Frank Faylen

Biography

Frank Faylen was an American actor who worked for forty-two years in film and television, largely as a bit player and character actor. Born in St. Louis, he appeared on stage as an infant with his vaudeville parents and became a stage actor at 18 before entering films in the 1930s. After bit parts for Warner Bros. he freelanced in larger character roles and broke through in 1945 as Bim, a cynical nurse in The Lost Weekend (1945). He was the taxi driver Ernie Bishop in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and appeared in the Laurel and Hardy comedy A-Haunting We Will Go (1942). On television he was a regular on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as grocer Herbert T. Gillis and later played Bert Hollinger on That Girl. He also appeared in Funny Girl (1968), and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was dedicated to him in 1960.

79years old at death

Born December 8, 1905St. Louis
Died August 2, 1985Burbank
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21

Movie Career

Films: 33
Career span: 31 years1937 to 1968

Genres

Drama55%, 18 films
Crime27%, 9 films
Comedy24%, 8 films
Western21%, 7 films
Film-Noir15%, 5 films

First and latest

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First role
At 18, Faylen started out as a stage actor, and by the 1930s he had moved into working in films.

Frank Faylen movies on Netflix

Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4as Keeney
The Monkey's Uncle1965IMDb rating 5.9as Mr. Dearborne
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957IMDb rating 7.1as Cotton Wilson
Away All Boats1956IMDb rating 6.3as Chief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran
Riot in Cell Block 111954IMDb rating 7.0as Commissioner Haskell
99 River Street1953IMDb rating 7.4as Stan Hogan
Hangman's Knot1952IMDb rating 6.7as Cass Browne
The Lusty Men1952IMDb rating 7.3as Al Dawson
The Sniper1952IMDb rating 7.1as Anderson
Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5as Det. Gallagher
Fourteen Hours1951IMDb rating 7.1as Walter, room service waiter
Convicted1950IMDb rating 6.8as Convict Ponti
Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2as Mullins
Francis1950IMDb rating 6.5as Sergeant Chillingbacker
Blood on the Moon1948IMDb rating 6.9as Jake Pindalest
Race Street1948IMDb rating 6.5as Phil Dickson
Whispering Smith1948IMDb rating 6.6as Whitey Du Sang
California1947IMDb rating 6.1as Whitey
Road to Rio1947IMDb rating 6.9as Trigger
Blue Skies1946IMDb rating 6.4as Mack
It's a Wonderful Life1946IMDb rating 8.6as Ernie
The Blue Dahlia1946IMDb rating 7.1as Man Recommending a Motel
To Each His Own1946IMDb rating 7.6as Babe
The Lost Weekend1945IMDb rating 7.8as 'Bim' Nolan
Address Unknown1944IMDb rating 6.9as Jimmie Blake
The Gang's All Here1943IMDb rating 6.6as Marine Sergeant
A-Haunting We Will Go1942IMDb rating 6.2as Train Detective
Come Live with Me1941IMDb rating 7.0as Waiter
They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2as Driver in Cafe
Five Came Back1939IMDb rating 7.1as Photographer
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle1939IMDb rating 6.9as Adjutant
The Invisible Menace1938IMDb rating 5.2as Private of the Guard
Kid Galahad1937IMDb rating 7.2as Barney

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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It's a Wonderful Life1946 Drama, Family, Fantasyas Ernie
IMDb rating 8.6559K votes
The Lost Weekend1945 Drama, Film-Noiras 'Bim' Nolan
IMDb rating 7.844K votes
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957as Cotton Wilson
IMDb rating 7.119K votes
Funny Girl1968as Keeney
IMDb rating 7.428K votes
99 River Street1953as Stan Hogan
IMDb rating 7.44.1K votes
Riot in Cell Block 111954as Commissioner Haskell
IMDb rating 7.02.8K votes
The Sniper1952as Anderson
IMDb rating 7.14.6K votes
The Lusty Men1952as Al Dawson
IMDb rating 7.34.2K votes

