Loading amazing content...
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
February 20, 1880
Died
March 17, 1962
Place of Birth
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Also Known As
- Frank Kaiser Orth
Frank Orth
0.3 Popularity
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 expanded 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
4.1
Mr. Hungerford
Here Come the Girls
1953
6.5
Mr. Hunter
Houdini
1953
5.9
Uncle John
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
1952
6.8
Waiter (uncredited)
Something to Live For
1952
6.2
Mr. Kofer
Double Dynamite
1951
4.0
Inspector Faraday
Boston Blackie
1951
3.6
Moody (process server)
The Petty Girl
1950
7.0
Joe
Father of the Bride
1950
6.3
Higgins (uncredited)
Cheaper by the Dozen
1950
5.6
Mr. Frank Dingle
The Great Rupert
1950
Credits
Here Come the Girls
as Mr. Hungerford
1953
4.1
Houdini
as Mr. Hunter
1953
6.5
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
as Uncle John
1952
5.9
Something to Live For
as Waiter (uncredited)
1952
6.8
Double Dynamite
as Mr. Kofer
1951
6.2
Boston Blackie
as Inspector Faraday
1951
4.0
The Petty Girl
as Moody (process server)
1950
3.6
Father of the Bride
as Joe
1950
7.0
Cheaper by the Dozen
as Higgins (uncredited)
1950
6.3
The Great Rupert
as Mr. Frank Dingle
1950
5.6
Bride for Sale
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
1949
6.0
Red Light
as Wallace 'Wally' Stoner
1949
5.8
Blondie's Secret
as Mr. Philpotts
1948
6.5
The Girl from Manhattan
as Oscar Newsome
1948
5.0
The Big Clock
as Burt
1948
7.3
It Had to Be You
as Conductor Brown
1947
6.5
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
as Police Captain
1947
6.0
Heartaches
as Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent
1947
4.5
The Guilt of Janet Ames
as Danny
1947
5.7
Born to Speed
as Breezy Bradley
1947
0.0
Lady in the Lake
as Floyd Greer (Uncredited)
1946
6.0
Wake Up and Dream
as Milkman
1946
6.5
🎬
It's Great to Be Young
as Franklin Johnson
1946
0.0
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
as Hotel Clerk
1946
7.1
The Bride Wore Boots
as Judge (uncredited)
1946
5.9
Murder in the Music Hall
as Henderson
1946
4.6
The Hoodlum Saint
as Chronicle Editor (uncredited)
1946
5.2
Doll Face
as Peters
1945
4.0
The Lost Weekend
as Opera Cloak Room Attendant
1945
7.6
She Went to the Races
as Skelly
1945
5.5
Tell It to a Star
as Augustus T. Goodman
1945
0.0
Pillow to Post
as Clayfield Taxi Driver
1945
5.3
Storm Over Lisbon
as Murgatroyd
1944
4.8
Tall in the Saddle
as 'Shorty' Davis (uncredited)
1944
6.5
Greenwich Village
as Ordway
1944
6.0
The Impatient Years
as Counterman
1944
6.3
Wilson
as Smith (uncredited)
1944
5.5
Summer Storm
as Cafe Maitre d' at End (uncredited)
1944
5.3
Roger Touhy, Gangster
as . Comic in Theater (uncredited)
1944
6.0
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
as Taxi Driver
1943
6.0
Coney Island
as Bartender
1943
6.1
Hello, Frisco, Hello
as Lou, Bartender at Sharkey's
1943
6.3
The Ox-Bow Incident
as Larry Kinkaid (uncredited)
1943
7.7
The Meanest Man in the World
as Bartender
1943
6.4
Springtime in the Rockies
as Bickel (uncredited)
1942
6.7
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
as Mike Ryan
1942
5.3
Orchestra Wives
as Rex Willet
1942
6.3
Tales of Manhattan
as Secondhand Clothes Dealer
1942
6.2
Footlight Serenade
as Mike
1942
0.0
The Magnificent Dope
as Messenger
1942
7.2
Henry and Dizzy
as Joe McGuire
1942
0.0
My Gal Sal
as McGuiness
1942
5.6
Rings on Her Fingers
as Kellogg
1942
6.5
Roxie Hart
as Bar Client #2 (uncredited)
1942
6.9
Dr. Kildare's Victory
as Mike Ryan
1942
5.8
Over My Dead Body
as Detective
1942
0.0
Blue, White, and Perfect
as Mr. Toby
1942
6.3
