Frank Orth

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

126

Gender

Male

Birthday

1880-02-20

Day of death

1962-03-17 (82 years old)

Place of Birth

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

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.

Known For

  • The Patient in Room 18

    The Patient in Room 18

  • Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

    Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

  • Murder in the Music Hall

    Murder in the Music Hall

  • The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

    The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

  • The Guilt of Janet Ames

    The Guilt of Janet Ames

  • Pier 13

    Pier 13

  • The Lost Weekend

    The Lost Weekend

  • 'Til We Meet Again

    'Til We Meet Again

  • Cheaper by the Dozen

    Cheaper by the Dozen

  • The Ox-Bow Incident

    The Ox-Bow Incident

  • Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

    Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

  • Something to Live For

    Something to Live For

  • San Quentin

    San Quentin

  • Red Light

    Red Light

  • Heartaches

    Heartaches

  • Sergeant York

    Sergeant York

  • Torchy Blane in Panama

    Torchy Blane in Panama

  • Boston Blackie

    Boston Blackie

  • Polo Joe

    Polo Joe

  • The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

    The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

  • Wilson

    Wilson

  • Coney Island

    Coney Island

  • The Secret of Dr. Kildare

    The Secret of Dr. Kildare

  • Hot Money

    Hot Money

  • Summer Storm

    Summer Storm

  • Mexican Spitfire Out West

    Mexican Spitfire Out West

  • Broadway Serenade

    Broadway Serenade

  • Double Dynamite

    Double Dynamite

  • Doll Face

    Doll Face

  • Brother Orchid

    Brother Orchid

  • Tales of Manhattan

    Tales of Manhattan

  • Roxie Hart

    Roxie Hart

  • Houdini

    Houdini

  • The Meanest Man in the World

    The Meanest Man in the World

  • Greenwich Village

    Greenwich Village

  • Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

    Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

  • His Girl Friday

    His Girl Friday

  • The Great Rupert

    The Great Rupert

  • Tall in the Saddle

    Tall in the Saddle

  • Unwelcome Stranger

    Unwelcome Stranger

  • Storm Over Lisbon

    Storm Over Lisbon

  • Prairie Thunder

    Prairie Thunder

  • The Payoff

    The Payoff

  • Florian

    Florian

  • I Wake Up Screaming

    I Wake Up Screaming

  • Thunder Afloat

    Thunder Afloat

  • Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

    Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

  • At the Circus

    At the Circus

  • Mr. Chump

    Mr. Chump

  • Father of the Bride

    Father of the Bride

  • The Devil's Saddle Legion

    The Devil's Saddle Legion

  • Idiot's Delight

    Idiot's Delight

  • They Died with Their Boots On

    They Died with Their Boots On

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • Over My Dead Body

    Over My Dead Body

  • Dr. Kildare's Victory

    Dr. Kildare's Victory

  • Young Mr. Lincoln

    Young Mr. Lincoln

  • The Big Clock

    The Big Clock

  • Sweet Rosie O'Grady

    Sweet Rosie O'Grady

  • Dr. Kildare Goes Home

    Dr. Kildare Goes Home

  • Comet Over Broadway

    Comet Over Broadway

  • Come Live with Me

    Come Live with Me

  • Lady in the Lake

    Lady in the Lake

  • Springtime in the Rockies

    Springtime in the Rockies

  • The Footloose Heiress

    The Footloose Heiress

  • Stanley and Livingstone

    Stanley and Livingstone

  • Calling Dr. Kildare

    Calling Dr. Kildare

  • Land Beyond the Law

    Land Beyond the Law

  • The Bride Wore Boots

    The Bride Wore Boots

  • The Hoodlum Saint

    The Hoodlum Saint

  • Tell No Tales

    Tell No Tales

  • The Petty Girl

    The Petty Girl

  • Fast and Furious

    Fast and Furious

  • Hello, Frisco, Hello

    Hello, Frisco, Hello

  • Orchestra Wives

    Orchestra Wives

  • Buyer Beware

    Buyer Beware

  • Gold Rush Maisie

    Gold Rush Maisie

  • Marry the Girl

    Marry the Girl

  • The Strawberry Blonde

    The Strawberry Blonde

  • Think It Over

    Think It Over

  • Pillow to Post

    Pillow to Post

  • Henry and Dizzy

    Henry and Dizzy

  • Blue, White, and Perfect

    Blue, White, and Perfect

  • Fast and Loose

    Fast and Loose

  • Dust Be My Destiny

    Dust Be My Destiny

  • Michael Shayne: Private Detective

    Michael Shayne: Private Detective

  • My Gal Sal

    My Gal Sal

  • Know Your Money

    Know Your Money

  • The Girl from Manhattan

    The Girl from Manhattan

  • Here Come the Girls

    Here Come the Girls

  • Ever Since Eve

    Ever Since Eve

  • The Magnificent Dope

    The Magnificent Dope

  • She Went to the Races

    She Went to the Races

  • Boom Town

    Boom Town

  • Ride on Vaquero

    Ride on Vaquero

  • Father Is A Prince

    Father Is A Prince

  • Rings on Her Fingers

    Rings on Her Fingers

  • Wake Up and Dream

    Wake Up and Dream

  • La Conga Nights

    La Conga Nights

  • Let's Make Music

    Let's Make Music

  • Young Dr. Kildare

    Young Dr. Kildare

  • Roger Touhy, Gangster

    Roger Touhy, Gangster

  • Nancy Drew… Detective

    Nancy Drew… Detective

  • Within the Law

    Within the Law

  • You, the People

    You, the People

  • Two Against the World

    Two Against the World

  • Bride for Sale

    Bride for Sale

  • Nancy Drew... Reporter

    Nancy Drew... Reporter

  • The Doctor Takes a Wife

    The Doctor Takes a Wife

  • The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

    The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

  • Blondie's Secret

    Blondie's Secret

  • It's Great to Be Young

    It's Great to Be Young

  • Broadway Limited

    Broadway Limited

  • The Impatient Years

    The Impatient Years

  • Missing Witnesses

    Missing Witnesses

  • Born to Speed

    Born to Speed

  • A Bird in the Hand

    A Bird in the Hand

  • Footlight Serenade

    Footlight Serenade

  • Respect the Law

    Respect the Law

  • Taking Ways

    Taking Ways

  • Tell It to a Star

    Tell It to a Star

  • Talent Scout

    Talent Scout

  • Dr. Kildare's Crisis

    Dr. Kildare's Crisis

  • Gallant Sons

    Gallant Sons

  • The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

    The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

  • The Victim

    The Victim