Fred Kelsey

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Born
August 20, 1884 (77 years old)
Died
September 2, 1961
Place of Birth
Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Popular Genres
Drama Comedy Romance
Career Span
1911 – 1959

Fred Kelsey

2 wins
32 nominations
2 Oscars
268 credits

Frederick Alvin Kelsey (August 20, 1884 – September 2, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. Kelsey directed one- and two-reel films for Universal Film Manufacturing Company. He appeared in more than 400 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives. He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920. Kelsey was caricatured as the detective in the 1943 MGM cartoon Who Killed Who? directed by Tex Avery. He was born in Sandusky, Ohio and died at the Motion Picture Country Home in Hollywood, California, aged 77.

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Personal Info

Born
Aug 20, 1884
From
Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Known For
Acting
Career
1911 – 1959

Award Recognition

2
Wins
32
Nominations
2
Oscars

Complete Filmography

1959

Westbound as Townsman (uncredited)

1958

Auntie Mame as Front Row Audience at Play (uncredited) Award

1956

The Opposite Sex as Club Patron (uncredited) Award
Serenade as Opera Attendee (uncredited)

1955

To Catch a Thief as Party Guest (uncredited) Award
Illegal as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) Award
Tall Man Riding as Townsman (uncredited)

1954

The Silver Chalice as Silversmith (uncredited) Award
Lucky Me as Passerby on Street (uncredited)
A Star Is Born as Audience Member (uncredited)
So You Want to Know Your Relatives as Mr. Watson (uncredited)
Outlaw's Son

1953

Crime Wave as Old Man Crossing Street (uncredited)
So You Want to Be a Musician as Restaurant diner
So You Think You Can't Sleep as Sleeping patient in waiting room
Murder Without Tears as Sergeant-at-Arms

1952

O. Henry's Full House as Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi") Award
Room for One More
Hans Christian Andersen as First Gendarme
My Six Convicts as Store Detective
So You Want to Enjoy Life as Boat Salesman / Flugleman's Assistant (uncredited)
Springfield Rifle as Barfly (uncredited)

1951

Strangers on a Train as Tennis Match Spectator / Carnival Attendee (uncredited) Award
The Enforcer Award
Storm Warning as Townsman (uncredited)
Goodbye, My Fancy as Party Guest (Uncredited)

1950

The Damned Don't Cry as Man on Dock (uncredited)
The Flame and the Arrow as Guard (uncredited)
Backfire as Fight Fan (uncredited)
So You Think You're Not Guilty as Police Turnkey (uncredited)
Revenue Agent as Sgt. Wallace
So You Want to Hold Your Husband as Lamb - Curry's Partner
So You Want a Raise

1949

The Inspector General as Villager (uncredited) Award
The Fountainhead as Old Watchman (uncredited) Award
Colorado Territory as Train Engineer (uncredited)
Flamingo Road as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Homicide as Officer O'Brien
Dancing in the Dark as Deputy
So You Want to Be an Actor as Counter Man
So You Want to Be a Muscle Man as Delivery Man

1948

The Noose Hangs High as Cop (uncredited) Award
So You Want an Apartment as Apartment Manager with a Vacancy (uncredited)

1947

Nora Prentiss as Turnkey (uncredited)
The Unfaithful as Courtroom Spectator

1946

Night and Day as First-Nighter (uncredited) Award
A Stolen Life as Bartender (uncredited)
Never Say Goodbye as Policeman (uncredited)
Three Strangers as Man on the Street / Man in Pub
The Man I Love as Mac the Doorman (uncredited)
So You Want to Play the Horses as Detective (uncredited)
So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck as Fred
Hiss and Yell as Policeman (uncredited)
Detour to Danger as Det. Kelsey
Andy Plays Hookey as Policeman

1945

Mildred Pierce as Bumped First Night Diner (uncredited) Award
Christmas in Connecticut as Harper (uncredited) Award
Saratoga Trunk as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Come Out Fighting as Mr. McGinnis, Sr. (as Fred Kelsy)
How DOooo You Do as Detective
Frontier Days as Mayor Stone (uncredited)
The Strange Mr. Gregory as Lefert
Snooper Service
If a Body Meets a Body as Detective

1944

Mr. Skeffington as Cop in Raid (uncredited) Award
Crime by Night as Dad Martin (uncredited)
Trial by Trigger as Jerry (uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed as Turnkey
Roaring Guns

