Frank Orth
Acting
Born February 20, 1880 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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.
Films (125)
Here Come the Girls
1953
Houdini
1953
Something to Live For
1952
Double Dynamite
1951
The Petty Girl
1950
Father of the Bride
1950
Cheaper by the Dozen
1950
The Great Rupert
1950
Bride for Sale
1949
Red Light
1949
Blondie's Secret
1948
The Girl from Manhattan
1948
The Big Clock
1948
It Had to Be You
1947
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947
Heartaches
1947
The Guilt of Janet Ames
1947
Born to Speed
1947
Lady in the Lake
1946
Wake Up and Dream
1946
It's Great to Be Young
1946
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946
The Bride Wore Boots
1946
Murder in the Music Hall
1946
The Hoodlum Saint
1946
Doll Face
1945
The Lost Weekend
1945
She Went to the Races
1945
Tell It to a Star
1945
Pillow to Post
1945
Storm Over Lisbon
1944
Tall in the Saddle
1944
Greenwich Village
1944
The Impatient Years
1944
Wilson
1944
Summer Storm
1944
Roger Touhy, Gangster
1944
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
1943
Coney Island
1943
Hello, Frisco, Hello
1943
The Ox-Bow Incident
1943
The Meanest Man in the World
1943
Springtime in the Rockies
1942
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
1942
Orchestra Wives
1942
Tales of Manhattan
1942
Footlight Serenade
1942
The Magnificent Dope
1942
Henry and Dizzy
1942
My Gal Sal
1942
Rings on Her Fingers
1942
Roxie Hart
1942
Dr. Kildare's Victory
1942
Right to the Heart
1942
Over My Dead Body
1942
Blue, White, and Perfect
1942
They Died with Their Boots On
1941
I Wake Up Screaming
1941
Sergeant York
1941
Broadway Limited
1941
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941
Ride on Vaquero
1941
The Strawberry Blonde
1941
Come Live with Me
1941
Let's Make Music
1941
Respect the Law
1941
Michael Shayne: Private Detective
1940
You, the People
1940
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
1940
Father Is A Prince
1940
Gallant Sons
1940
Mexican Spitfire Out West
1940
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
1940
Boom Town
1940
Buyer Beware
1940
Pier 13
1940
Gold Rush Maisie
1940
Brother Orchid
1940
Florian
1940
La Conga Nights
1940
The Doctor Takes a Wife
1940
'Til We Meet Again
1940
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
1940
Know Your Money
1940
His Girl Friday
1940
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
1939
At the Circus
1939
Fast and Furious
1939
Dust Be My Destiny
1939
Thunder Afloat
1939
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939
Stanley and Livingstone
1939
Tell No Tales
1939
Young Mr. Lincoln
1939
Calling Dr. Kildare
1939
Broadway Serenade
1939
Within the Law
1939
Nancy Drew... Reporter
1939
Fast and Loose
1939
Idiot's Delight
1939
Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
1939
Comet Over Broadway
1938
Nancy Drew… Detective
1938
Young Dr. Kildare
1938
Mr. Chump
1938
Think It Over
1938
Torchy Blane in Panama
1938
The Patient in Room 18
1938
Missing Witnesses
1937
The Footloose Heiress
1937
Prairie Thunder
1937
The Devil's Saddle Legion
1937
Talent Scout
1937
Ever Since Eve
1937
Marry the Girl
1937
San Quentin
1937
Land Beyond the Law
1937
Polo Joe
1936
Hot Money
1936
Two Against the World
1936
Unwelcome Stranger
1935
The Payoff
1935
The Victim
1931
Taking Ways
1930
A Bird in the Hand
1929