Frank Faylen
Frank Faylen was an American film and television actor. Largely a bit player and character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two year acting career, during which he appeared in some 223 film and television productions, often without credit.
Early life
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Faylen began his acting career as an infant appearing with his vaudeville-performing parents on stage. The family lived on a showboat, and performed throughout his youth.
Career
Faylen became a stage actor at 18 and eventually began working in films in the 1930s. He began playing a number of bit parts for Warner Bros., then freelanced for other studios in gradually larger character roles. He appeared as Walt Disney's musical conductor in The Reluctant Dragon, and as a stern railroad official in the Laurel and Hardy comedy A-Haunting We Will Go. Faylen and Laurel and Hardy supporting player Charlie Hall were teamed briefly by Monogram Pictures.
Faylen's breakthrough came in 1945, where he was cast as Bim, the cynical nurse at Bellevue's alcoholic ward in The Lost Weekend. In the following year, he played Ernie Bishop, the friendly taxi driver in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. Faylen's career also stretched to television, where he appeared in a number of western series, such as Maverick and Zane Grey Theater, as well as playing series regular long-suffering grocer Herbert T. Gillis, the father of the title character on the 1950s-'60s television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He also played Bert Hollinger in the ABC comedy That Girl.
In 1968, he had a small part in the Barbra Streisand film Funny Girl. Faylen appeared in almost 200 films.
He has a star at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.
Personal life
Faylen was married to Carol Hughes, an actress. Their two daughters, Catherine and Carol, are retired actresses. Catherine "Kay" Faylen was Regis Philbin's first wife.
Death
Faylen died from pneumonia in Burbank, California, in 1985. He was interred in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.
Selected filmography
Road Gang as Police Radio Dispatcher The Sky Parade as Pilot Border Flight as JimmieBullets or Ballots as Gatley - Pinball Racketeer China Clipper as Weatherman Down the Stretch as Ben - Bookie All American Chump as Reporter King of Hockey as Swede, Nick's AssociateNight Waitress as Policeman at Torre's Gold Diggers of 1937 as Man Shaving on Train Smart Blonde as Ambulance Driver Midnight Court as Reporter Marked Woman as 2nd Cabbie The Cherokee Strip as Henchman Joe BradyThe Go Getter as Country Club Man #2 San Quentin as Convict Envying Hoffman Kid Galahad as BarneyThe Case of the Stuttering Bishop as Charlie DownsEver Since Eve as Bandit Leader at Monteray Tavern Dance Charlie Dance as Ted ParksPublic Wedding as Trainman They Won't Forget as ReporterTalent Scout as Master of Ceremonies That Certain Woman as Reporter Wine, Women and Horses as Horse Buyer Back in Circulation as James Maxwell - a Reporter Headin' East as JoeThe Invisible Menace as Private of the GuardNo Time to Marry as WaxlerFour's a Crowd as Taxi Driver Too Hot to Handle as Assistant Dubber Idiot's Delight as Ed You Can't Get Away with Murder as Boat Tour Guide The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle as Adjutant The Flying Irishman as New York Mechanic Women in the Wind as Chuck - the Mechanic Lucky Night as Play Palace Announcer It's a Wonderful World as Peters - Stagehand Five Came Back as Photographer Waterfront as Skids RileyThe Star Maker as First ReporterThunder Afloat as Petty Officer No Place to Go as Pete ShafterReno as J. Hezmer "Hezzy" BriggsNick Carter, Master Detective as PeteGone with the Wind as Soldier Aiding Dr. Meade Invisible Stripes as Steve - Henchman on Bank Job Married and in Love as Jim Carter, Man in BarThe Grapes of Wrath as TimThe Fighting 69th as Engineer Sergeant at Cave-In Castle on the Hudson as Guard Who is Slugged Millionaire Playboy Curtain Call as Spike MaloneSaturday's Children as Cab Driver Edison, the Man as Galbreath La Conga Nights as Jeepers Peepers Brother Orchid as Parkway Biltmore Desk Clerk Pop Always Pays as Minerva Auto Loan Cashier They Drive by Night as Driver in Cafe Margie as Mr. LeffingwellNo Time for Comedy as Cab DriverCity for Conquest as Band Conductor and Emcee East of the River as Tour Guide Blame It on Love as Studio ElectricianThe Reluctant Dragon as Frank - Orchestra Leader Come Live with Me as WaiterFootsteps in the Dark as Gus - Taxi Driver Knockout as Fighter in Locker Room Model Wife as Master of Ceremonies Thieves Fall Out as PickAffectionately Yours as Ambulance Driver Blossoms in the Dust as Man With Man Carrying Dead Child Sergeant York as But! Boy Father Steps Out as Tall Hobo 'King', aka The King of SiamInternational Squadron as Process Server Tanks a Million as Pvt. SkivicLet's Go Collegiate as Speed DormanTop Sergeant Mulligan as Pat DolanUnholy Partners as Roger Ordway H. M. Pulham, Esq. as Marine Sergeant Steel Against the Sky as Egg Man in Diner Hay Foot as Major Joe Smith, American as Man in Waiting Room with Matches Dr. Kildare's Victory as Peter 'Pete' Taylor Mokey as Police Desk Sergeant Whispering Ghosts as Curly the Announcer Yankee Doodle Dandy as Sergeant on Parade - Last Scene Maisie Gets Her Man as Second Stage Manager Tough As They Come as Collector The Pride of the Yankees as Yankee Third Base Coach Wings for the Eagle as Bandleader A-Haunting We Will Go as Train Detective Wake Island as Marine Finding Skipper's Litter Somewhere I'll Find You as Slim, Army Driver The Palm Beach Story as Taxi Driver Across the Pacific as Sidewalk Toy Vendor Fall In as Capt. GillisStar Spangled Rhythm as Soldier - 'That Old Black Magic' Number The McGuerins from Brooklyn as Crap Table Stickman Silver Skates as EddieDixie Dugan as Soldier Salute for Three as Buzz's Soldier Friend Prairie Chickens as Henchman Clem Slightly Dangerous as Gateman The Falcon Strikes Back as Cecil - First Hobo Follow the Band as Brooks Taxi, Mister as Henchman SilkMission to Moscow as Reporter Good Morning, Judge as Ben PollardThree Hearts for Julia as Meek Gateman Nazty Nuisance as Seaman BensonGet Going as HankYanks Ahoy as Quartermaster JenkinsYoung Ideas as Reporter The Good Fellows as Brody Thank Your Lucky Stars as Sailor Corvette K-225 as Shipyard Painter The Unknown Guest as Truck Driver Mystery of the 13th Guest as Speed Dugan aka McGinnisShe's for Me as KeysThe Gang's All Here as Marine Sergeant A Guy Named Joe as Major Tarzan's Desert Mystery as Achmed Standing Room Only as Cab Driver See Here, Private Hargrove as Military Policeman Address Unknown as Jimmie BlakeAnd the Angels Sing as HolmanAndy Hardy's Blonde Trouble as Taxi Driver #2 The Canterville Ghost as Lieutenant KaneThe National Barn Dance as Musical Team Member An American Romance as Bartender Bring on the Girls! as SailorPride of the Marines as Patient on ward The Affairs of Susan as Brooklyn Boy You Came Along as Bellboy Incendiary Blonde as Hotel Clerk Duffy's Tavern as Customer The Lost Weekend as "Bim" Nolan, the nurse in the alcoholic wardMasquerade in Mexico as Brooklyn To Each His Own as BabeTwo Years Before the Mast as HansenThe Blue Dahlia as Man Recommending a MotelThe Well-Groomed Bride as Taxi Driver Our Hearts Were Growing Up as Federal AgentBlue Skies as MackCross My Heart as Fingerprint Expert It's a Wonderful Life as Ernie Bishop, the cab driverCalifornia as WhiteyEasy Come, Easy Go as BossSuddenly It's Spring as Harold MichaelsWelcome Stranger as Bill WaltersThe Trouble with Women as GeegerThe Perils of Pauline as Mr. Joe GurtRoad to Rio as TriggerVariety Girl as HimselfHazard as OscarRace Street as Phil DicksonBlood on the Moon as Jake PindalestWhispering Smith as Whitey Du Sang, a ruthless, gunslinging, train robbing cowboyThe Nevadan as JeffFrancis as Sgt. ChillingbackerThe Eagle and the Hawk as Red' Hyatt - Danzeeger's ForemanConvicted as Convict PontiCopper Canyon as MullinsFourteen Hours as Room Service WaiterPassage West as CurlyDetective Story as Det. GallagherMy Favorite Spy as NewtonThe Sniper as Police Insp. AndersonThe Lusty Men as Al DawsonHangman's Knot as Cass Browne99 River Street as Stan HoganRed Garters as Billy BuckettRiot in Cell Block 11 as Commissioner HaskellThe Lone Gun as FairweatherThe Looters as Stan LeppichThe McConnell Story as Sfc. SykesTerror at Midnight as Fred HillAway All Boats as Chief Phillip P. 'Pappy' MoranEverything but the Truth as 'Mac' McMillanThree Brave Men as Enos Warren7th Cavalry as Sgt. KrugerGunfight at the O.K. Corral as Cotton WilsonDino as Frank MandelDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre as Doc Alvarez North to Alaska as Arnie The Monkey's Uncle as Mr. DearborneFluffy as CatfishWhen the Boys Meet the Girls as Phin GrayThe Beverly Hillbillies as MarvinPetticoat Junction as RalphFunny Girl as KeeneyQuincy, M.E as Janus