WILLIAM FRAWLEY BIOGRAPHY & TRIBUTE!!!
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2018
- This week's episode is a biography and tribute to William Frawley, who played Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy." He was always a vaudeville actor, film actor, and a member of the cast of "My Three Sons." I'm having a conversation with you! Remember to like, share and subscribe to my channel for more episodes like this.
Remember to always laugh often.
"William Frawley's Last Television Appearance" // Chris Smith
All rights go to CBS, Desilu Studios and "I Love Lucy." This video was made strictly for an entertainment purpose.
Very nice tribute. I did learn some things I didn't know, like his brief marriage. Had he not been assertive and called Lucy about the job, we may never have had him as Fred. It's funny how things work out sometimes.
David Brinson I’m glad you enjoyed the video and learned something!
Yeah, I heard Lucy was thinking about Gayle Gordon in the role of Fred.
When I was a little kid my folks had an odd dittie we used to sing on road trips:
" Keep your hands on the wheel,
Keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead.
We're havin' fun,
Sittin' in the back seat,
Huggin' and a-kissin' with Fred."
At the time I thought we were singing about Fred Mertz. Never questioned it. In my defense, we did watch I Love Lucy regularly. I guess he was the only "Fred" I knew of.
Wm. Frawley made the character memorable. He was one of those actors who did the job so well you just believed and enjoyed it.
William Frawley should have won an Emmy! Really amazing that he didn’t. He’s a great character actor and he is the real Fred Mertz!
You're right about that!
To Jacklyn Lopez-Agreed.
As much as I liked Gale Gordon, I'm glad that William Frawley played Fred Mertz. I agree that he's the real Fred Mertz and should have won an emmy.
I think the only reason he didn’t was because he was hard to get along with so it was one of those biased things in show biz. He deserved one and should have gotten one.
“Hey Boss! There’s a dame here to see you”. Classic Bill Frawley Line 😎
Chad Quick Bill had some of the best lines!
Great tribute here. He is often overlooked as a great performer sadly. I loved his character on I Love Lucy and also My Three Sons. His tension Carolina In The Morning is a true classic.
Chad Quick Thank you! I agree with you. Bill is overlooked, same with Vivian Vance.
I honestly don't think I Love Lucy would of made it past one season without him. His gruff character balanced out the chemistry of the show.
Deb Butcher That’s true!
Sitcoms need that key character to be successful. Fred was Lucy's Granny to Jed Clampet. Andy's Barney and so on.
I've read that Vivian Vance was not happy with William Frawley as her husband, as he was some 20 years older than she was. But to me, a fan, they really worked well together as a couple. I can't see anyone else being Fred and Ethel!
Yes, you are right LEE X. They couldn't stand each other. Yet, if they did like each other it would of ruined the chemistry between them.
@@debbutcher9087 Completely agree.
It's interesting: Just about every time Bill opened his mouth on I Love Lucy he always got a huge laugh.
One of his greatest lines was (to Lucy and Ethel who are bickering over who looked more like Marilyn Monroe) : "I think I look more like her than either one of you!" So funny! 😄
No one else could have possibly played Fred Mertz but Bill. He WAS Fred Mertz! 😀 He was perfect in that part. 👍👏
Thank you for your biography of William Frawley. He is my favourite character on I Love Lucy.
Maude Mathilde H You’re welcome! Fred is hilarious.
Loved the cameo in The Lucy Show! ❤️❤️
Fintan Cummings Me too!