Most often with

John Farrow directed four of these films, William Wyler two. William Bendix appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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William Bendix

Whit Bissell

Ray Milland

Howard Da Silva

Eddy Waller

Gerald MohrJohn FarrowDirector, 4 films

William WylerDirector, 2 films

Films together

William Bendix4 films together, 1940 to 1951
William Bendix's page
- Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5Faylen as Det. GallagherBendix as Det. Lou Brody
- Race Street1948IMDb rating 6.5Faylen as Phil DicksonBendix as Barney Runson
- The Blue Dahlia1946IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as Man Recommending a MotelBendix as Buzz Wanchek
- They Drive by Night1940IMDb rating 7.2Faylen as Driver in CafeBendix as Truck Driver Watching Pinball Game
Whit Bissell3 films together, 1950 to 1957
Whit Bissell's page
- Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as Cotton WilsonBissell as John P. Clum
- Riot in Cell Block 111954IMDb rating 7.0Faylen as Commissioner HaskellBissell as Guard Snader
- Convicted1950IMDb rating 6.8Faylen as Convict PontiBissell as States Attorney Owens
Ray Milland3 films together, 1945 to 1950
Ray Milland's page
- Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2Faylen as MullinsMilland as Johnny Carter
- California1947IMDb rating 6.1Faylen as WhiteyMilland as Jonathan Trumbo
- The Lost Weekend1945IMDb rating 7.8Faylen as 'Bim' NolanMilland as Don Birnam
Howard Da Silva3 films together, 1945 to 1951
Howard Da Silva's page
- Fourteen Hours1951IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as Walter, room service waiterSilva as Deputy Police Chief Moskar
- The Blue Dahlia1946IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as Man Recommending a MotelSilva as Eddie Harwood
- The Lost Weekend1945IMDb rating 7.8Faylen as 'Bim' NolanSilva as Nat
Eddy Waller3 films together, 1942 to 1953
Eddy Waller's page
- 99 River Street1953IMDb rating 7.4Faylen as Stan HoganWaller as Pop Durkee
- Whispering Smith1948IMDb rating 6.6Faylen as Whitey Du SangWaller as Conductor
- A-Haunting We Will Go1942IMDb rating 6.2Faylen as Train DetectiveWaller as Bagman
Gerald Mohr3 films together, 1951 to 1968
Gerald Mohr's page
- Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4Faylen as KeeneyMohr as Branca
- The Sniper1952IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as AndersonMohr as Joe Ferris
- Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5Faylen as Det. GallagherMohr as Tami Giacoppetti
John FarrowDirector, 4 films, 1938 to 1950
All films by John Farrow
- Copper Canyon1950IMDb rating 6.2Faylen as Mullins
- California1947IMDb rating 6.1Faylen as Whitey
- Five Came Back1939IMDb rating 7.1Faylen as Photographer
- The Invisible Menace1938IMDb rating 5.2Faylen as Private of the Guard
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1968
All films by William Wyler
- Funny Girl1968IMDb rating 7.4Faylen as Keeney
- Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5Faylen as Det. Gallagher

Box office

What Frank Faylen's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$98.8 million

8 of the 33 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
3US gross only
22Figure not found

Top grosser

Funny Girl1968Keeney$58.7 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Funny Girl1968as Keeney
$59M59.4% of the total
2
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957as Cotton Wilson
$12M11.9% of the total
3
The Lost Weekend1945as 'Bim' Nolan
$11M11.1% of the total
4
It's a Wonderful Life1946as Ernie
$9.6M9.8% of the total
5
The Blue Dahlia1946as Man Recommending a Motel
$2.8M2.8% of the total
6
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle1939as Adjutant
$1.8M1.8% of the total
7
They Drive by Night1940as Driver in Cafe
$1.6M1.6% of the total
8
Riot in Cell Block 111954as Commissioner Haskell
$1.5M1.6% of the total