1943

Thank Your Lucky Stars as Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Action in the North Atlantic as Joe (uncredited)
Northern Pursuit as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Old Acquaintance as Train Conductor / Man at Radio Broadcast (uncredited)
True to Life as Cop (uncredited)
One Dangerous Night as Detective Dickens
Murder on the Waterfront as Capt. Beal
A Gem of a Jam as Police Chief
Food and Magic
Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Policeman

1942

In This Our Life as Jailer (uncredited) Award
Gentleman Jim as Sutro (uncredited) Award
Wild Bill Hickok Rides as Jailer
Larceny, Inc. as Bronson
Murder in the Big House as "Screw"
Bullet Scars as Police Chief Hansen
Lady Gangster as Policeman (uncredited)
My Favorite Blonde as Sam - Policeman
Spy Ship as Night Watchman
X Marks the Spot as Police Officer Martin
I Was Framed as Drunk
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady as Policeman (uncredited)
Counter-Espionage as Dickens
Dear! Deer! as Policeman

1941

Mr. District Attorney as Officer McCloskey Award
They Died with Their Boots On as Ft. Lincoln Bartender (uncredited) Award
The Man Who Came to Dinner as Detective (uncredited)
One Foot in Heaven as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Invisible Ghost as Detective Ryan
Pacific Blackout as Cop
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance as Detective Dickens
Secrets of the Lone Wolf as Wesley Dickens
At the Stroke of Twelve as Police Sergeant

1940

The Golden Fleecing as Cop (uncredited)
Deadwood Dick as Bottles
High School as Junk Man
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date as Dickens
The Lone Wolf Strikes as Dickens
Misbehaving Husbands as Sgt. Murphy
Mexican Spitfire Out West as Jim - Detective
The Green Archer as Capt. Thompson
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk as Bailiff
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady as Dickens
Mutiny in the County as Policeman

1939

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island as Detective - in Cab and at Theatre
Tell No Tales as Policeman at School (uncredited)
Rough Riders' Round-up as Agitator
Charlie Chan in Reno as Reno Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Chicken Wagon Family as Policeman
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence as Pete - Railroad Detective
Clock Wise as Landlord
Too Busy to Work as Hank Fidler
Tiny Troubles as Judge
Moving Vanities as Police Officer (uncredited)

1938

Night Spot as Police Band Leader
Straight, Place and Show as Cop at Racetrack
Safety in Numbers as Cop
Josette as Hotel Detective
Everybody's Doing It as Police Sergeant
Down on the Farm as Bit Role
Many Sappy Returns as Finnegan
Berth Quakes as Train Conductor

1937

Slave Ship as Seaman at Auction
One Mile from Heaven as Smitty - Policeman
Love and Hisses as Officer
Time Out for Romance as Policeman
Love Is News as Cop (uncredited)
The Lady Escapes as Man on telephone (uncredited)
Angel's Holiday as Conductor
Big Business as Oil Man at Well
She Had to Eat as Police Officer Tracy (uncredited)
Wild and Woolly as Policeman (uncredited)
Borrowing Trouble as Policeman
Super-Sleuth as Jailer
That I May Live as Abner Jenkins

1936

Private Number as Detective in Ellen's Apartment (Uncredited)
High Tension as Desk Sergeant
The Witness Chair as Detective Costigan
The Garden Murder Case as Heath's Assistant (Uncredited)
The Little Red Schoolhouse as First Detective
At Sea Ashore as Cop (uncredited)

1935

The Public Menace as Mike - Cop
Horses' Collars as Detective Hyden Zeke (uncredited)
Carnival as Bit Part
Atlantic Adventure as Police Officer Riley
Danger Ahead as Detective O'Brien
Hot Money as Police Officer Kelsey (as Fred A. Kelsey)
One Frightened Night as Sheriff Jenks
Death Flies East as Police Lieutenant O'Brien
Diamond Jim as Horsley's Secretary
A Notorious Gentleman
The Sagebrush Troubadour as Hank Polk

1934

Twentieth Century as Train Detective (uncredited)
Among the Missing as Police Sgt. Murphy
The Crime Doctor as Bloodgood
Beloved as Mulvaney
I'll Be Suing You as Insurance Adjustor
Rough Necking as Joe Cuttlehammer Sr.
Lightning Strikes Twice as Dugan
School for Girls as Detective
I'll Tell the World as Sergeant at Border
The Moth as Detective Blake
Strictly Fresh Yeggs as Policeman

