FRANK ORTH BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Frank Orth was born on February 21st, 1880 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His career as an entertainer began by performing in vaudeville in 1897. He performed along with his only wife, Ann Codee and they were billed as Codee and Orth.
Along with performing live he also began experimenting with song writing and released such songs as, "The Phone Bell Rang" and "Meet Me on the Boardwalk, Dearie".
In 1928 he began to break into the film industry appearing in a number of film shorts with Warner Brothers Studios such as, "42nd Street" (1928) starring Warner Baxter, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, George Brent, Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel, Allen Jenkins, Guy Kibbee, Louise Beavers, Lyle Talbot, George Irving, Charles Lane and Ginger Rogers, "Meet the Wife" (1929) co-starring Ann Codee and Joseph Bernard, "A Bird in the Hand" (1929) also starring Lois Wilson, Jason Robards Sr., Ann Codee, Dot Farley and Roy D'Arcy and "Meine Frau" (1929) with Ann Codee and Walter Dreher.
In 1937 he was cast in his first major role in the western film, "Prairie Thunder" starring Dick Foran, Ellen Clancy, Wilfred Lucas and Yakima Canutt. More prominent roles he added to his resume over the course of his career included roles in the films, "His Girl Friday" (1940) starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, John Qualen, Billy Gilbert, Regis Toomey, Roscoe Karns, Porter Hall and Gene Lockhart, "Father is a Prince" (1940) with Grant Mitchell and Nana Bryant, "They Died With Their Boots On" (1941) starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, John Litel, Sydney Greenstreet, Regis Toomey, Hattie McDaniel, Minor Watson, Charlie Grapewin, Anthony Quinn and Gene Lockhart, "The Magnificent Dope" (1942) starring Henry Fonda, Lynn Bari and Edward Everett Horton, "Storm Over Lisbon" (1944) starring Vera Ralston, Richard Arlen and Erich von Stroheim, "It's Great to be Young" (1946) starring Leslie Brooks, Jimmy Lloyd, Jeff Donnell, Bob Haymes, Jack Williams, Jack Fina, Frank Orth, Ann Codee, Pat Yankee, Frank Sully and Milton Delugg, "The Big Clock" (1948) also starring Ray Milland, Maureen O'Sullivan, Elsa Lanchester, Charles Laughton, Harry Morgan, Noel Neill, George Macready and Richard Webb, "Father of the Bride" (1950) starring alongside Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Don Taylor, Billie Burke, and Leo G. Carroll and "Double Dynamite" (1951) with Jane Russell, Groucho Marx and Frank Sinatra.
As his career progressed his most well known role was in the television series, "Boston Blackie" staring Kent Taylor, and portraying Inspector Faraday. He also had recurring roles in the Dr. Kildare series (with Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore) and also the Nancy Drew series. Other television appearances included, "The Silver Theatre", "Adventures of Superman", "It's a Great Life" and "The Brothers".
In 1959 he underwent throat surgery and then retired from the industry after appearing in the television series, "Fibber McGee and Molly". His wife passed away in 1961 and one year later he passed away on March 17th, 1962 in Hollywood, California. His remains are buried alongside his wife in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.
