Frank Faylen
Highest Rated: 100% Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954)
Lowest Rated: 50% North to Alaska (1960)
Birthday: Dec 8, 1905
Birthplace: Not Available
American actor Frank Faylen was born into a vaudeville act; as an infant, he was carried on stage by his parents, the song-and-dance team Ruf and Clark. Traveling with his parents from one engagement to another, Faylen somehow managed to complete his education at St. Joseph's Prep School in Kirkwood, Missouri. Turning pro at age 18, Faylen worked on stage until getting a Hollywood screen test in 1936. For the next nine years, Faylen played a succession of bit and minor roles, mostly for Warner Bros.; of these minuscule parts he would later say, "If you sneezed, you missed me." Better parts came his way during a brief stay at Hal Roach Studios in 1942 and 1943, but Faylen's breakthrough came at Paramount in 1945, where he was cast as Bim, the chillingly cynical male nurse at Bellevue's alcoholic ward in the Oscar-winning The Lost Weekend. Though the part lasted all of four minutes' screen time, Faylen was so effective in this unpleasant role that he became entrenched as a sadistic bully or cool villain in his subsequent films. TV fans remember Faylen best for his more benign but still snarly role as grocery store proprietor Herbert T. Gillis on the 1959 sitcom Dobie Gillis. For the next four years, Faylen gained nationwide fame for such catch-phrases as "I was in World War II--the big one--with the good conduct medal!", and, in reference to his screen son Dobie Gillis, "I gotta kill that boy someday. I just gotta." Faylen worked sporadically in TV and films after Dobie Gillis was canceled in 1963, receiving critical plaudits for his small role as an Irish stage manager in the 1968 Barbra Streisand starrer Funny Girl. The actor also made an encore appearance as Herbert T. Gillis in a Dobie Gillis TV special of the 1970s, where his "good conduct medal" line received an ovation from the studio audience. Faylen was married to Carol Hughes, an actress best-recalled for her role as Dale Arden in the 1939 serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, and was the father of another actress, also named Carol.

Photos

View All Photos (1)

