1880-02-20 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.
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Houdini | Mr. Hunter | 1953-07-02 |
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Here Come the Girls | Mr. Hungerford | 1953-10-22 |
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Something to Live For | Waiter (uncredited) | 1952-03-07 |
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Double Dynamite | Mr. Kofer | 1951-12-25 |
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Cheaper by the Dozen | Higgins (uncredited) | 1950-03-31 |
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Father of the Bride | Joe | 1950-05-18 |
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The Great Rupert | Mr. Frank Dingle | 1950-03-01 |
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The Petty Girl | Moody (process server) | 1950-08-17 |
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Red Light | Wallace 'Wally' Stoner | 1949-09-30 |
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Bride for Sale | Police Sergeant (uncredited) | 1949-11-12 |
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Blondie's Secret | Mr. Philpotts | 1948-12-23 |
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The Girl from Manhattan | Oscar Newsome | 1948-10-01 |
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The Big Clock | Burt | 1948-03-18 |
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The Guilt of Janet Ames | Danny | 1947-03-06 |
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It Had to Be You | Conductor Brown | 1947-12-07 |
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The Gas House Kids in Hollywood | Police Captain | 1947-08-23 |
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Born to Speed | Breezy Bradley | 1947-01-12 |
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Heartaches | Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent | 1947-06-28 |
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It's Great to Be Young | Franklin Johnson | 1946-09-12 |
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Murder in the Music Hall | Henderson | 1946-04-10 |
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The Hoodlum Saint | Chronicle Editor (uncredited) | 1946-04-04 |
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Wake Up and Dream | Milkman | 1946-12-02 |
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The Bride Wore Boots | Judge (uncredited) | 1946-06-05 |
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Lady in the Lake | Floyd Greer (Uncredited) | 1946-12-19 |
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The Strange Love of Martha Ivers | Hotel Clerk | 1946-08-19 |
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Tell It to a Star | Augustus T. Goodman | 1945-08-16 |
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Doll Face | Peters | 1945-12-31 |
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She Went to the Races | Skelly | 1945-11-04 |
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The Lost Weekend | Opera Cloak Room Attendant | 1945-11-29 |
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Pillow to Post | Clayfield Taxi Driver | 1945-06-09 |
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The Impatient Years | Counterman | 1944-09-10 |
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Roger Touhy, Gangster | . Comic in Theater (uncredited) | 1944-06-03 |
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Wilson | Smith (uncredited) | 1944-08-01 |
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Storm Over Lisbon | Murgatroyd | 1944-10-16 |
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Greenwich Village | Ordway | 1944-09-27 |
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Tall in the Saddle | 'Shorty' Davis (uncredited) | 1944-09-29 |
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Summer Storm | Cafe Maitre d' at End (uncredited) | 1944-07-14 |
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The Ox-Bow Incident | Larry Kinkaid (uncredited) | 1943-03-11 |
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Sweet Rosie O'Grady | Taxi Driver | 1943-10-01 |
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Hello, Frisco, Hello | Lou, Bartender at Sharkey's | 1943-03-26 |
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The Meanest Man in the World | Bartender | 1943-02-12 |
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Coney Island | Bartender | 1943-06-18 |
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Orchestra Wives | Rex Willet | 1942-09-04 |
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Right to the Heart | Pete | 1942-01-23 |
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Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant | Mike Ryan | 1942-11-01 |
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Rings on Her Fingers | Kellogg | 1942-03-20 |
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My Gal Sal | McGuiness | 1942-04-30 |
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The Magnificent Dope | Messenger | 1942-07-01 |
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Over My Dead Body | Detective | 1942-01-15 |
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Blue, White and Perfect | Mr. Toby | 1942-01-06 |
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Dr. Kildare's Victory | Mike Ryan | 1942-02-04 |
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Footlight Serenade | Mike | 1942-08-01 |
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Springtime in the Rockies | Bickel (uncredited) | 1942-11-06 |
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Henry and Dizzy | Joe McGuire | 1942-06-05 |
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Roxie Hart | Bar Client #2 (uncredited) | 1942-02-20 |
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Tales of Manhattan | Secondhand Clothes Dealer | 1942-08-05 |
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They Died with Their Boots On | Barfly (uncredited) | 1941-11-20 |
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Sergeant York | Drummer (uncredited) | 1941-09-27 |
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Respect the Law | Peter Brennan | 1941-01-04 |
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Ride on Vaquero | Auctioneer | 1941-04-18 |
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The People Vs. Dr. Kildare | Mike Ryan | 1941-05-02 |
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Come Live with Me | Jerry | 1941-01-31 |
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Let's Make Music | Mr. Botts | 1941-01-17 |
