William Frawley Biography

William Clement Frawley was an American actor who was active in films, television, and theater. He is best remembered for playing the character of the World War I veteran, ‘Fred Mertz’ in the American television sitcom ‘I Love Lucy’ between 1951 and 1957. He had worked in over hundred films in his career, which lasted for almost fifty years. Frawley first made a name for himself working on Broadway and later signed a deal with the Paramount Studios in the mid 1910s. He and his wife Edna Louise teamed up to create one of the most popular theater comedy acts, ‘Frawley and Louise,’ which stayed in business for almost thirteen years. During his career he gained a bad reputation for losing his temper on the sets and fighting with other actors. He once got fired from one production after he punched another actor on the nose. When Frawley was approached for the role of ‘Fred Mertz’ in ‘I Love Lucy’, Desi Arnaz, who played the character of ‘Enrique Alberto Fernando y de Acha "Ricky" Ricardo III’ warned him to behave himself during the shooting.