Highest Rated Movies

Filmography

MOVIES

CREDIT
93% Funny Girl Keeney — 1968
No Score Yet The Monkey's Uncle Mr. Dearborne — 1965
50% North to Alaska Arnie — 1960
82% Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Cotton Wilson — 1957
No Score Yet Dino Frank Mandel — 1957
No Score Yet Three Brave Men Enos Warren — 1956
No Score Yet 7th Cavalry Sgt. Kruger — 1956
No Score Yet Away All Boats Chief `Pappy' Moran — 1956
No Score Yet Everything but the Truth Mac — 1956
No Score Yet The McConnell Story Sykes — 1955
No Score Yet Red Garters Billy Buckett — 1954
100% Riot in Cell Block 11 Commissioner Haskell — 1954
100% 99 River Street Stan Hogan — 1953
No Score Yet Hangman's Knot Cass Browne — 1952
100% The Lusty Men Al Dawson — 1952
86% The Sniper Inspector Anderson — 1952
No Score Yet My Favorite Spy Newton — 1951
73% Detective Story Gallagher — 1951
No Score Yet Passage West Curly — 1951
100% 14 Hours Waiter — 1951
100% Father's Little Dividend Policeman — 1951
No Score Yet Copper Canyon Mullins — 1950
No Score Yet Convicted Convict Ponti — 1950
No Score Yet Francis Sgt. Chillingbacker — 1950
No Score Yet The Nevadan Jeff — 1950
No Score Yet Whispering Smith Whitey DuSang — 1948
No Score Yet Blood on the Moon Jake Pindalest — 1948
No Score Yet Variety Girl Stage Manager — 1947
No Score Yet The Perils of Pauline Joe Gurt — 1947
No Score Yet Welcome Stranger Bill Walters — 1947
100% Road to Rio Trigger — 1947
93% It's a Wonderful Life Ernie Bishop — 1946
No Score Yet California Whitey — 1946
80% Blue Skies Mack — 1946
100% The Blue Dahlia The Man — 1946
No Score Yet To Each His Own Babe — 1946
No Score Yet Two Years Before the Mast Hansen — 1946
No Score Yet Our Hearts Were Growing Up Federal Agent — 1946
100% The Lost Weekend Bim — 1945
83% The Canterville Ghost Lt. Kane — 1944
No Score Yet A Guy Named Joe Major — 1944
100% The Gang's All Here Marine — 1943
No Score Yet The Mystery of the 13th Guest Speed Dugan — 1943
No Score Yet Thank Your Lucky Stars Sailor — 1943
No Score Yet Mission to Moscow Reporter — 1943
No Score Yet Slightly Dangerous Gateman — 1943
No Score Yet The Falcon Strikes Back Cecil — 1943
No Score Yet The Hard Way Policeman — 1943
No Score Yet She's for Me Keys — 1943
No Score Yet Get Going Hank — 1943
No Score Yet Star Spangled Rhythm "Black Magic" Number — 1942
97% The Palm Beach Story Taxi driver — 1942
83% Wake Island Wounded Marine — 1942
92% Yankee Doodle Dandy Sergeant — 1942
No Score Yet Joe Smith, American Expectant Father — 1942
No Score Yet Across the Pacific Barker — 1942
93% The Pride of the Yankees Third Base Coach — 1942
No Score Yet Two Mugs from Brooklyn Silk — 1942
No Score Yet Somewhere I'll Find You Slim — 1942
No Score Yet H.M. Pulham, Esq. Sergeant — 1941
No Score Yet Unholy Partners Roger Ordway — 1941
85% Sergeant York Gunnery Spotter — 1941
No Score Yet Tanks a Million Skivic — 1941
No Score Yet Let's Go Collegiate Speed — 1941
No Score Yet The Reluctant Dragon Orchestra Leader — 1941
No Score Yet Affectionately Yours Ambulance Driver — 1941
No Score Yet Knockout Fighter — 1941
No Score Yet Footsteps in the Dark Gus — 1941
No Score Yet Come Live with Me Waiter — 1941
No Score Yet Knockout Actor — 1941
No Score Yet City Limits Actor — 1941
No Score Yet No Time for Comedy Cab Driver — 1940
96% They Drive by Night Driver — 1940
No Score Yet Brother Orchid Superintendent of Service — 1940
80% Edison, the Man Galbreath — 1940
100% The Grapes of Wrath Tim Wallace — 1940
No Score Yet Castle on the Hudson Guard who is slugged — 1940
No Score Yet The Fighting 69th Engineer Sergeant — 1940
No Score Yet Invisible Stripes Steve the Henchman — 1939
92% Gone With the Wind Soldier Aiding Dr. Meade Doctor's Aide — 1939
No Score Yet Reno Hezzy Briggs — 1939
No Score Yet The Star Maker Reporter #1 — 1939
No Score Yet Five Came Back Press Photographer — 1939
No Score Yet Lucky Night Announcer — 1939
No Score Yet Women in the Wind Mechanic — 1939
No Score Yet Idiot's Delight Ed — 1939
No Score Yet Nick Carter, Master Detective Pete Foley — 1939
No Score Yet Too Hot to Handle Assistant Dubber — 1938
No Score Yet They Won't Forget Bill Price — 1937
No Score Yet That Certain Woman Reporter — 1937
No Score Yet San Quentin Convict — 1937
No Score Yet Ever Since Eve Bandit Leader — 1937
No Score Yet Kid Galahad Barney — 1937
100% Marked Woman Taxi Driver — 1937
No Score Yet Back in Circulation Actor — 1937
No Score Yet Cherokee Strip Joe Brady — 1937
No Score Yet Bullets or Ballots Gatley — 1936
No Score Yet Border Flight Jimmie — 1936
No Score Yet The Golden Arrow Reporter — 1936

TV

CREDIT
No Score Yet Quincy, M.E.
1976-1983
Janusz
  • 1978
No Score Yet The Beverly Hillbillies
1962-1971
Marvin
  • 1966
No Score Yet Maverick
1957-1962
Red Harrison
  • 1958

QUOTES FROM Frank Faylen CHARACTERS