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Frank Faylen

Actor

Frank Faylen

Born December 8, 1905 in Saint Louis, Missouri, USADied August 2, 1985173 films

Frank Faylen (born Francis Charles Ruf) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. He is best remembered for his movie performances as the cynical male nurse in The Lost Weekend (1945) and Ernie the taxi driver in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), as well as for his portrayal of long-suffering grocer Herbert T. Gillis on the 1950s television sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

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The best way into Frank Faylen's work
It's a Wonderful Life posterFirst watchIt's a Wonderful Life19468.3as ErnieGeorge Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Gone with the Wind poster7.9Gone with the Wind1939The Grapes of Wrath poster7.8The Grapes of Wrath1940The Lost Weekend poster7.6The Lost Weekend1945Funny Girl poster7.1Funny Girl1968Gunfight at the O.K. Corral poster7.0Gunfight at the O.K. Corral1957Sergeant York poster7.2Sergeant York1941Yankee Doodle Dandy poster7.0Yankee Doodle Dandy1942The Palm Beach Story poster7.0The Palm Beach Story1942

Filmography

173 films as actor
  1. 1977Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis?Herbert T. Gillis
  2. 1968Funny GirlKeeney
  3. 1965When the Boys Meet the GirlsPhin Gray
  4. 1965The Monkey's UncleMr. Dearborne
  5. 1965FluffyCatfish
  6. 1960North to AlaskaArnie (uncredited)
  7. 1957DinoFrank Mandel
  8. 1957Gunfight at the O.K. CorralSheriff Cotton Wilson
  9. 19567th CavalrySgt. Kruger
  10. 1956Three Brave MenEnos Warren
  11. 1956Everything But the Truth'Mac' McMillan
  12. 1956Away All BoatsChief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran
  13. 1956Terror at MidnightFred Hill
  14. 1955The McConnell StorySfc. Sykes
  15. 1955The LootersStan Leppich
  16. 1954The Lone GunFairweather
  17. 1954Riot in Cell Block 11Commissioner Haskell
  18. 1954Red GartersBilly Buckett
  19. 195399 River StreetStan Hogan
  20. 1952Hangman's KnotCass Browne
  21. 1952The Lusty MenAl Dawson
  22. 1952The SniperAnderson
  23. 1951My Favorite SpyNewton
  24. 1951Detective StoryDet. Gallagher
  25. 1951Passage WestCurly
  26. 1951Fourteen HoursWalter, room service waiter
  27. 1950Copper CanyonMullins
  28. 1950The Eagle and the HawkRed' Hyatt - Danzeeger's Foreman
  29. 1950ConvictedConvict Ponti
  30. 1950FrancisSergeant Chillingbacker
  31. 1950The NevadanJeff
  32. 1948Whispering SmithWhitey Du Sang
  33. 1948Blood on the MoonJake Pindalest
  34. 1948Race StreetPhil Dickson
  35. 1948HazardOscar
  36. 1947Road to RioTrigger
  37. 1947Variety GirlFrank Faylen
  38. 1947The Perils of PaulineMr. Joe Gurt
  39. 1947The Trouble with WomenGeeger
  40. 1947Welcome StrangerBill Walters
  41. 1947Easy Come, Easy GoBoss
  42. 1947CaliforniaWhitey
  43. 1947Suddenly It's SpringHarold Michaels
  44. 1946It's a Wonderful LifeErnie
  45. 1946Cross My HeartFingerprint Expert
  46. 1946Two Years Before the MastHansen
  47. 1946Blue SkiesMack (uncredited)
  48. 1946Our Hearts Were Growing UpFederal Agent
  49. 1946The Well Groomed BrideCabbie
  50. 1946The Blue DahliaMan Recommending Motel
  51. 1946To Each His OwnBabe