Frawley was a hugely underrated character actor during his life with excellent skills in comedy. Part of the upward limits on his career and his being snubbed by the Emmys may have been his gruff personality. He was born in the 1880s and was raised in a working class Irish neighborhood where he picked up a lot of the habits and prejudices of that environment and never gave them up. Over time he gained a reputation for being frank in expressing his opinions, sometimes to the point of low brow language which was not considered acceptable in polite society in those days. Oddly this was one of the traits that Lucy loved about him. Bill never sugar coated his beliefs. Also he was known for telling off color jokes and making references to minorities in terms that would get you fired today, coupled with a reputation for drinking and a short fuse. In the 1920s he was once sacked from a Broadway production after socking the actor Clifton Webb during an argument. During his time on I Love Lucy (ILL) he was always ready and quickly established himself as an integral part of the cast. While Frawley generally was genial and enjoyed good relations with the rest of the cast and the production staff, the exception was his co-star Vivian Vance with whom he had a notoriously chilly relationship. Vance resented being cast as the wife of a man twenty years her senior and disliked his personality. Frawley, who was never one to take slights lightly, fully reciprocated the sentiments and the two rarely spoke when the cameras were not running unless they were arguing. And yes, there were several barn burners on set that required Desi and or Lucy to intervene and calm him down. It is a testament to both Vance and Frawley's professionalism and acting skills that they were able to convince millions of viewers that they were a happily married couple, when in real life they couldn't stand each other. William Frawley was intensely loyal to his friends, but he did not have that many, likely due in part to his acerbic nature. More than a few people noted that Frawley was at his best as an actor when he was playing himself, i.e. a curmudgeon. Years of hard living and heavy drinking took their toll on his health and by the 1960s he was slowing down. He was more or less forced to retire in 1965. But he had made an extremely smart move financially when he negotiated his contracts for ILL. Rather than taking the customary salary, he accepted lower compensation in favor of residual rights, in perpetuity. So he was making money off that show long after it ended. And because his rights were perpetual, they lived on after his death. I am not sure who holds Bill's rights today, but in his will he left the bulk of his estate to the actress Patricia Barry who lived to 2016.
This was a very interesting video about William Frawley. I learned alot of things about him. I found it so interesting that he made famous the Carolina in the Morning song. I thought it was hilarious on the clip of The Lucy Show, when Lucy said I know him from someplace. He was a very talented and funny character. I am sure he was a very talented Vaudevillian also. There is no one who could have played Fred Mertz but him. I love his character. Thank you for educating me on his life before he became Fred Mertz. .
Thank you, Carolyn! You're right; no one else could be Fred Mertz but him.
I enjoyed your mini-bio on William Frawley and thank you so much for taking the time to put this together in such an honorary manner of a great actor.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Frawley was my favorite on I Love Lucy, after Lucy, of course. I was looking for a bio on him and caught your video. Thanks for loving Fred as much as I do. R.I.P. Fred Merz
Harriett Randall William Frawley was a favorite for so many people. He had a quality no one else had. I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
He was such a character in l love Lucy. And didn't know he was in other films he was something else a barrel of laughs.
I have always loved Fred Mertz. Recently, thanks to METV, I've discovered the black and white years of "My Three Sons," with William Frawley as Bub. I feel like I've discovered something really precious. I liked Uncle Charley, but I LOVE Mr. Frawley as Bub. I am coming to the last episode of him on MTS, and I feel a certain sort of grief. He is really great as the boys' grandfather. I can't believe that he was banned from the set; that must have really hurt. Thanks for all your great work, William Frawley!
I love your comment! I’m glad you’re discovering “My Three Sons.” It’s a show I’d like to watch sometime.
To Lee X-I've never seen the black-and-white episodes of My Three Sons; just the colo r ones, so I never saw Frawl- ey; just William Demarest.
@@kevinmiller1985 They're worth watching, if you can find them. The whole family dynamic is different. They are loud, sloppy, jumping over the stair rail--the kind of "real" stuff I don't think was ever shown on the colorized, later years. I liked Uncle Charley, having only "known" him, but I love Bub.
Miss Ricardo, thank you so much for doing such an amazing and touching bio/vid on one of my very favorite TV stars of all time ! Your one classy "Dame", yourself, Joe,...
Yes William frawley was an original he was a very good comedian actor I also seen the last take he did on The Lucy show just by looking at him I started laughing when Lucy's friend tells him that her name is so and so and so and so and he goes and says Mac there's a Dame out here for you that was over the top may God bless him. 🕯️📺📽️🧹🛋️❤️
Thanks. That was some great information about William Frawley. The pic of him as a child in Burlington, Iowa is a gem!
Brian Arbenz Thank you!!
Thank you for this contribution. Yes, I did learn a few Snippets of information from your video. And my final resolve is as I always say Let's Celebrate life
Kevin Smith Thank you! You’re exactly right. Let’s celebrate life.
Desi Arnaz, Fred MacMurray and Don Fedderson were pallbearers at William Frawley's funeral.I liked that too!
Friends Take Care of Friends.
