Frank Orth

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

125

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 Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

    The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

  • Boston Blackie

    Boston Blackie

  • The Ox-Bow Incident

    The Ox-Bow Incident

  • The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

    The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

  • The Big Clock

    The Big Clock

  • His Girl Friday

    His Girl Friday

  • Know Your Money

    Know Your Money

  • Michael Shayne: Private Detective

    Michael Shayne: Private Detective

  • Pillow to Post

    Pillow to Post

  • Springtime in the Rockies

    Springtime in the Rockies

  • Young Dr. Kildare

    Young Dr. Kildare

  • Coney Island

    Coney Island

  • Fast and Loose

    Fast and Loose

  • La Conga Nights

    La Conga Nights

  • Dr. Kildare Goes Home

    Dr. Kildare Goes Home

  • Missing Witnesses

    Missing Witnesses

  • The Hoodlum Saint

    The Hoodlum Saint

  • Ride on Vaquero

    Ride on Vaquero

  • Comet Over Broadway

    Comet Over Broadway

  • Broadway Serenade

    Broadway Serenade

  • Gallant Sons

    Gallant Sons

  • Sergeant York

    Sergeant York

  • The Devil's Saddle Legion

    The Devil's Saddle Legion

  • Mexican Spitfire Out West

    Mexican Spitfire Out West

  • The Secret of Dr. Kildare

    The Secret of Dr. Kildare

  • Tales of Manhattan

    Tales of Manhattan

  • Calling Dr. Kildare

    Calling Dr. Kildare

  • Fast and Furious

    Fast and Furious

  • My Gal Sal

    My Gal Sal

  • The Patient in Room 18

    The Patient in Room 18

  • Prairie Thunder

    Prairie Thunder

  • Henry and Dizzy

    Henry and Dizzy

  • The Lost Weekend

    The Lost Weekend

  • Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

    Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

  • Dr. Kildare's Victory

    Dr. Kildare's Victory

  • The Footloose Heiress

    The Footloose Heiress

  • Brother Orchid

    Brother Orchid

  • At the Circus

    At the Circus

  • Polo Joe

    Polo Joe

  • Over My Dead Body

    Over My Dead Body

  • They Died with Their Boots On

    They Died with Their Boots On

  • Lady in the Lake

    Lady in the Lake

  • Gold Rush Maisie

    Gold Rush Maisie

  • Hot Money

    Hot Money

  • I Wake Up Screaming

    I Wake Up Screaming

  • Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

    Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

  • Young Mr. Lincoln

    Young Mr. Lincoln

  • San Quentin

    San Quentin

  • Think It Over

    Think It Over

  • The Great Rupert

    The Great Rupert

  • Something to Live For

    Something to Live For

  • The Girl from Manhattan

    The Girl from Manhattan

  • The Magnificent Dope

    The Magnificent Dope

  • Blue, White, and Perfect

    Blue, White, and Perfect

  • The Doctor Takes a Wife

    The Doctor Takes a Wife

  • Stanley and Livingstone

    Stanley and Livingstone

  • Summer Storm

    Summer Storm

  • Red Light

    Red Light

  • She Went to the Races

    She Went to the Races

  • Tall in the Saddle

    Tall in the Saddle

  • Wake Up and Dream

    Wake Up and Dream

  • Idiot's Delight

    Idiot's Delight

  • Wilson

    Wilson

  • Doll Face

    Doll Face

  • Florian

    Florian

  • Heartaches

    Heartaches

  • The Meanest Man in the World

    The Meanest Man in the World

  • Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

    Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

  • Pier 13

    Pier 13

  • Ever Since Eve

    Ever Since Eve

  • Tell No Tales

    Tell No Tales

  • Murder in the Music Hall

    Murder in the Music Hall

  • Father of the Bride

    Father of the Bride

  • Cheaper by the Dozen

    Cheaper by the Dozen

  • Storm Over Lisbon

    Storm Over Lisbon

  • Boom Town

    Boom Town

  • Hello, Frisco, Hello

    Hello, Frisco, Hello

  • The Guilt of Janet Ames

    The Guilt of Janet Ames

  • Torchy Blane in Panama

    Torchy Blane in Panama

  • Houdini

    Houdini

  • Talent Scout

    Talent Scout

  • Come Live with Me

    Come Live with Me

  • Greenwich Village

    Greenwich Village

  • Buyer Beware

    Buyer Beware

  • Roger Touhy, Gangster

    Roger Touhy, Gangster

  • Here Come the Girls

    Here Come the Girls

  • Marry the Girl

    Marry the Girl

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • Mr. Chump

    Mr. Chump

  • Dust Be My Destiny

    Dust Be My Destiny

  • Land Beyond the Law

    Land Beyond the Law

  • The Strawberry Blonde

    The Strawberry Blonde

  • You, the People

    You, the People

  • Thunder Afloat

    Thunder Afloat

  • Dr. Kildare's Crisis

    Dr. Kildare's Crisis

  • Two Against the World

    Two Against the World

  • Rings on Her Fingers

    Rings on Her Fingers

  • 'Til We Meet Again

    'Til We Meet Again

  • Roxie Hart

    Roxie Hart

  • The Payoff

    The Payoff

  • Father Is A Prince

    Father Is A Prince

  • Orchestra Wives

    Orchestra Wives

  • Unwelcome Stranger

    Unwelcome Stranger

  • The Bride Wore Boots

    The Bride Wore Boots

  • Within the Law

    Within the Law

  • Nancy Drew… Detective

    Nancy Drew… Detective

  • The Petty Girl

    The Petty Girl

  • Sweet Rosie O'Grady

    Sweet Rosie O'Grady

  • Nancy Drew... Reporter

    Nancy Drew... Reporter

  • Double Dynamite

    Double Dynamite

  • Blondie's Secret

    Blondie's Secret

  • Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

    Burn 'Em Up O'Connor

  • It's Great to Be Young

    It's Great to Be Young

  • Footlight Serenade

    Footlight Serenade

  • Broadway Limited

    Broadway Limited

  • Taking Ways

    Taking Ways

  • Bride for Sale

    Bride for Sale

  • Respect the Law

    Respect the Law

  • The Impatient Years

    The Impatient Years

  • Tell It to a Star

    Tell It to a Star

  • The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

    The Gas House Kids in Hollywood

  • The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

    The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

  • Born to Speed

    Born to Speed

  • A Bird in the Hand

    A Bird in the Hand

  • The Victim

    The Victim