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Frank Orth

Frank Orth

Known For Acting
Birthday Feb 20, 1880
Died Mar 17, 1962 (82)
Birthplace Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Aug 04, 2024 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Frank Orth was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series “Boston Blackie”. By 1897, Orth was performing in vaudeville with his wife, Ann Codee, in an act called “Codee and Orth.” In 1909, he expand ... ed into song writing, with songs such as “The Phone Bell Rang” and “Meet Me on the Boardwalk, Dearie.” His first contact with motion pictures was in 1928, when he was part of the first foreign-language shorts in sound produced by Warner Bros. He and his wife also appeared together in a series of two-reel comedies in the early 1930s. Orth's first major screen credit was in “Prairie Thunder,” a Dick Foran western, in 1937. From then on, he was often cast as bartenders, pharmacists, and grocery clerks, and always distinctly Irish. He had a recurring role in the Dr. Kildare series of films and also in the Nancy Drew series as the befuddled Officer Tweedy. Among his better roles were the newspaper man Cary Grant telephones early in “His Girl Friday,” one of the quartet singing “Gary Owen” in “They Died with Their Boots On” (thereby giving Errol Flynn as Gen. Custer the idea of associating the tune with the 7th Cavalry), and as the little man carrying the sign reading “The End Is Near” throughout Colonel Effingham's Raid. However, Orth is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series “Boston Blackie.” A short, plump, round-faced man, often smoking a cigar, Orth as Faraday wore his own dark-rimmed spectacles, though rarely in feature films. In 1959, Orth retired from show business after throat surgery. His wife died in 1961 after around fifty years of marriage. Orth died on March 17, 1962. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills next to his wife.

Known For

Filmography

Here Come the Girls

Here Come the Girls

1953

as Mr. Hungerford

Houdini

Houdini

1953

as Mr. Hunter

Something to Live For

Something to Live For

1952

as Waiter (uncredited)

Double Dynamite

Double Dynamite

1951

as Mr. Kofer

The Great Rupert

The Great Rupert

1950

as Mr. Frank Dingle

The Petty Girl

The Petty Girl

1950

as Moody (process server)

Father of the Bride

Father of the Bride

1950

as Joe

Cheaper by the Dozen

Cheaper by the Dozen

1950

as Higgins (uncredited)

Red Light

Red Light

1949

as Wallace 'Wally' Stoner

Bride for Sale

Bride for Sale

1949

as Police Sergeant

Blondie's Secret

Blondie's Secret

1948

as Mr. Philpotts

The Girl from Manhattan

The Girl from Manhattan

1948

as Oscar Newsome

The Big Clock

The Big Clock

1948

as Burt

Born to Speed

Born to Speed

1947

as Breezy Bradley

Heartaches

Heartaches

1947

as Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent

It Had to Be You

It Had to Be You

1947

as Conductor Brown

The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

1947

as Police Captain

The Guilt of Janet Ames

The Guilt of Janet Ames

1947

as Danny

It's Great to Be Young

It's Great to Be Young

1946

as Franklin Johnson

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

1946

as Hotel Clerk

Murder in the Music Hall

Murder in the Music Hall

1946

as Henderson

Wake Up and Dream

Wake Up and Dream

1946

as Milkman

The Bride Wore Boots

The Bride Wore Boots

1946

as Judge

Lady in the Lake

Lady in the Lake

1946

as Floyd Greer (Uncredited)

The Hoodlum Saint

The Hoodlum Saint

1946

as Chronicle Editor (uncredited)

Tell It to a Star

Tell It to a Star

1945

as Augustus T. Goodman

Pillow to Post

Pillow to Post

1945

as Clayfield Taxi Driver

She Went to the Races

She Went to the Races

1945

as Skelly

The Lost Weekend

The Lost Weekend

1945

as Opera Cloak Room Attendant

Doll Face

Doll Face

1945

as Peters

Storm Over Lisbon

Storm Over Lisbon

1944

as Murgatroyd

Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village

1944

as Ordway

The Impatient Years

The Impatient Years

1944

as Counterman

Roger Touhy, Gangster

Roger Touhy, Gangster

1944

as . Comic in Theater (uncredited)

Summer Storm

Summer Storm

1944

as Cafe Maitre d' at End (uncredited)

Wilson

Wilson

1944

as Smith (uncredited)

Coney Island

Coney Island

1943

as Bartender

Sweet Rosie O'Grady

Sweet Rosie O'Grady

1943

as Taxi Driver

Hello, Frisco, Hello

Hello, Frisco, Hello

1943

as Lou, Bartender at Sharkey's

The Meanest Man in the World

The Meanest Man in the World

1943

as Bartender

Over My Dead Body

Over My Dead Body

1942

as Detective

The Magnificent Dope

The Magnificent Dope

1942

as Messenger

Footlight Serenade

Footlight Serenade

1942

as Mike

Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

1942

as Mike Ryan

My Gal Sal

My Gal Sal

1942

as McGuiness

Dr. Kildare's Victory

Dr. Kildare's Victory

1942

as Mike Ryan

Blue, White, and Perfect

Blue, White, and Perfect

1942

as Mr. Toby

Orchestra Wives

Orchestra Wives

1942

as Rex Willet

Henry and Dizzy

Henry and Dizzy

1942

as Joe McGuire

Roxie Hart

Roxie Hart

1942

as Bar Client #2 (uncredited)

Springtime in the Rockies

Springtime in the Rockies

1942

as Bickel (uncredited)

Tales of Manhattan

Tales of Manhattan

1942

as Secondhand Clothes Dealer (Rogers sequence)