They Died with Their Boots On
as Barfly (uncredited)
1941
6.6
I Wake Up Screaming
as Cemetery Caretaker
1941
6.9
Sergeant York
as Drummer (uncredited)
1941
7.2
Broadway Limited
as Lou, Cafe Proprietor
1941
4.6
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
as Mike Ryan
1941
6.8
Ride on Vaquero
as Auctioneer
1941
4.2
The Strawberry Blonde
as Baxter - Livery Stable Owner (uncredited)
1941
6.9
Come Live with Me
as Jerry
1941
6.8
Let's Make Music
as Mr. Botts
1941
5.6
Respect the Law
as Peter Brennan
1941
6.0
Michael Shayne: Private Detective
as Steve
1940
6.5
You, the People
as Soda Jerk
1940
5.8
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
as Mike Ryan, Cafe Owner
1940
6.0
Father Is A Prince
as Drugstore Proprieter
1940
5.0
Gallant Sons
as Newspaper Foreman (uncredited)
1940
7.2
Mexican Spitfire Out West
as Window Washer
1940
4.6
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
as Mike Ryan (uncredited)
1940
6.8
Boom Town
as Barber
1940
6.9
Buyer Beware
as Smith (uncredited)
1940
6.0
Pier 13
as Dead Pan Charlie
1940
5.0
Gold Rush Maisie
as Harris
1940
6.5
Brother Orchid
as Waiter at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
1940
6.5
Florian
as Detective
1940
1.0
La Conga Nights
as Dennis O'Brien
1940
7.5
The Doctor Takes a Wife
as New York Editor (uncredited)
1940
6.4
'Til We Meet Again
as Hong Kong Bartender (uncredited)
1940
6.2
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
as Mike Ryan, Sullivan's Hospital Cafe
1940
4.6
Know Your Money
as Tobacconist (uncredited)
1940
9.0
His Girl Friday
as Duffy
1940
7.4
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
as Mike Sullivan
1939
5.6
At the Circus
as Chef in Diner (uncredited)
1939
6.4
Fast and Furious
as Captain Joe Burke
1939
4.7
Dust Be My Destiny
as Wedding Witness on Stage (uncredited)
1939
6.2
Thunder Afloat
as Old Sailor in Bilge Area (uncredited)
1939
5.9
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
as Captain Tweedy
1939
6.8
Stanley and Livingstone
as Newspaperman with Pills
1939
6.3
Tell No Tales
as Vic - Bartender (uncredited)
1939
4.6
Young Mr. Lincoln
as Loafer (uncredited)
1939
7.2
Calling Dr. Kildare
as Mike Sullivan - Hospital Cafe Owner (uncredited)
1939
6.1
Broadway Serenade
as Mr. Fellows
1939
6.2
Within the Law
as Jim Jenks
1939
6.0
Nancy Drew... Reporter
as Captain Tweedy (uncredited)
1939
6.0
Fast and Loose
as Detective Hendricks (uncredited)
1939
5.6
Idiot's Delight
as Benny Zinsser
1939
6.1
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
as Tim McKelvy
1939
5.0
Comet Over Broadway
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
1938
5.0
Nancy Drew… Detective
as Captain Tweedy
1938
6.3
Young Dr. Kildare
as Mike Ryan (uncredited)
1938
6.5
Mr. Chump
as Sheriff Frank Hinton
1938
0.0
Think It Over
as Brown, Clothing Store Owner
1938
6.3
Torchy Blane in Panama
as First Leopard (uncredited)
1938
5.3
The Patient in Room 18
as Joe Higgins - Night Watchman
1938
4.5
Missing Witnesses
as Gordon (uncredited)
1937
5.5
The Footloose Heiress
as Justice Abner Cuttler
1937
4.0
Prairie Thunder
as Wichita
1937
3.0
The Devil's Saddle Legion
as Judge Barko
1937
0.5
Talent Scout
as Burlesque Theatre Manager (uncredited)
1937
6.0
Ever Since Eve
as Cocktail Waiter (uncredited)
1937
5.5
Marry the Girl
as Bar owner
1937
5.0
San Quentin
as Convict in Bunkhouse (uncredited)
1937
6.5
Land Beyond the Law
as Shorty Long
1937
7.0
Polo Joe
as Bert
1936
0.0
Hot Money
as Hank Ford
1936
4.0
Two Against the World
as Tommy - Bartender
1936
5.8
Unwelcome Stranger
as Jackson
1935
0.0
The Payoff
as Porter (uncredited)
1935
4.9
🎬
The Victim
as The Husband
1931
0.0
🎬
Taking Ways
1930
0.0
A Bird in the Hand
1929
0.0