Frank Orth

Frank Orth

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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: February 20, 1880

Deathday: March 17, 1962

Popularity:

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Known For

His Girl Friday
His Girl Friday

1940-01-18

Blondie's Secret
Blondie's Secret

1948-12-23

Taking Ways
Taking Ways

1930-04-30

Father of the Bride
Father of the Bride

1950-05-18

I Wake Up Screaming
I Wake Up Screaming

1941-10-31

Come Live with Me
Come Live with Me

1941-01-31

Red Light
Red Light

1949-09-30

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

1946-08-19

Storm Over Lisbon
Storm Over Lisbon

1944-10-16

Unwelcome Stranger
Unwelcome Stranger

1935-04-05

Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen

1950-03-31

The Lost Weekend
The Lost Weekend

1945-11-29

Houdini
Houdini

1953-07-02

Footlight Serenade
Footlight Serenade

1942-08-01

The Guilt of Janet Ames
The Guilt of Janet Ames

1947-03-06

Nancy Drew… Detective
Nancy Drew… Detective

1938-11-19

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

1939-09-09

The Great Rupert
The Great Rupert

1950-03-01

The Big Clock
The Big Clock

1948-03-18

Wilson
Wilson

1944-08-01

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

1941-05-02

Pillow to Post
Pillow to Post

1945-06-09

San Quentin
San Quentin

1937-05-24

Pier 13
Pier 13

1940-08-08

The Petty Girl
The Petty Girl

1950-08-17

Here Come the Girls
Here Come the Girls

1953-10-22

Broadway Serenade
Broadway Serenade

1939-04-07

Think It Over
Think It Over

1938-07-24

Springtime in the Rockies
Springtime in the Rockies

1942-11-06

Doll Face
Doll Face

1945-12-31

Tell It to a Star
Tell It to a Star

1945-08-16

Fast and Furious
Fast and Furious

1939-10-06

Mr. Chump
Mr. Chump

1938-08-08

Marry the Girl
Marry the Girl

1937-07-13

Land Beyond the Law
Land Beyond the Law

1937-03-13

Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

1939-01-13

Polo Joe
Polo Joe

1936-11-04

Wake Up and Dream
Wake Up and Dream

1946-12-02

Michael Shayne: Private Detective
Michael Shayne: Private Detective

1940-12-19

She Went to the Races
She Went to the Races

1945-11-04

Boom Town
Boom Town

1940-08-30

The Patient in Room 18
The Patient in Room 18

1938-01-08

Ever Since Eve
Ever Since Eve

1937-07-15

Young Dr. Kildare
Young Dr. Kildare

1938-10-14

Tell No Tales
Tell No Tales

1939-06-12

At the Circus
At the Circus

1939-10-20

Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village

1944-09-27

Henry and Dizzy
Henry and Dizzy

1942-06-05

Idiot's Delight
Idiot's Delight

1939-01-27

The Footloose Heiress
The Footloose Heiress

1937-10-08

Nancy Drew... Reporter
Nancy Drew... Reporter

1939-02-18

Fast and Loose
Fast and Loose

1939-02-17

Within the Law
Within the Law

1939-03-17

Calling Dr. Kildare
Calling Dr. Kildare

1939-04-28

Young Mr. Lincoln
Young Mr. Lincoln

1939-06-09

Thunder Afloat
Thunder Afloat

1939-09-15

Stanley and Livingstone
Stanley and Livingstone

1939-08-18

The Secret of Dr. Kildare
The Secret of Dr. Kildare

1939-11-24

Dust Be My Destiny
Dust Be My Destiny

1939-09-16

Summer Storm
Summer Storm

1944-07-14

It Had to Be You
It Had to Be You

1947-12-07

You, the People
You, the People

1940-11-30

Missing Witnesses
Missing Witnesses

1937-12-11

Born to Speed
Born to Speed

1947-01-12

Sweet Rosie O'Grady
Sweet Rosie O'Grady

1943-10-01

Roger Touhy, Gangster
Roger Touhy, Gangster

1944-06-03

The Ox-Bow Incident
The Ox-Bow Incident

1942-12-03

Blue, White, and Perfect
Blue, White, and Perfect

1942-01-06

The Devil's Saddle Legion
The Devil's Saddle Legion

1937-08-14

Brother Orchid
Brother Orchid

1940-06-07

Coney Island
Coney Island

1943-06-18

Over My Dead Body
Over My Dead Body

1942-01-15

Two Against the World
Two Against the World

1936-07-11

Ride on Vaquero
Ride on Vaquero

1941-04-18

Heartaches
Heartaches

1947-06-28

The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

1947-08-23

Prairie Thunder
Prairie Thunder

1937-09-10

Sergeant York
Sergeant York

1941-09-27

Orchestra Wives
Orchestra Wives

1942-09-04

The Hoodlum Saint
The Hoodlum Saint

1946-04-04

Gallant Sons
Gallant Sons

1940-11-15

The Payoff
The Payoff

1935-01-09

The Doctor Takes a Wife
The Doctor Takes a Wife

1940-04-25

Talent Scout
Talent Scout

1937-07-24

'Til We Meet Again
'Til We Meet Again

1940-04-20

Hot Money
Hot Money

1936-07-18

Father Is A Prince
Father Is A Prince

1940-11-18

Florian
Florian

1940-06-05

Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Dr. Kildare's Crisis

1940-11-29

Dr. Kildare Goes Home
Dr. Kildare Goes Home

1940-09-06

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

1940-04-12

Dr. Kildare's Victory
Dr. Kildare's Victory

1942-02-04

My Gal Sal
My Gal Sal

1942-04-30

La Conga Nights
La Conga Nights

1940-05-31

Respect the Law
Respect the Law

1941-01-04

A Bird in the Hand
A Bird in the Hand

1929-04-29

Something to Live For
Something to Live For

1952-03-07

They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On

1941-11-20

Mexican Spitfire Out West
Mexican Spitfire Out West

1940-10-29

The Bride Wore Boots
The Bride Wore Boots

1946-06-05

The Impatient Years
The Impatient Years

1944-09-10

Bride for Sale
Bride for Sale

1949-11-12

Know Your Money
Know Your Money

1940-01-27

Buyer Beware
Buyer Beware

1940-08-17

Murder in the Music Hall
Murder in the Music Hall

1946-04-10

Torchy Blane in Panama
Torchy Blane in Panama

1938-05-07

Gold Rush Maisie
Gold Rush Maisie

1940-07-26

Roxie Hart
Roxie Hart

1942-02-20

Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers

1942-03-20

Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited

1941-06-13

Hello, Frisco, Hello
Hello, Frisco, Hello

1943-03-26

It's Great to Be Young
It's Great to Be Young

1946-09-12

The Girl from Manhattan
The Girl from Manhattan

1948-10-01

Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

1942-11-01

Comet Over Broadway
Comet Over Broadway

1938-12-03

The Magnificent Dope
The Magnificent Dope

1942-07-01

Tales of Manhattan
Tales of Manhattan

1942-08-05

Lady in the Lake
Lady in the Lake

1946-12-19

The Meanest Man in the World
The Meanest Man in the World

1943-02-12

Double Dynamite
Double Dynamite

1951-12-25