Actors today can't come close to being as great as William 🌟Frawley check out his movies on youtube 🌟
He made acting so natural his timing his lines were always on top form he stood out in any movie he made🌟
I agree that he was Fred Mertz and no one could replace him. He could have shown up drunk and probably got away with it a time or 2 because of that but he didn’t. This was one of my childhood shows. RIP William Frowly. aka (Fred Mertz)
His biting humor, especially where his retorts to insults were done!
🤔Ethyl, WHERE'S MY GLASSES?...
On Your HEAD silly!🤣😂😁
Thank you so much for this on william because I often wondered what ever happen to Fred on I Love Lucy I thought he was great and if anyone else had of replaced any of these actors it wouldn't had been as successful I don't Beleave as it was again Thank You for this I Miss all of the cast on I Love Lucy they sure don't make them like they use too.
Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoyed it! The show wouldn't have been the same without him. :)
It's hard to believe that William Frawley was ever a little boy!! That picture of
him as a little boy doesn't even look like him! lol
I remember when Ethel said that she found it hard to believe that Fred was a baby anything.
This is a wonderful tribute. I'm a Hugh I love Lucy fan. He was so funny on the show.
AWE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING A GREAT ACTOR IN MY YOUTH. I remember reading somewhere that he and Vivian didnt get along but I am so glad to know Desi was a good pal and Lucy as well. Thanks again.
Peter Mendoza You’re welcome! Yes, he didn’t get along with Vivian. I made this video a long time ago, but I think I chose not to focus on the rivalry because that’s what a lot of people highlight. There was more to Bill Frawley than that. Thanks for your kind words!
I don't think that "I love Lucy " would have been as much of a phenomenon without the Mertzes.
Fred wouldn't have been Fred without Bill.
Steve P Exactly!
This is cool.Thank you.You didn't mention the feud between between Bill and Vivian Vance. Great info on his mom not liking his going into Showbiz.I wonder if she lived to see how successful he would become.He was so good at his craft!
Pinch loaf Thank you! I don’t remember my thought process while making this video, but I think I wanted to focus on other stuff people might not know about besides his feud with Vivian Vance. I’m glad you learned something new!
He was just brilliant lolx.
Edward Oneil Yes, he was!
Very interesting video full of great facts and history which I always enjoy. Thank you for a great video
Brian Rebmann Thank you, Brian! I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi,KJ-I'm a huge "I Love Lucy" fan-William Frawley,in my opinion,is the quintessential curmudgeon-Thanks for posting.
Scott Burton He was great! You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Bill Frawley was born in 1887. He was 65. Vivian was around 43
Appeared with Clifton Webb in a twenties stage play on Broadway & actually punched Webb in the face (he was fired from the show)
I am a big fan of both of the shows that William Frawley appeared in.
The Livingston Brothers had a lot of funny things to say about him.
What they had to say had to do mainly with his drinking. I think really that leaving out his situation with Vivian Vance and more discussion about his drinking makes this bio look as though it's a PR piece.
I think you can like and admire an artist and still be honest and profound in telling the truth about him.
I particularly think that leaving out the part about how Desi wanted to make a spin-off sitcom with Fred and Ethel. But Vivian Vance refused and that's really when the hatred kicked in on the part of Bill Frawley.
The other thing I would have emphasized was that Fred MacMurray also had a contract at Paramount. And he did a number of films with William Frawley as well as William Demarest, who took Frawley's place on My Three Sons.
I thought it was quite neat the way they were able to use his Vaudeville past and give all of that to the characters of Fred and Ethel.
Kay Langford Thank you! You have good points.
I disagree. Many Frawley fans like me, already knew those things. This video focused on what we didn't know, like his marriage, best friends with Damigio, etc.
Very nice tribute , you could have mentioned the fued between him and Vivian Vance ( his tv wife ) ...
Raymond Ayala Thank you! Yes, I could have added that. You’re right.
Deff a great actor in I love Lucy with Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz jr Deff a great actor in a great show
William F was the Best The Best that ever did it.
Towanda Sherrod That’s true!
Loved his entrances & costumes
Melody D They’re so good!
Very nicely done tribute to this wonderful actor. Thank goodness Gale Gordon couldn't play Fred Mertz...
Chris N Thank you! I agree!
To norfolk03-Bill Frawley & his wife never had children, so James Frawley is NOT hi s son, but they could still be related in some capacity.