  52. 1945Masquerade in MexicoBrooklyn (uncredited)
  53. 1945The Lost Weekend'Bim' Nolan
  54. 1945Incendiary BlondeHotel Clerk (uncredited)
  55. 1945The Affairs of SusanBrooklyn Boy (uncredited)
  56. 1945You Came AlongBellboy (uncredited)
  57. 1945Bring on the GirlsSailor
  58. 1945BombaleraHoulihan
  59. 1944The Canterville GhostLieutenant John Kane
  60. 1944Address UnknownJimmie Blake
  61. 1944Andy Hardy's Blonde TroubleTaxi Driver #2 (uncredited)
  62. 1944And the Angels SingHolman
  63. 1944See Here, Private HargroveM.P. (uncredited)
  64. 1944A Guy Named JoeMajor (uncredited)
  65. 1944Standing Room OnlyCabbie
  66. 1943The Gang's All HereMarine Sergeant (uncredited)
  67. 1943The Mystery of the 13th GuestSpeed Dugan
  68. 1943The Unknown GuestTruck Driver (uncredited)
  69. 1943Corvette K-225Shipyard Painter
  70. 1943Thank Your Lucky StarsSailor (uncredited)
  71. 1943Nazty NuisanceSeaman Benson
  72. 1943Young IdeasReporter (uncredited)
  73. 1943Yanks AhoyQuartermaster Jenkins
  74. 1943Get GoingHank
  75. 1943Prairie ChickensClem
  76. 1943Good Morning, JudgeBen Pollard
  77. 1943Mission to MoscowReporter (uncredited)
  78. 1943Taxi, MisterHenchman Silk
  79. 1943Slightly DangerousGateman (uncredited)
  80. 1943The Falcon Strikes BackCecil, a Hobo (uncredited)
  81. 1943Dixie DuganSoldier (uncredited)
  82. 1943Silver SkatesEddie
  83. 1942Fall InCapt. Gillis
  84. 1942Across the PacificSidewalk Toy Vendor (uncredited)
  85. 1942The Palm Beach StoryTaxi Driver (uncredited)
  86. 1942Somewhere I'll Find YouSoldier Driving Jeep
  87. 1942Wake Island
  88. 1942A-Haunting We Will GoTrain Detective (uncredited)
  89. 1942The Pride of the YankeesYankee Third Base Coach (uncredited)
  90. 1942Tough as They ComeCollector
  91. 1942Maisie Gets Her ManStage Manager (Uncredited)
  92. 1942Yankee Doodle DandySergeant on Parade (uncredited)
  93. 1942Whispering GhostsCurly
  94. 1942About FaceBartender Jerry
  95. 1942MokeyPolice Desk Sergeant
  96. 1942Star Spangled RhythmSoldier (uncredited)
  97. 1942Joe Smith, AmericanMan in Waiting Room with Matches (uncredited)
  98. 1941Steel Against the SkyEgg Man in Diner (uncredited)
  99. 1941H.M. Pulham, Esq.Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
  100. 1941Top Sergeant MulliganPat Dolan
  101. 1941Sergeant YorkBut! Boy (uncredited)
  102. 1941Let's Go CollegiateSpeed Dorman
  103. 1941Tanks a MillionPvt. Skivic
  104. 1941Blossoms in the DustMan with Man Carrying Dead Child
  105. 1941Father Steps OutTall Hobo 'King', aka The King of Siam
  106. 1941The Reluctant DragonOrchestra Leader (uncredited)
  107. 1941Thieves Fall OutPick
  108. 1941Model WifeMaster of Ceremonies
  109. 1941Footsteps in the DarkGus a Taxi Driver (uncredited)
  110. 1941Come Live with MeWaiter
  111. 1940East of the RiverTour Guide (uncredited)
  112. 1940Just a Cute KidBenny
  113. 1940City for ConquestBand Conductor and Emcee (uncredited)
  114. 1940No Time for ComedyCab Driver
  115. 1940They Drive by NightDriver in Cafe (uncredited)
  116. 1940Pop Always PaysMinerva Auto Loan Cashier
  117. 1940Blame It on LoveStudio Electrician
  118. 1940Brother OrchidParkway Biltmore Desk Clerk (uncredited)
  119. 1940La Conga NightsJeepers Peepers
  120. 1940Edison, the ManGalbreath