Acting · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA · Born February 20, 1880
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.
MovieHere Come the Girls
1953
as Mr. Hungerford
MovieHoudini
1953
as Mr. Hunter
TVThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
1952
as Uncle John
MovieSomething to Live For
1952
as Waiter (uncredited)
MovieDouble Dynamite
1951
as Mr. Kofer
TVBoston Blackie
1951
as Inspector Faraday
MovieThe Petty Girl
1950
as Moody (process server)
MovieFather of the Bride
1950
as Joe
MovieCheaper by the Dozen
1950
as Higgins (uncredited)
MovieThe Great Rupert
1950
as Mr. Frank Dingle
MovieBride for Sale
1949
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
MovieRed Light
1949
as Wallace 'Wally' Stoner
MovieBlondie's Secret
1948
as Mr. Philpotts
MovieThe Girl from Manhattan
1948
as Oscar Newsome
MovieSo This Is New York
1948
as AJ Gluskoter
MovieThe Big Clock
1948
as Burt
MovieIt Had to Be You
1947
as Conductor Brown
MovieThe Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947
as Police Captain
MovieHeartaches
1947
as Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent
MovieThe Guilt of Janet Ames
1947
as Danny
MovieBorn to Speed
1947
as Breezy Bradley
MovieLady in the Lake
1946
as Floyd Greer (Uncredited)
MovieWake Up and Dream
1946
as Milkman
It's Great to Be Young
1946
as Franklin Johnson
MovieThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946
as Hotel Clerk
MovieThe Bride Wore Boots
1946
as Judge (uncredited)
MovieMurder in the Music Hall
1946
as Henderson
MovieThe Hoodlum Saint
1946
as Chronicle Editor (uncredited)
MovieDoll Face
1945
as Peters
MovieThe Lost Weekend
1945
as Opera Cloak Room Attendant
MovieShe Went to the Races
1945
as Skelly
MovieTell It to a Star
1945
as Augustus T. Goodman
MoviePillow to Post
1945
as Clayfield Taxi Driver
MovieStorm Over Lisbon
1944
as Murgatroyd
MovieTall in the Saddle
1944
as 'Shorty' Davis (uncredited)
MovieGreenwich Village
1944
as Ordway
MovieThe Impatient Years
1944
as Counterman
MovieWilson
1944
as Smith (uncredited)
MovieSummer Storm
1944
as Cafe Maitre d' at End (uncredited)
MovieRoger Touhy, Gangster
1944
as . Comic in Theater (uncredited)
MovieSweet Rosie O'Grady
1943
as Taxi Driver
MovieConey Island
1943
as Bartender
MovieHello, Frisco, Hello
1943
as Lou, Bartender at Sharkey's
MovieThe Ox-Bow Incident
1943
as Larry Kinkaid (uncredited)
MovieThe Meanest Man in the World
1943
as Bartender (uncredited)
MovieSpringtime in the Rockies
1942
as Bickel (uncredited)
MovieDr. Gillespie's New Assistant
1942
as Mike Ryan
MovieOrchestra Wives
1942
as Rex Willet
MovieTales of Manhattan
1942
as Secondhand Clothes Dealer
MovieFootlight Serenade
1942
as Mike
MovieThe Magnificent Dope
1942
as Messenger
MovieHenry and Dizzy
1942
as Joe McGuire
MovieMy Gal Sal
1942
as McGuiness
MovieRings on Her Fingers
1942
as Kellogg
MovieRoxie Hart
1942
as Bar Client #2 (uncredited)
MovieDr. Kildare's Victory
1942
as Mike Ryan
MovieRight to the Heart
1942
as Pete
MovieOver My Dead Body
1942
as Detective
MovieBlue, White and Perfect
1942
as Mr. Toby
MovieThey Died with Their Boots On
1941
as Barfly (uncredited)
MovieI Wake Up Screaming
1941
as Cemetery Caretaker
MovieSergeant York
1941
as Drummer (uncredited)
MovieBroadway Limited
1941
as Lou, Cafe Proprietor