I liked him best of all
You’re not alone. So many people love Bill/Fred. He was amazing.
love the video and thought he was great as a detective in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN thanks again
Mike DiGiambattista Thank you!
I’m related to him. He’s my great great grandfather
Jerry The duck Really? So, he actually had children? If you could provide more information about this to me, I’d love to hear about it.
KJ Ricardo sorry I said that wrong. I meant he is a distant cousin of mine 😊
Jerry The duck Oh, okay! No worries. 🙂 That makes more sense. I didn’t think he had children. Thanks for the clarification! It’s cool you’re related to him.
KJ Ricardo thx
Fred(William Frawley) looked good in color.
Yes, he did!
10:20-10:40, gruff till the end. Must have been a decent guy to get regaled so by Lucy and Desi.
I’m looking for the episode when Fred dons his WWI Doughboy uniform.
That's in "The Passports."
William Frawley's wife was a beauty.
Yes, she was!
Nick at night had a funny promo.the pants that ate fred mertz.i can't see anyone in that role but him.
thomas binninger I know which promo you’re talking about! Funny!
It was a commercial with the Jimmy Olson work out.which shows Jimmy being beaten up by gangsters on the adventures of superman. I think it was around 1987.not shure.
He was born in 1887. I do not think the photo of a boy in that style shorts is from 1890 or 1891.
Cherisse F You’re right. Since this video was made, I’ve learned that it isn’t him. There are many resources out there that say it’s him, but it can’t be. Thanks though. 🙂
My partner good friend with director from texas chainsaw massacre III 1990 he told him william frawley did have a son he die last year he help did the muppet
norfolk03 I heard about that when his son died! I had no idea he had a son. I couldn’t believe it but I looked at his photographs and thought, “Yeah, he could definitely be Bill’s son.” There was resemblance there. Isn’t it fascinating how you can still learn new things about people years later? Thank you for sharing!
The shot of Lucy Show (the clip) is backwards.
sha11235 Yes, I do that for copyright reasons.
He would also learn his own lines and throw away the rest of the script.
Feb. 26, hmm. Same as me.
Dave F. Quite a nice birthday to share.
He sure looks funny with hai r on his head, unless that w- as a rug he wore.
Yeah, he definitely looks different when he had hair!
The $500 he sold the script for. That's about $12,000 in today's money. So you're not exactly rich but that's a nice chunk of change.
I guess it's worth mentioning that even tho it's not related but it from the same time period of the early 1900s Harold Cottem the wireless operater on Carpathia also go rewarded $500 for responding to Titanic's rescue. Sadly as we know it was too late by the time they got thier but for his action he got that as a thank you. And as mentioned around $12,000 or so in today's money
William frawley son name james frawley
Bill DID die of a massive heart attack, but do all of you know exactly what happened that night. The night he died, he had walked up the street to a local theatre to watch movie. I forget what movie it was. Then while he was walking home to his apartment at the Knickerbocker Hotel, he collapsed on the sidewalk from an apparent cardiac arrest. A fellow civilian on the street attempted to perform CPR on Frawley but was unsuccessful in saving him. An ambulance was called and Bill Frawley was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital. Actually, his death was rather instantaneous. It was a very severe heart attack. He was 79, and at the time of his death, he had been living with his sister at the Knickerbocker Hotel.
Seth Williams Thank you for the additional information!
SETHWILLIAMS: I read that on the night that William Frawley died, he had collapsed on the sidewalk while walking home after seeing Natalie Wood's latest film, "Inside Daisy Clover" at a movie theatre on Hollywood Blvd.
😢❤️
To Seth Williams-If you're a f an of the Three Stooges the- n you know Larry Fine lived t here as well. Wonder if they knew each other?
Also, Vivian Vance and William Frawley did not like each other. When William Frawley passed away, Vivian opened a bottle of champagne and cheered, "champagne for everyone". The reason that they did not get along, was that Vivian was only 2 years older than Lucy and William Frawley was 22 years older than Vivian, in the beginning of the show she complained that William Frawley should be playing her father. When William herd this they became enemies. However you would never know this because they were true professionals and played their parts very well.
Matt Nelson Yes, you are right about that fact. I chose not to highlight the feud or emphasize too much about his alcoholism because those two things (the feud and his alcoholism) are the most well-known facts associated with William Frawley. I wanted to offer some new facts. :) But you’re right! They were professionals!
