William Frawley

William Frawley
Frawley in 1951, shortly before he assumed the role of Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy.
Born	William Clement Frawley (1887-02-26)February 26, 1887 Burlington, Iowa, U.S.
Died	March 3, 1966(1966-03-03) (aged 79) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Resting place	San Fernando Mission Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1916–1965
Spouse(s)	Edna Louise Broedt (m. 1914; div. 1927)

William Clement "Bill" Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American stage entertainer and screen and television actor. Frawley is best known for starring as the landlord, Fred Mertz, in the famous American television sitcom I Love Lucy. He is also known for playing Bub in the television comedy series, My Three Sons.

Frawley began his career in vaudeville in 1914 with his then-wife Edna Louise Broedt. Their comedy act, known as "Frawley and Louise", continued until their divorce in 1927. Frawley performed on Broadway multiple times and signed a contract with Paramount Studios in 1916 to play in silent films. He appeared in more than 100 films over 35 years.

Frawley was reputed by fellow actors to be cantankerous and difficult, likely exacerbated by a drinking problem. His bad temper led to problems with producers; he was once fired for punching another actor in the nose. When he got the call offering him the part of Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy, Desi Arnaz told him he would only get three chances before getting fired. Frawley died on March 3, 1966, from a heart attack suffered while walking home from seeing a movie.

Frawley was born to Irish immigrants Michael A. Frawley (October 20, 1857 – 1907) and Mary E. Brady (March 5, 1859 – 1921) in Burlington, Iowa. As a young boy, Frawley attended Roman Catholic school and sang with the St. Paul's Church choir. As he got older, he loved playing bit roles in local theater productions, as well as performing in amateur shows. However, his mother, a religious woman, discouraged the idea.

Frawley did two years of office work at Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, Nebraska. He later relocated to Chicago and found a job as a court reporter. Soon thereafter, against his mother's wishes, Frawley obtained a singing part in the musical comedy The Flirting Princess. To appease his mother, Frawley relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, to work for another railroad company.