Frank Orth
Acting
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
Acting128
movieHere Come the Girls
1953
Mr. Hungerford
movieHoudini
1953
Mr. Hunter
movieSomething to Live For
1952
Waiter (uncredited)
movieDouble Dynamite
1951
Mr. Kofer
tvBoston Blackie
1951
Inspector Faraday
movieThe Petty Girl
1950
Moody (process server)
movieCheaper by the Dozen
1950
Higgins (uncredited)
movieThe Great Rupert
1950
Mr. Frank Dingle
movieBride for Sale
1949
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
movieRed Light
1949
Wallace 'Wally' Stoner
movieBlondie's Secret
1948
Mr. Philpotts
movieThe Girl from Manhattan
1948
Oscar Newsome
movieSo This Is New York
1948
AJ Gluskoter
movieIt Had to Be You
1947
Conductor Brown
movieThe Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947
Police Captain
movieHeartaches
1947
Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent
movieBorn to Speed
1947
Breezy Bradley
movieLady in the Lake
1946
Floyd Greer (Uncredited)
movieWake Up and Dream
1946
Milkman
It's Great to Be Young
1946
Franklin Johnson
movieThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946
Hotel Clerk
movieThe Bride Wore Boots
1946
Judge (uncredited)
movieMurder in the Music Hall
1946
Henderson
movieThe Hoodlum Saint
1946
Chronicle Editor (uncredited)
movieDoll Face
1945
Peters
movieThe Lost Weekend
1945
Opera Cloak Room Attendant
movieTell It to a Star
1945
Augustus T. Goodman
moviePillow to Post
1945
Clayfield Taxi Driver
movieStorm Over Lisbon
1944
Murgatroyd
movieTall in the Saddle
1944
'Shorty' Davis (uncredited)
movieThe Impatient Years
1944
Counterman
movieWilson
1944
Smith (uncredited)
movieSummer Storm
1944
Cafe Maitre d' at End (uncredited)
movieRoger Touhy, Gangster
1944
. Comic in Theater (uncredited)
movieSweet Rosie O'Grady
1943
Taxi Driver
movieConey Island
1943
Bartender
movieHello, Frisco, Hello
1943
Lou, Bartender at Sharkey's
movieThe Ox-Bow Incident
1943
Larry Kinkaid (uncredited)
movieThe Meanest Man in the World
1943
Bartender (uncredited)
movieSpringtime in the Rockies
1942
Bickel (uncredited)
movieOrchestra Wives
1942
Rex Willet
movieTales of Manhattan
1942
Secondhand Clothes Dealer
movieThe Magnificent Dope
1942
Messenger
movieHenry and Dizzy
1942
Joe McGuire
movieMy Gal Sal
1942
McGuiness
movieRoxie Hart
1942
Bar Client #2 (uncredited)
movieDr. Kildare's Victory
1942
Mike Ryan
movieOver My Dead Body
1942
Detective
movieBlue, White and Perfect
1942
Mr. Toby
movieThey Died with Their Boots On
1941
Barfly (uncredited)
movieI Wake Up Screaming
1941
Cemetery Caretaker
movieSergeant York
1941
Drummer (uncredited)
movieBroadway Limited
1941
Lou, Cafe Proprietor
movieThe People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941
Mike Ryan
movieRide on Vaquero
1941
Auctioneer
movieThe Strawberry Blonde
1941
Baxter - Livery Stable Owner (uncredited)
movieLet's Make Music
1941
Mr. Botts
movieRespect the Law
1941
Peter Brennan
movieYou, the People
1940
Soda Jerk
movieDr. Kildare's Crisis
1940
Mike Ryan, Cafe Owner
movieFather Is A Prince
1940
Drugstore Proprieter
movieGallant Sons
1940
Newspaper Foreman (uncredited)
movieMexican Spitfire Out West
1940
Window Washer
movieDr. Kildare Goes Home
1940
Mike Ryan (uncredited)
movieBoom Town
1940
Barber
movieBuyer Beware
1940
Smith (uncredited)
moviePier 13
1940
Dead Pan Charlie
movieBrother Orchid
1940
Waiter at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
movieFlorian
1940
Detective
movieLa Conga Nights
1940
Dennis O'Brien
movieThe Doctor Takes a Wife
1940
New York Editor (uncredited)
movie'Til We Meet Again
1940
Hong Kong Bartender (uncredited)
movieKnow Your Money
1940
Tobacconist (uncredited)
movieAt the Circus
1939
Chef in Diner (uncredited)
movieFast and Furious
1939
Captain Joe Burke
movieDust Be My Destiny
1939
Wedding Witness on Stage (uncredited)
movieThunder Afloat
1939
Old Sailor in Bilge Area (uncredited)
movieNancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939
Captain Tweedy
movieStanley and Livingstone
1939
Newspaperman with Pills
movieTell No Tales
1939
Vic - Bartender (uncredited)
movieYoung Mr. Lincoln
1939
Loafer (uncredited)
movieCalling Dr. Kildare
1939
Mike Sullivan - Hospital Cafe Owner (uncredited)
movieBroadway Serenade
1939
Mr. Fellows
movieWithin the Law
1939
Jim Jenks
movieNancy Drew... Reporter
1939
Captain Tweedy (uncredited)
movieFast and Loose
1939
Detective Hendricks (uncredited)
movieIdiot's Delight
1939
Benny Zinsser
movieBurn 'Em Up O'Connor
1939
Tim McKelvy
movieComet Over Broadway
1938
Cab Driver (uncredited)
movieNancy Drew… Detective
1938
Captain Tweedy
movieYoung Dr. Kildare
1938
Mike Ryan (uncredited)
movieMr. Chump
1938
Sheriff Frank Hinton
movieThink It Over
1938
Brown, Clothing Store Owner
movieTorchy Blane in Panama
1938
First Leopard (uncredited)
movieThe Patient in Room 18
1938
Joe Higgins - Night Watchman
movieMissing Witnesses
1937
Gordon (uncredited)
movieThe Footloose Heiress
1937
Justice Abner Cuttler
moviePrairie Thunder
1937
Wichita
movieThe Devil's Saddle Legion
1937
Judge Barko
movieTalent Scout
1937
Burlesque Theatre Manager (uncredited)
movieEver Since Eve
1937
Cocktail Waiter (uncredited)
movieMarry the Girl
1937
Bar owner
movieSan Quentin
1937
Convict in Bunkhouse (uncredited)
movieLand Beyond the Law
1937
Shorty Long
movieHot Money
1936
Hank Ford
movieTwo Against the World
1936
Tommy - Bartender
movieUnwelcome Stranger
1935
Jackson
movieThe Payoff
1935
Porter (uncredited)
The Victim
1931
The Husband
