi" title during the summers of 1962-1967, after which it went into syndication.

Fred Mertz