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The Strawberry Blonde | Baxter - Livery Stable Owner (uncredited) | 1941-02-21 |
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I Wake Up Screaming | Cemetery Caretaker | 1941-10-31 |
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Broadway Limited | Lou, Cafe Proprietor | 1941-06-13 |
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Gallant Sons | Newspaper Foreman (uncredited) | 1940-11-15 |
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'Til We Meet Again | Hong Kong Bartender (uncredited) | 1940-04-20 |
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Know Your Money | Tobacconist (uncredited) | 1940-01-27 |
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The Doctor Takes a Wife | New York Editor (uncredited) | 1940-04-25 |
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Father Is A Prince | Drugstore Proprieter | 1940-11-18 |
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Buyer Beware | Smith (uncredited) | 1940-08-17 |
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Brother Orchid | Waiter at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited) | 1940-06-07 |
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Pier 13 | Dead Pan Charlie | 1940-08-08 |
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You, the People | Soda Jerk | 1940-11-30 |
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Florian | Detective | 1940-06-05 |
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Dr. Kildare's Crisis | Mike Ryan, Cafe Owner | 1940-11-29 |
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Dr. Kildare Goes Home | Mike Ryan (uncredited) | 1940-09-06 |
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His Girl Friday | Duffy | 1940-01-18 |
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Mexican Spitfire Out West | Window Washer | 1940-10-29 |
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Michael Shayne: Private Detective | Steve | 1940-12-19 |
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Dr. Kildare's Strange Case | Mike Ryan, Sullivan's Hospital Cafe | 1940-04-12 |
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Boom Town | Barber | 1940-08-30 |
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La Conga Nights | Dennis O'Brien | 1940-05-31 |
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Gold Rush Maisie | Harris | 1940-07-26 |
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Calling Dr. Kildare | Mike Sullivan - Hospital Cafe Owner (uncredited) | 1939-04-28 |
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Tell No Tales | Vic - Bartender (uncredited) | 1939-06-12 |
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Idiot's Delight | Benny Zinsser | 1939-01-27 |
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Burn 'Em Up O'Connor | Tim McKelvy | 1939-01-13 |
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Fast and Furious | Captain Joe Burke | 1939-10-06 |
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Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase | Captain Tweedy | 1939-09-09 |
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Broadway Serenade | Mr. Fellows | 1939-04-07 |
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Nancy Drew... Reporter | Captain Tweedy (uncredited) | 1939-02-18 |
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At the Circus | Chef in Diner (uncredited) | 1939-10-20 |
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Stanley and Livingstone | Newspaperman with Pills | 1939-08-18 |
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The Secret of Dr. Kildare | Mike Sullivan | 1939-11-24 |
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Dust Be My Destiny | Wedding Witness on Stage (uncredited) | 1939-09-16 |
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Fast and Loose | Detective Hendricks (uncredited) | 1939-02-17 |
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Thunder Afloat | Old Sailor in Bilge Area (uncredited) | 1939-09-15 |
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Young Mr. Lincoln | Loafer (uncredited) | 1939-06-09 |
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Within the Law | Jim Jenks | 1939-03-17 |
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Torchy Blane in Panama | First Leopard (uncredited) | 1938-05-07 |
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Nancy Drew… Detective | Captain Tweedy | 1938-11-19 |
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Comet Over Broadway | Cab Driver (uncredited) | 1938-12-03 |
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Think It Over | Brown, Clothing Store Owner | 1938-07-24 |
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Young Dr. Kildare | Mike Ryan (uncredited) | 1938-10-14 |
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Mr. Chump | Sheriff Frank Hinton | 1938-08-08 |
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The Patient in Room 18 | Joe Higgins - Night Watchman | 1938-01-08 |
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Missing Witnesses | Gordon (uncredited) | 1937-12-11 |
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Ever Since Eve | Cocktail Waiter (uncredited) | 1937-07-15 |
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Land Beyond the Law | Shorty Long | 1937-03-13 |
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Marry the Girl | Bar owner | 1937-07-13 |
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San Quentin | Convict in Bunkhouse (uncredited) | 1937-05-24 |
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The Devil's Saddle Legion | Judge Barko | 1937-08-14 |
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The Footloose Heiress | Justice Abner Cuttler | 1937-10-08 |
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Talent Scout | Burlesque Theatre Manager (uncredited) | 1937-07-24 |
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Prairie Thunder | Wichita | 1937-09-10 |
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Hot Money | Hank Ford | 1936-07-18 |
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Two Against the World | Tommy - Bartender | 1936-07-11 |
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Polo Joe | Bert | 1936-11-04 |
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Unwelcome Stranger | Jackson | 1935-04-05 |
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The Payoff | Porter (uncredited) | 1935-01-09 |
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The Victim | The Husband | 1931-11-25 |
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Taking Ways | 1930-04-30 | |
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A Bird in the Hand | 1929-04-29 |
