A former vaudevillian, William Frawley was born in Burlington, Iowa on February 26, 1887. He began his film career in the 1930s, and for twenty years, in approximately 150 films of every conceivable genre, Frawley played variations on a gruff but likeable character. Some of his more notable films include "The Lemon Drop Kid," "Strike Me Pink," "The General Died at Dawn," "Huckleberry Finn," "Roxie Hart," "Gentleman Jim," "Going My Way," "Ziegfeld Follies," "The Virginian," "The Miracle on 34th Street," "Monsieur Verdoux," "The Babe Ruth Story," the remake of "The Lemon Drop Kid," and "Rancho Notorious." His last feature film appearance was in 1962's "Safe at Home!"

But for the ten years prior to that, he had established himself as a major television star. William Frawley is best known as Fred Mertz in one of the biggest hits in TV history, "I Love Lucy."

Fred Mertz is a priceless character: the next-door neighbor, close friend, and penny-pinching landlord of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Frawley had to fight for the part. Originally, Lucille Ball had wanted Gale Gordon for the role, but Gordon was unavailable. Frawley got the role only after convincing network executives that he wouldn't let his habit for alcohol interfere with his work.

During his time on "I Love Lucy," Frawley made no bones about his dislike for his on-screen wife, Vivian Vance. He once remarked: "She's one of the finest gals to come out of Kansas, but I often wish she'd go back there." Likewise, Vance was often vocal with her disgust about having an onscreen husband who was old enough to be her father.

During his "I Love Lucy" years, Frawley found time for occasional guest appearances on other shows such as "The Mickey Mouse Club," "The Gale Storm Show," "The Red Skelton Show," "The Loretta Young Show," and "Shower of Stars." In 1960, he began work on another long-running series, "My Three Sons." On that show he played Michael Francis "Bub" O'Casey, father-in-law to Fred MacMurray's character and housekeeper for the family of men. In 1964 Frawley became too ill to work and was replaced on "My Three Sons" by William Demarest at the end of the season.

Frawley's last television appearance was a cameo on a 1965 episode of

"The Lucy Show," entitled "Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest." In that episode, Lucy Carmichael commented on how familiar he seemed to her.

William Frawley died on March 3, 1966.