William Frawley
American actor (1887-1966) · United States · On the map · Actors · Died at 79
William Clement Frawley was an American vaudevillian and actor best known for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the sitcom I Love Lucy. Frawley also played "Bub" O'Casey during the first five seasons of the sitcom My Three Sons and the political advisor to the Hon. Henry X. Harper in the film Miracle on 34th Street.
William Frawley is read about 786 times a day, in 20 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 10 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 112 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
1966Died3 March 19661962
The Lucy ShowSeries, Trainer1960
My Three SonsSeries, Bub O'Casey1958
Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseSeries1957
The Lucy-Desi Comedy HourSeries, Fred Mertz1956
The Gale Storm ShowSeries, Jim Comstock1953
I Love Lucy: The MovieFilm, Fred Mertz / Self1952
This Is Your LifeSeries
Rancho NotoriousFilm, 1952Baldy Gunder1951
I Love LucySeries, Fred Mertz1950
The Bob Hope ShowSeries
Kiss Tomorrow GoodbyeFilm, 1950Byers1949The Ed Wynn ShowSeries
East Side, West SideFilm, 1949Bill the Bartender1948
The Ed Sullivan ShowSeries1947
Down to EarthFilm, Police Lieutenant1946
The Inner CircleFilm, Det. Lt. Webb1944
Going My WayFilm, Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)1943
Whistling in BrooklynFilm, Detective Ramsey1941
Footsteps in the DarkFilm, Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins1940
One Night in the TropicsFilm, Roscoe1938
Mad About MusicFilm, Dusty Turner1937
Something to Sing AboutFilm, Hank Mayers1935
RobertaFilm, Bartender (uncredited)1934
BoleroFilm, Mike DeBaere1887Born26 February 1887
The Lucy ShowSeries, Trainer1960My Three SonsSeries, Bub O'Casey1958Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseSeries1957The Lucy-Desi Comedy HourSeries, Fred Mertz1956The Gale Storm ShowSeries, Jim Comstock1953I Love Lucy: The MovieFilm, Fred Mertz / Self1952This Is Your LifeSeriesRancho NotoriousFilm, 1952Baldy Gunder1951I Love LucySeries, Fred Mertz1950The Bob Hope ShowSeriesKiss Tomorrow GoodbyeFilm, 1950Byers1949The Ed Wynn ShowSeriesEast Side, West SideFilm, 1949Bill the Bartender1948The Ed Sullivan ShowSeries1947Down to EarthFilm, Police Lieutenant1946The Inner CircleFilm, Det. Lt. Webb1944Going My WayFilm, Max Dolan, Publisher (uncredited)1943Whistling in BrooklynFilm, Detective Ramsey1941Footsteps in the DarkFilm, Det. 'Hoppy' Hopkins1940One Night in the TropicsFilm, Roscoe1938Mad About MusicFilm, Dusty Turner1937Something to Sing AboutFilm, Hank Mayers1935RobertaFilm, Bartender (uncredited)1934BoleroFilm, Mike DeBaere1887Born26 February 1887Known for
View all 40 titles
Monsieur Verdoux 1947
Miracle on 34th Street 1947
Gentleman Jim 1942
Roberta 1935
Desire 1936
People around William
Close ties
Norman Taurog Directed Ziegfeld Follies and Mad About Music
William Perlberg Produced Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Roy Del Ruth Directed Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
William LeBaron Produced Rhythm on the River and Golden Gloves
Leo McCarey Directed Good Sam (1948)
Desi Arnaz Directed I Love Lucy
George Seaton Directed Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Raoul Walsh Directed Gentleman Jim and St. Louis Blues
Hal B. Wallis Produced The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)
Nunnally Johnson Produced Roxie Hart (1942)
Victor Schertzinger Directed Rhythm on the River (1940)
Alexander Hall Directed Down to Earth (1947)
James Flavin Also in Gentleman Jim and Rhythm on the River
Arthur Hornblow, Jr. Produced High, Wide, and Handsome (1937)
Gene Lockhart Also in Something to Sing About (1937)
Marc Lawrence William directed Flame of Barbary Coast (1945)
Porter Hall Also in The General Died at Dawn (1936)
Sarah Edwards Also in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939)
Wade Boteler Also in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939)
Winifred Harris Also in Rose of Washington Square (1939)
John Wayne William directed Flame of Barbary Coast (1945)
Lou Costello Also in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Paul Fix William directed Flame of Barbary Coast (1945)
Arthur Franz Also in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Filmography 40
128 credits on file
Television 12
Media & music
Photos 7
Left: Ford Sterling as Keystone Cops police chief (seated); in the background just to the right of the Keystone Cops actor above Sterling is Frawley in "In the Clutches of the Gang" (1914)
With James Cagney in Something to Sing About
I Love Lucy cast (clockwise): William Frawley, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance
While appearing on My Three Sons, Frawley was the subject of This Is Your Life in January 1961. He received a lifetime baseball pass from the Angels' Fred Haney. Fred MacMurray also was part of the show.
Clockwise from left: William Frawley, Tim Considine, Fred MacMurray, Don Grady, and Stanley Livingston on My Three Sons (1962)
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6322 Hollywood Blvd.Awards
About this person
Country
United States
Category
Actors
Type
Actor
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1887 to 1966 · aged 79