MovieThe People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941
as Mike Ryan
MovieRide on Vaquero
1941
as Auctioneer
MovieThe Strawberry Blonde
1941
as Baxter - Livery Stable Owner (uncredited)
MovieCome Live with Me
1941
as Jerry
MovieLet's Make Music
1941
as Mr. Botts
MovieRespect the Law
1941
as Peter Brennan
MovieMichael Shayne: Private Detective
1940
as Steve
MovieYou, the People
1940
as Soda Jerk
MovieDr. Kildare's Crisis
1940
as Mike Ryan, Cafe Owner
MovieFather Is A Prince
1940
as Drugstore Proprieter
MovieGallant Sons
1940
as Newspaper Foreman (uncredited)
MovieMexican Spitfire Out West
1940
as Window Washer
MovieDr. Kildare Goes Home
1940
as Mike Ryan (uncredited)
MovieBoom Town
1940
as Barber
MovieBuyer Beware
1940
as Smith (uncredited)
MoviePier 13
1940
as Dead Pan Charlie
MovieGold Rush Maisie
1940
as Harris
MovieBrother Orchid
1940
as Waiter at Fat Dutchy's (uncredited)
MovieFlorian
1940
as Detective
MovieLa Conga Nights
1940
as Dennis O'Brien
MovieThe Doctor Takes a Wife
1940
as New York Editor (uncredited)
Movie'Til We Meet Again
1940
as Hong Kong Bartender (uncredited)
MovieDr. Kildare's Strange Case
1940
as Mike
MovieKnow Your Money
1940
as Tobacconist (uncredited)
MovieHis Girl Friday
1940
as Duffy
MovieThe Secret of Dr. Kildare
1939
as Mike
MovieAt the Circus
1939
as Chef in Diner (uncredited)
MovieFast and Furious
1939
as Captain Joe Burke
MovieDust Be My Destiny
1939
as Wedding Witness on Stage (uncredited)
MovieThunder Afloat
1939
as Old Sailor in Bilge Area (uncredited)
MovieNancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939
as Captain Tweedy
MovieStanley and Livingstone
1939
as Newspaperman with Pills
MovieTell No Tales
1939
as Vic - Bartender (uncredited)
MovieYoung Mr. Lincoln
1939
as Loafer (uncredited)
MovieCalling Dr. Kildare
1939
as Mike Sullivan - Hospital Cafe Owner (uncredited)
MovieBroadway Serenade
1939
as Mr. Fellows
MovieWithin the Law
1939
as Jim Jenks
MovieNancy Drew... Reporter
1939
as Captain Tweedy (uncredited)
MovieFast and Loose
1939
as Detective Hendricks (uncredited)
MovieIdiot's Delight
1939
as Benny Zinsser
MovieBurn 'Em Up O'Connor
1939
as Tim McKelvy
MovieComet Over Broadway
1938
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
MovieNancy Drew… Detective
1938
as Captain Tweedy
MovieYoung Dr. Kildare
1938
as Mike Ryan (uncredited)
MovieMr. Chump
1938
as Sheriff Frank Hinton
MovieThink It Over
1938
as Brown, Clothing Store Owner
MovieTorchy Blane in Panama
1938
as First Leopard (uncredited)
MovieThe Patient in Room 18
1938
as Joe Higgins - Night Watchman
MovieMissing Witnesses
1937
as Gordon (uncredited)
MovieThe Footloose Heiress
1937
as Justice Abner Cuttler
MoviePrairie Thunder
1937
as Wichita
MovieThe Devil's Saddle Legion
1937
as Judge Barko
MovieTalent Scout
1937
as Burlesque Theatre Manager (uncredited)
MovieEver Since Eve
1937
as Cocktail Waiter (uncredited)
MovieMarry the Girl
1937
as Bar owner
MovieSan Quentin
1937
as Convict in Bunkhouse (uncredited)
MovieLand Beyond the Law
1937
as Shorty Long
MoviePolo Joe
1936
as Bert
MovieHot Money
1936
as Hank Ford
MovieTwo Against the World
1936
as Tommy - Bartender
MovieUnwelcome Stranger
1935
as Jackson
MovieThe Payoff
1935
as Porter (uncredited)
The Victim
1931
as The Husband
Taking Ways
1930
MovieA Bird in the Hand
1929