Filmography
1959 Fibber McGee and Molly
1957 Captain David Grief
1957 Hold That Hypnotist
1956 The Brothers
1956 It's a Great Life
1955 Not as a Stranger
1953 Here Come the Girls
1953 Houdini
1951-1953 Boston Blackie
1952 Adventures of Superman
1952 Something to Live For
1951 Double Dynamite
1951 The Bigelow Theatre
1950 The Petty Girl
1950 Father of the Bride
1950 The Silver Theatre
1950 Cheaper by the Dozen
1950 The Great Rupert
1949 Bride for Sale
1949 Red Light
1949 Make Believe Ballroom
1948 Blondie's Secret
1948 Family Honeymoon
1948 The Girl from Manhattan
1948 So This Is New York
1948 Fury at Furnace Creek
1948 The Big Clock
1947 It Had to Be You
1947 Gas House Kids in Hollywood
1947 Mother Wore Tights
1947 Heartaches
1947 The Guilt of Janet Ames
1947 Lady in the Lake
1947 Born to Speed
1946 The Show-Off
1946 Wake Up and Dream
1946 It's Great to Be Young
1946 The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946 The Well-Groomed Bride
1946 The Bride Wore Boots
1946 Murder in the Music Hall
1946 The Hoodlum Saint
1946 Blondie's Lucky Day
1946 Colonel Effingham's Raid
1945 Doll Face
1945 The Lost Weekend
1945 She Went to the Races
1945 The Dolly Sisters
1945 Tell It to a Star
1945 Wonder Man
1945 Pillow to Post
1945 I Was a Criminal
1944 Carolina Blues
1944 Storm Over Lisbon
1944 Tall in the Saddle
1944 Greenwich Village
1944 The Impatient Years
1944 Wilson
1944 Summer Storm
1944 Roger Touhy, Gangster
1944 Buffalo Bill
1943 Sweet Rosie O'Grady
1943 Coney Island
1943 The Ox-Bow Incident
1943 Hello Frisco, Hello
1943 The Meanest Man in the World
1942 Over My Dead Body
1942 Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
1942 Springtime in the Rockies
1942 Orchestra Wives
1942 Tales of Manhattan
1942 Footlight Serenade
1942 Little Tokyo, U.S.A.
1942 The Magnificent Dope
1942 Henry and Dizzy
1942 My Gal Sal
1942 To the Shores of Tripoli
1942 Rings on Her Fingers
1942 Roxie Hart
1942 Dr. Kildare's Victory
1942 Right to the Heart
1942 Blue, White and Perfect
1941 Unholy Partner
1941 They Died with Their Boots On
1941 Skylark
1941 I Wake Up Screaming
1941 Navy Blues
1941 Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
1941 Kisses for Breakfast
1941 Sergeant York
1941 Broadway Limited
1941 The Great American Broadcast
1941 The People vs. Dr. Kildare
1941 Ride on Vaquero
1941 Road Show
1941 The Strawberry Blonde
1941 Come Live with Me
1941 Let's Make Music
1941 Respect the Law
1940 Michael Shayne: Private Detective
1940 You, the People
1940 Dr. Kildare's Crisis
1940 Father Is a Prince
1940 Gallant Sons
1940 Mexican Spitfire Out West
1940 The Bride Wore Crutches
1940 Dr. Kildare Goes Home
1940 Boom Town
1940 Buyer Beware
1940 Pier 13
1940 Gold Rush Maisi
1940 Brother Orchid
1940 Florian
1940 La Conga Nights
1940 The Doctor Takes a Wife
1940 'Til We Meet Again
1940 Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
1940 Know Your Money
1940 His Girl Friday
1939 The Secret of Dr. Kildare
1939 At the Circus
1939 Fast and Furious
1939 Dust Be My Destiny
1939 Thunder Afloat
1939 Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939 Stanley and Livingstone
1939 Young Mr. Lincoln
1939 Tell No Tales
1939 Calling Dr. Kildare
1939 Broadway Serenade
1939 Winner Take All
1939 Society Lawyer
1939 Within the Law
1939 Nancy Drew... Reporter
1939 Fast and Loose
1939 Idiot's Delight
1939 Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
1939 King of the Underworld
1938 Comet Over Broadway
1938 Nancy Drew -- Detective
1938 Young Dr. Kildare
1938 Mr. Chump
1938 Think It Over
1938 Little Miss Thoroughbred
1938 Torchy Blane in Panama
1938 The Patient in Room 18
1937 Missing Witnesses
1937 Submarine D-1
1937 Prairie Thunder
1937 The Footloose Heiress
1937 The Devil's Saddle Legion
1937 San Quentin
1937 Talent Scout
1937 Marry the Girl
1937 Ever Since Eve
1937 Fly Away Baby
1937 Land Beyond the Law
1936 Polo Joe
1936 Hot Money
1936 Two Against the World
1935 The Payoff
1935 Unwelcome Stranger
1933 Trouble Indemnity
1931 The Bitter Half
1931 Sleepy Head
1931 The Painter
1931 On the Job
1931 Dumb Luck
1930 Taking Ways
1930 The Victim
1930 The Salesman
1930 Imagine My Embarassment
1929 Meine Frau
1929 Music Hath Charms
1929 A Bird in the Hand
1929 Stranded in Paris
1929 Meet the Wife
1928 42nd Street