1933

King of the Jungle as Cop (uncredited)
The Crime of the Century as Police Guard (uncredited)
Sailor's Luck as Cop
Quiet Please! as Train Conductor

1932

If I Had a Million as Prison Jailer (uncredited)
Huddle as Policeman (uncredited)
Red Haired Alibi as Corcoran
Speak Easily as Process Server
Yoo-Hoo as Detective
Guilty as Hell as Detective Duffy
Discarded Lovers as Delaney
Boys Will Be Boys as Doorman
The Iceman's Ball as Police Sergeant
Love in High Gear as Detective Duffy
Shopping with Wifie as Det. Dugan

1931

Young Donovan's Kid as Collins
Side Show as Sheriff Hornsby
Scandal Sheet as Detective Sgt. Vincent Molloy
The Naughty Flirt as Policeman (uncredited)
Subway Express as Detective Kearney

1930

Only Saps Work as Murphy (uncredited)
Road to Paradise as Casey
The Woman Racket as Police Captain
Wide Open as Detective
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case as Chief of Detectives (uncredited)
Men Without Law as Deputy Sheriff Jeff
Going Wild as The Conductor
Scarlet Pages as Murphy
Murder on the Roof as Ryan
The Girl Said No as Policeman
She Got What She Wanted
Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1 as Self - Tour Guide

1929

Smiling Irish Eyes as County Fair Manager
The Donovan Affair as Carney
Wrong Again
The Faker as Police Detective

1928

A Woman of Affairs as Detective (uncredited)
Harold Teen as Mr. Lovewell
Naughty Baby as Dugan
On Trial as Clerk
While the City Sleeps as Detective in Shadow Box
Tenderloin as Detective Simpson
The Last Warning as Inspector
The Wright Idea as M. T. Flatt
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath as Detective

1927

The Thirteenth Hour as Det. Shaw
The Gorilla as Mulligan
The 13th Juror as The Detective
Soft Cushions as The Police
Orchids and Ermine as Police Sergeant
Jewish Prudence as Rent Collector

1926

There Ain't No Santa Claus as Store Detective (uncredited)
The Third Degree as Assistant Chief of Detectives
Crazy Like a Fox as Man with Badge on Train (uncredited)
Say It with Babies as Policeman
Bromo and Juliet as The Detective (uncredited)
That's My Baby as Murphy
Dog Shy as Cop
The Mystery Pilot as Skipper Larsen
Atta Boy as Detective

1925

Little Annie Rooney as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Excuse Me as George Ketchem
Seven Keys to Baldpate
The Lawful Cheater as Tom Horan
Seven Sinners as Policeman
Friendly Enemies
Paths to Paradise as Confederate
The Uneasy Three

1924

The Yankee Consul as Agent John J. Doyle
The Night Hawk

1923

Souls for Sale as Detective Quinn (uncredited)
The Eleventh Hour as The Submarine Commander
Lovebound as Detective Hahn
Lights Out as Decker
Bag and Baggage as Fred

1922

Manslaughter as Member of the Jury (uncredited) Award
Captain Fly-by-Night as Gomez
The Song of Life as Police Inspector
Deserted at the Altar as The Other Man
One Clear Call as Starnes
Don't Shoot as Police Officer
South of Suva as Karl Swartz

1921

Puppets of Fate as Bobs
There Are No Villains as Dugall
The Last Card as Detective (uncredited)

1920

Alias Jimmy Valentine as Bit Part (uncredited)

1919

The Silk Lined Burglar as Capt. von Hoffmeier
The Light of Victory as Captain Eric von Prohme
The Fire Flingers as Sgt. Powers

1918

A Society Sensation as JIm Cox
The Yellow Dog as Max Kummich
The Empty Cab as The Detective

1917

The Honor of an Outlaw as The Deputy

1914

Arms and the Gringo
Silent Sandy as Silent Sandy

1911

A Left Hook

Photos & Videos

Featured in Trailers

To Catch a Thief
Strangers on a Train
The Enforcer
Illegal
Auntie Mame
Mr. Skeffington
They Died with Their Boots On
The Noose Hangs High

Career Statistics

Roles by Genre
Genre Evolution