Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf,[1] December 8, 1905[citation needed] – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television
actor. Largely a bit player and
character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two year acting career, during which he appeared in some 223 film and television productions, often without credit.
Career
Born in
St. Louis, Missouri, Faylen began his acting career as an infant appearing with his
vaudeville-performing parents on stage. The family lived on a showboat,[2] and performed throughout his youth.
Faylen's breakthrough came in 1945, where he was cast as Bim, the cynical nurse at
Bellevue's alcoholic ward in The Lost Weekend. In the following year, he played Ernie Bishop, the friendly taxi driver in
Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life.[3] Faylen's career also stretched to television, where he appeared in a number of western series, such as
Maverick and
Zane Grey Theater, as well as playing series regular long-suffering grocer Herbert T. Gillis, the father of the title character on the 1950s-'60s television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.[4] He also played Bert Hollinger in the ABC comedy That Girl.[4]: 1065
In 1968, he had a small part in the
Barbra Streisand film Funny Girl. Faylen appeared in almost 200 films.
He has a star at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[5]
Personal life
Faylen was married to
Carol Hughes, an actress. Their two daughters, Catherine and Carol, are retired actresses.[2] Catherine "Kay" Faylen was
Regis Philbin's first wife.[citation needed]
^
abTerrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 267.
ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
^"Frank Faylen". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf,[1] December 8, 1905[citation needed] – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television
actor. Largely a bit player and
character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two year acting career, during which he appeared in some 223 film and television productions, often without credit.
Career
Born in
St. Louis, Missouri, Faylen began his acting career as an infant appearing with his
vaudeville-performing parents on stage. The family lived on a showboat,[2] and performed throughout his youth.
Faylen's breakthrough came in 1945, where he was cast as Bim, the cynical nurse at
Bellevue's alcoholic ward in The Lost Weekend. In the following year, he played Ernie Bishop, the friendly taxi driver in
Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life.[3] Faylen's career also stretched to television, where he appeared in a number of western series, such as
Maverick and
Zane Grey Theater, as well as playing series regular long-suffering grocer Herbert T. Gillis, the father of the title character on the 1950s-'60s television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.[4] He also played Bert Hollinger in the ABC comedy That Girl.[4]: 1065
In 1968, he had a small part in the
Barbra Streisand film Funny Girl. Faylen appeared in almost 200 films.
He has a star at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.[5]
Personal life
Faylen was married to
Carol Hughes, an actress. Their two daughters, Catherine and Carol, are retired actresses.[2] Catherine "Kay" Faylen was
Regis Philbin's first wife.[citation needed]
^
abTerrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 267.
ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
^"Frank Faylen". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.