Frank Orth Photo

Frank Orth

Acting

0.9 Popularity Feb 20, 1880 (82 years old) 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, h...

Biography

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.

Filmography 123

1953
Here Come the Girls Movie

as Mr. Hungerford

1953
Houdini Movie

as Mr. Hunter

1952
Something to Live For Movie

as Waiter (uncredited)

1951
Double Dynamite Movie

as Mr. Kofer

1950
The Petty Girl Movie

as Moody (process server)

1950
1950
Cheaper by the Dozen Movie

as Higgins (uncredited)

1950
The Great Rupert Movie

as Mr. Frank Dingle

1949
Bride for Sale Movie

as Police Sergeant

1949
Red Light Movie

as Wallace 'Wally' Stoner

1948
Blondie's Secret Movie

as Mr. Philpotts

1948
The Girl from Manhattan Movie

as Oscar Newsome

1948
The Big Clock Movie

as Burt

1947
It Had to Be You Movie

as Conductor Brown

1947
The Gas House Kids in Hollywood Movie

as Police Captain

1947
Heartaches Movie

as Mike Connelly, Vic's Agent

1947
1947
Born to Speed Movie

as Breezy Bradley

Photos 1

Frank Orth Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Male
Birthday February 20, 1880 (82 years old)
Died March 17, 1962
Place of Birth Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Also Known As Frank Kaiser Orth
Years Active 1929 - 1953
Popularity 0.9
Career Stats
123 Total Credits
120 Movie Roles
2 TV Roles
1 Photos