Out of the 4 of them, Frawley lived the longest, 79 years.
So Frawley and Desi had a lot in common with the alcoholism. There was a barbara walters interview in the 70's where Lucy admitted that in marrying Desi, she married a loser. I found it: czcams.com/video/70l0VCZu6Xc/video.html
Matt Nelson Yes, she found a new happiness in her second marriage to Gary Morton, but at the same time always supported Desi.
And yet to me, they were a great couple, so believable. Can you see anyone else being Fred and Ethel?
Here is something you problem do not know. Vivian Vance did not like him I don't know why but I remember hearing I'm one of these videos that she did not like him at all. And I don't think he cared for her either she was very rude to him ran him down every chance you got and that could be found on a video or is probably I read it someplace I can't remember.
Oh yes, that’s true. They did not get along. They were professional onscreen, but that was it. It’s really unfortunate.
This seem to be about lucy
There has been a long standing rumor that, when Lucy was offered a new series after I Love Lucy had expired, it's said the Vivian Vance was in her dressing room getting dressed for a skit, or something. Lucy had come up with this idea for a new show starring her, Vivian and William. William was at his home in California and when Lucy approached Vivian with that same idea, Vivian became unhinged. Vivian never got along with William; William never got along with Vivian. In essence, Vivian said "Lucy, there is no way in hell, or anywhere else, that I will play another series with William. He put me through hell. If you must have William, I won't be part of the show." Lucy could see how her best friend was so unnerved. After taking things into consideration, William was no longer part of the opening credits, or even in an episode. Instead Lucy hired Gale Storm (or was it Gorden) as the third actor.
Then a few years later William Frawley had died. The word got to Lucy who spread the news to Vivian and Gale who also worked with him. Vivian, whether this is true or false, can never be confirmed, and Lucy never said anything about it. After learning of her co-star's death Vivian, who was in a bathrobe was jumping on her couch in the dressing room saying, among other things "So long Bill, you ignorant fuck!". She had a bottle of champagne ready for later that evening and not for Frawley's death. She drank a good part of it, and Lucy was getting concerned, so much that she threatened to fire her or call a taxi if Vivian's shenanigan's kept going. Eventually Vivian got her act together. Lucy stepped out so Viv could get dressed.
jim geiser Many of these things are right. “I Love Lucy” was supposed to have a spin-off on just the Mertzes, but Vivian wouldn’t appear on a show with just Bill. And yes, when he died, she (according to reports) said, “Champagne, for everyone!” They didn’t get along, but at least they were able to perform great together as Fred and Ethel Mertz. Professional in front of the camera.
There is more pictures of Lucy in here
You might have just watched the intro/theme to the video. It was the old intro I had on all the videos.
Vivian n Bill hated each other
I know that, thanks. 🙂 At least they were able to be professional with each other on the show.
My Three Sons was not a comedy?
James Woods It was.
Your name is Ricardo, any relation
Hi! No, it’s just my channel name. My initials are KJ.
Vivian Vance couldn't stand him... And he didn't care at all.
Thomas De Lello That is true.
Except it was Vivian Vance.
@@kjricardo249 Yeah... she divorced three husbands then married a homosexual and lived happily ever after...
Look up the William Frawley Fan Club and the William Demarest Fan Club.......it's the same organization. They're the same guy. Frawley continued acting as Demarest until his death in 1983. The show "My Three Sons" proves it. By the way, Broderick Crawford and William Conrad are also the same guys. But, does anyone know that Rudolph Valentino and Rudy Valee are NOT the same person?? Neither are singers Bobby Vinton and Bobby Vee. Yes, it's all TRUE - just look it up.
Signed, A person who specializes in knowing people who are different, or possibly the same
Stopped watching after about 1 minute and 15 seconds.
John Nastrom Sorry to hear that. Have a great day.
My dad told me in 1960 he was walking in Hollywood Fred pick him up blew him threw him out of the car a real cheapskate.
Huh?
Just curious why so many clips of Lucille Ball in the beginning of the video. True indeed I know that he is best known for his role on I Love Lucy but I feel like that was mad disrespect. You could have shown clips of him by himself on the show. Just my opinion.
It was an introduction I had for every video back then.