The Ox-Bow Incident

The Ox-Bow Incident

1942

as Larry Kinkaid (uncredited)

Respect the Law

Respect the Law

1941

as Peter Brennan

Come Live with Me

Come Live with Me

1941

as Jerry

Broadway Limited

Broadway Limited

1941

as Lou, Cafe Proprietor

I Wake Up Screaming

I Wake Up Screaming

1941

as Cemetery Caretaker

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

1941

as Mike Ryan

Ride on Vaquero

Ride on Vaquero

1941

as Auctioneer

Sergeant York

Sergeant York

1941

as Drummer (uncredited)

They Died with Their Boots On

They Died with Their Boots On

1941

as Barfly (uncredited)

Know Your Money

Know Your Money

1940

as Tobacconist (uncredited)

Pier 13

Pier 13

1940

as Dead Pan Charlie

La Conga Nights

La Conga Nights

1940

as Dennis O'Brien

Buyer Beware

Buyer Beware

1940

as Smith (uncredited)

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

1940

as Mike Ryan, Cafe Owner

Gold Rush Maisie

Gold Rush Maisie

1940

as Harris

His Girl Friday

His Girl Friday

1940

as Duffy

Mexican Spitfire Out West

Mexican Spitfire Out West

1940

as Window Washer

Father Is A Prince

Father Is A Prince

1940

as Drugstore Proprieter

Boom Town

Boom Town

1940

as Barber

You, the People

You, the People

1940

as Soda Jerk

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

1940

as Mike Ryan, Sullivan's Hospital Cafe

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

1940

as Mike Ryan (uncredited)

Gallant Sons

Gallant Sons

1940

as Newspaper Foreman (uncredited)

'Til We Meet Again

'Til We Meet Again

1940

as Hong Kong Bartender (uncredited)

The Doctor Takes a Wife

The Doctor Takes a Wife

1940

as New York Editor (uncredited)

Brother Orchid

Brother Orchid

1940

as Waiter at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)

Florian

Florian

1940

as Detective

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

1939

as Captain Tweedy

Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

1939

as Tim McKelvy

Fast and Furious

Fast and Furious

1939

as Joe Burke

At the Circus

At the Circus

1939

as Chef in Diner (uncredited)

Broadway Serenade

Broadway Serenade

1939

as Mr. Fellows

Within the Law

Within the Law

1939

as Jim Jenks

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

1939

as Mike Sullivan

Fast and Loose

Fast and Loose

1939

as Detective Hendricks

Calling Dr. Kildare

Calling Dr. Kildare

1939

as Mike Sullivan - Hospital Cafe Owner (uncredited)

Stanley and Livingstone

Stanley and Livingstone

1939

as Newspaperman with Pills

Young Mr. Lincoln

Young Mr. Lincoln

1939

as Loafer (uncredited)

Idiot's Delight

Idiot's Delight

1939

as Benny Zinsser

Tell No Tales

Tell No Tales

1939

as Vic - Bartender (uncredited)

Thunder Afloat

Thunder Afloat

1939

as Old Sailor in Bilge Area (uncredited)

Dust Be My Destiny

Dust Be My Destiny

1939

as Wedding Witness on Stage (uncredited)

Nancy Drew... Reporter

Nancy Drew... Reporter

1939

as Captain Tweedy (uncredited)

Nancy Drew… Detective

Nancy Drew… Detective

1938

as Captain Tweedy

Think It Over

Think It Over

1938

as Brown, Clothing Store Owner

Mr. Chump

Mr. Chump

1938

as Sheriff Frank Hinton

The Patient in Room 18

The Patient in Room 18

1938

as Joe Higgins - Night Watchman

Young Dr. Kildare

Young Dr. Kildare

1938

as Mike Ryan (uncredited)

Torchy Blane in Panama

Torchy Blane in Panama

1938

as First Leopard (uncredited)

Comet Over Broadway

Comet Over Broadway

1938

as Cab Driver (uncredited)

Prairie Thunder

Prairie Thunder

1937

as Wichita

Land Beyond the Law

Land Beyond the Law

1937

as Shorty Long

The Footloose Heiress

The Footloose Heiress

1937

as Justice Abner Cuttler

The Devil's Saddle Legion

The Devil's Saddle Legion

1937

as Judge Barko

Marry the Girl

Marry the Girl

1937

as Bar owner

San Quentin

San Quentin

1937

as Convict in Bunkhouse (uncredited)

Talent Scout

Talent Scout

1937

as Burlesque Theatre Manager (uncredited)

Ever Since Eve

Ever Since Eve

1937

as Cocktail Waiter (uncredited)

Missing Witnesses

Missing Witnesses

1937

as Gordon (uncredited)

Hot Money

Hot Money

1936

as Hank Ford

Polo Joe

Polo Joe

1936

as Bert

Two Against the World

Two Against the World

1936

as Tommy - Bartender

Unwelcome Stranger

Unwelcome Stranger

1935

as Jackson

The Payoff

The Payoff

1935

as Porter (uncredited)

The Mummy's Curse

The Mummy's Curse

1944

Songs

No data available

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

as Uncle John

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1952

The Adventures of Boston Blackie

Episodes: 58

First Aired: Sep 08, 1951

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 3 8 1
2024 7 9 18 2
2024 8 5 12 1
2024 9 4 8 1
2024 10 2 4 1
2024 11 2 4 1
2024 12 2 5 1
2025 1 3 9 1
2025 2 2 4 1
2025 3 1 2 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 7 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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